Some were concerned about Sacha Baron Cohen announced last week that he was retiring the characters that made him famous, Ali G and Borat. After all, if he was turning his back on his origins, what was the actor going to do – go mainstream? In a nutshell: yes (and those who have seen Cohen in Sweeney Todd know not to be worried about Cohen, who is more than capable without the character schtick).
Clearly someone else believes in Cohen’s abilities, because it looks like the actor is teaming up with one of Hollywood’s biggest names: Steven Spielberg. The Times Online has revealed that Cohen will play Abbie Hoffman in Spielberg’s film The Trial of the Chicago Seven. The movie follows the story of Vietnam war protestors who interrupted the 1968 Democratic convention with a protest that turned violent.
Spielberg describes the movie as being similar in tone to his own Munich than anything else he’s done, so expect another analysis of the morality of war. Not all will necessarily be tears though. Cohen’s character, Abbie Hoffman, used pranks as his method of protest, which might bring the opportunity for a bit of comic relief amidst a serious film. Hoffman himself was later diagnosed as bipolar, which leaves an interesting characterization for Sacha to cut his teeth on.
The Trial of the Chicago Seven is still a little ways in the future for Spielberg, who is finishing up Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull before moving on to a biopic on Abraham Lincoln. In the meantime, Cohen will be putting out another movie based on his character Bruno.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Sacha-Baron-Cohen-Protests-For-Spielberg-7344.html
