Rebel Wilson has openly accused actor Sacha Baron Cohen of attempting to hinder the publication of her upcoming memoir, referring to him as the "a--hole."
Wilson explicitly named Cohen in a post shared on her Instagram story on March 24, asserting her refusal to be intimidated or silenced by expensive legal representatives or PR strategists.
In her statement, Wilson wrote, "The 'a--hole' that I am talking about in ONE CHAPTER of my book is: Sacha Baron Cohen."
According to reports from Variety and other news outlets, the actor from "Pitch Perfect" previously claimed that an unidentified individual was attempting to intimidate her.
"He’s enlisted the help of a crisis PR manager and lawyers. He’s attempting to prevent the release of information about my new book. However, the book will be published, and everyone will learn the truth," she stated, as reported by Variety.
Wilson and Cohen, aged 52, both appeared in the 2016 movie “The Brothers Grimsby,” a spy comedy in Cohen’s trademark provocative style. In the film, Cohen's character, Norman “Nobby” Butcher, discovers he has a long-lost brother who is a spy, while Wilson portrays Dawn, Nobby’s girlfriend.
Following a request for comment from YEPPOST.com, a spokesperson for Cohen provided the following statement:
"We acknowledge the significance of speaking out, but these claims, which are demonstrably untrue, are in direct conflict with substantial and meticulous evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film recordings, and testimonies from individuals present prior to, during, and following the production of The Brothers Grimsby."
Wilson, aged 44, initially addressed the controversy in an Instagram post on March 15 while promoting her forthcoming memoir, "Rebel Rising," set to be released on April 2.
"When I first arrived in Hollywood, there was talk about having a 'no a--hole policy,' meaning, 'I don’t collaborate with individuals who exhibit such behavior.' Initially, I thought, 'Sure, that sounds reasonable, sensible,'" she remarked. "However, the reality hit me hard... because I encountered a significant a--hole, and now, without a doubt, I adhere to a strict 'no a--holes policy.'"
Wilson proceeded to discuss her book further, mentioning that Chapter 23 would delve deeper into her experiences with the purported "significant a--hole."