Rebel Wilson accuses Sacha Baron Cohen of 'bullying and gaslighting' after leaked footage
Rebel Wilson is accusing Sacha Baron Cohen of "bullying and gaslighting" after the release of a video purporting to contradict her allegations against him.
The "Pitch Perfect" star, 44, alleged last week that Cohen, 52, is trying to stop Tuesday's release of her memoir, "Rebel Rising," in which she writes about having a negative experience working with him on 2016's "The Brothers Grimsby." Wilson claims that Cohen asked her to stick her finger up his rear end for the film, which she says was not in the script, and she refused.
On Friday, the Daily Mail published previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage, which the outlet says casts doubt on her account. In the video, Wilson and Cohen can be heard talking through their sex scene, with Wilson saying she will slap Cohen's butt and go "down the crack."
"It's almost as if you're going to ram your fingers inside," Cohen says in the video, to which Wilson replies, "Yeah."
The Daily Mail suggested the footage showed Wilson was "on board" with the scene and that it was part of the script. In a statement provided to USA TODAY, however, the actress doubled down on her allegations against Cohen and said the video does not tell the entire story.
'Rebel Rising':Sacha Baron Cohen calls Rebel Wilson's claims 'false' amid upcoming memoir
"It is an (expletive) move to release footage of one part of that disgusting episode while leaving out everything that preceded it including my horrified refusal to stick my finger up SBC's butt," she said. "This could not have possibly been for the film as the director Louis Leterrier was not even present."
Wilson's statement added, "What this edited video shows is what I had to do in order to get out of the room, as written in 'Rebel Rising.' Releasing unauthorized and misleading behind the scenes video without my approval is SBC's latest way of bullying and gaslighting me. The outpouring of messages from so many who have also been mistreated by SBC show I'm not alone."
USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Cohen for comment.
In an excerpt of Wilson's memoir published by People, the actress alleged that while filming the movie, Cohen told her they would need to shoot an additional scene before proceeding to pull down his pants and instructing her to stick her finger in.
"I was now scared," she reportedly writes. "I wanted to get out of there, so I finally compromised: I slapped him on the (bottom) and improvised a few lines as the character."
Rebel Wilson lost her virginity at 35.That's nothing to be ashamed about.
In a 2017 tweet, Wilson wrote that a "male star, in a position of power," asked her to "go into a room with him and then asked me repeatedly to stick my finger up" his behind. She also alleged that his "male 'friends' tried to film the incident on their iPhones and laughed."
Cohen's representative previously told USA TODAY, "While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage, and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of 'The Brothers Grimsby.' "
Rebel Wilson reveals she briefly used Ozempic for weight maintenance
Ahead of the release of Wilson's memoir, the actress spoke to The Sunday Times and said she felt "disrespected on set" while working on "The Brothers Grimsby," alleging her costumes were picked to "see all the cellulite on my thighs and a top to show the fattest part of my arm."
Separate from her claims about Cohen, Wilson also opened up in the interview about her weight loss journey and revealed she briefly used Ozempic. After she losing weight through dieting and exercise, Wilson said she utilized the drug as a maintenance tool, although she is no longer taking it.
"Someone like me could have a bottomless appetite for sweets, so I think those drugs can be good," Wilson told The Sunday Times.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
