Sacha Baron Cohen‘s new Ali G movie has come under fire, but its writer has pushed back against the criticism. Colton Dunn says he was one of three Black writers involved with Ali G: Who Iz I?. Last month, a screening of Cohen’s Borat was canceled amidst allegations of the new Ali G movie being racist.
In an interview with Deadline, Dunn defended the film and the character, saying that it uses humor to target the movie’s subjects instead of Black people. “From my point of view, Ali G is not a racist character. Ali G is a tool to expose racists,” Dunn said.
Colton Dunn says Ali G’s jokes target racists, not Black culture
Dunn explained further that the character puts himself in “the most ridiculous situations,” but not because he is racist. “He goes into these crazy-ass places, places where people would kill him if they knew what was going down,” he added. “I don’t think he’s doing that from a racist point of view. That’s why I signed on. I wouldn’t sign on to work with somebody that I thought was racist, that’s against everything that I’ve done.”
Since the film’s trailer premiered in August, NewsCord has led a campaign urging cinemas to boycott the project, stating that its humor is a “cover for enforcing racist stereotypes.” Several other Black comedians have also criticized the character and his twisted sense of humor. According to Dunn, the film will include commentary on topics such as cancel culture and immigration.
Ali G last appeared on the big screen in Ali G Indahouse, which was released in 2002. The character, like many of Baron Cohen’s other personas, plays on several exaggerated stereotypes. The upcoming film will mark Cohen’s directorial debut. Ali G, short for Alistair Leslie Graham, was first conceived and performed by Cohen on The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998. He has since appeared in various shows and films. The latest film was shot secretly, although details about the project were reported by the trades before its official unveiling.
Ali G: Who Iz I releases in theaters on October 23, 2026.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.net.
