So, you’re wondering who actually plays Ali G. It’s one of those things where the face is so famous, the yellow tracksuit is so iconic, but the guy underneath? He’s basically a human chameleon.
The man is Sacha Baron Cohen.
Yeah, the same guy who made you cringe behind a pillow as Borat and probably weirded you out as Brüno. But before the man-kini and the "very nice!" catchphrases, there was the "voice of da yoof" from Staines. Honestly, if you grew up in the early 2000s, Ali G wasn't just a character; he was a full-blown cultural glitch. People actually thought he was real. Even high-ranking politicians and world-class scientists fell for the act.
The Man Behind the Yellow Sunglasses
Sacha Baron Cohen didn't just wake up one day and decide to put on a Tommy Hilfiger knock-off. He’s actually a highly educated, middle-class guy from London. He went to Christ’s College, Cambridge. He studied history. He wrote a thesis on the Jewish role in the American Civil Rights movement.
Not exactly the background you’d expect for a guy who calls everyone "me Julie" and asks Buzz Aldrin if the moon is real.
The genius of who plays Ali G is that Sacha is a trained clown. After university, he went to Paris to study under Philippe Gaulier, a legendary master of clowning and buffoonery. That’s where he learned how to play "the idiot" to make others reveal their own absurdity.
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Why the Character Worked
Basically, Ali G is a "wanksta." He’s a middle-class white guy (Alistair Leslie Graham—that’s his "real" name in the show) who is desperately trying to adopt hip-hop culture and Jamaican patois.
- The Look: Yellow tracksuit, tinted wraparound shades, and way too much "bling."
- The Vibe: Confidently stupid.
- The Goal: To interview people who take themselves way too seriously and wait for them to snap.
When you look at who plays Ali G, you realize the performance isn't just about the voice. It's about the "bottle"—the sheer nerve to sit across from a former U.S. Secretary of State and ask him about "the environment" while smoking a (probably fake) joint.
How Sacha Baron Cohen Invented the Legend
It didn't start with a big HBO deal. In fact, Ali G’s first real break was on a British late-night program called The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998.
Before that, Sacha had been messing around with a character called MC Jocelyn Cheadle-Hume. While he was filming a segment in London, he ran into some skateboarders. He stayed in character, and to his shock, they didn't realize it was a joke. They actually argued with him. They made fun of his "terrible" skateboarding tricks.
That was the "lightbulb" moment. He realized that if he stayed in character, he could get people to say almost anything.
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The Evolution of the Interviews
Once Da Ali G Show took off, the guests became more prestigious. Here’s a short list of people who actually sat down with him:
- Donald Trump: Sacha tried to pitch him an "ice cream glove" so your hands don't get sticky. Trump lasted about a minute before walking out.
- Buzz Aldrin: Ali G famously asked him if the moon was made of cheese and if the moon people were friendly.
- Newt Gingrich: He got the former Speaker of the House to discuss whether a "crack" baby would be better at basketball.
- David and Victoria Beckham: One of the few times he did an interview where the guests were actually "in" on the joke for a charity special.
Is Ali G Still Around?
You might’ve noticed he’s been a bit quiet lately. Sacha Baron Cohen actually "retired" Ali G, Borat, and Brüno back in 2007. He said that once you become too famous, you can’t trick people anymore. The whole point of the show was the "ambush." If the interviewee knows they’re talking to a world-famous actor, the magic dies.
However, he’s a bit of a liar when it comes to retirements.
He brought Ali G back for the 2012 British Comedy Awards and even sneaked him onto the stage at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016. He literally hid the yellow glasses and the hat in his wife’s (Isla Fisher) dress and changed in the bathroom because the producers told him not to do it.
The Legacy of the Character
The question of who plays Ali G is easy to answer, but the impact is harder to measure. He paved the way for the "cringe-comedy" and mockumentary style that dominated the 2010s. Without Ali G, you probably don't get The Eric Andre Show or even certain parts of Nathan For You.
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It’s satire at its most dangerous. By playing a fool, Sacha Baron Cohen forces his subjects to drop their guard. Sometimes they come across as patient and kind; other times, they reveal deep-seated prejudices or just staggering incompetence.
What Sacha is Doing Now
These days, the guy who plays Ali G is doing a lot more serious work. He was nominated for an Oscar for The Trial of the Chicago 7 and played a Mossad agent in the Netflix series The Spy. It’s a huge shift from "Is it 'cos I is black?"
But every now and then, you see a flash of that old anarchist spirit. Whether he’s infiltrating a right-wing rally in disguise or trolling politicians on Who Is America?, the DNA of Ali G is still there.
Your Ali G Deep Dive Checklist
If you want to see the best of Sacha's work as this character, don't just stick to the movie Ali G Indahouse. The real gold is in the raw interviews.
- Watch the "Science" roundtable: It features a creationist and a scientist arguing while Ali G asks if we should "just put all the dinosaurs in a big zoo."
- Check out the "NBA" ads: Sacha did a series of commercials where he interviewed stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. They’re awkward, weird, and perfect.
- Look for the Harvard Commencement Speech: In 2004, he gave a speech at Harvard in character. It’s a masterclass in staying committed to a bit.
Basically, the next time someone asks you who plays Ali G, tell them it’s a Cambridge-educated historian who happens to be the best prankster in TV history.
To really understand the brilliance, go back and watch the early 11 O’Clock Show clips. You can see the exact moment he realizes he has total control over the person he's interviewing. It's a bit scary, mostly hilarious, and 100% Sacha Baron Cohen.
If you're looking for more on Sacha's other personas, your next move is to look into the production history of the first Borat film. The legal battles alone are enough to fill a book.