Sacha Baron Cohen

Born in Hammersmith, London, to an Orthodox Jewish family, Sacha Baron Cohen was steeped in Jewish culture from a young age. He spent time in Israel, volunteered on a kibbutz, and even earned a history degree from Cambridge, focusing his thesis on the Jewish role in the American Civil Rights Movement. Clearly, his Jewish identity is no joke, even if his characters are.

Cohen shot to international fame with his satirical characters like Ali G, a white, middle-class man posing as a wannabe rude boy, and Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional Kazakh journalist whose travels through America exposed the prejudices of those he encountered. His audacious style often leads to controversy, but also critical acclaim and significant box office success.

From being an outspoken critic of antisemitism to using his platform for social commentary, Cohen leverages his considerable talent for more than just laughs. He’s a fearless performer who consistently challenges norms, making him a perennial source of both nachas and occasional pearl-clutching. Just try not to watch "Borat" with your bubbe.