01 / Characters · 02 of 07
Borat
A television reporter from Kazakhstan whose good manners let real people say what they really thought.
2000 to 2006, and 2020
02 / Who he is
Borat Sagdiyev is a television reporter from Kazakhstan, sent to America by his Ministry of Information to make a documentary for the people back home. He first appeared on Da Ali G Show in 2000 and carried his own film in 2006, then a second in 2020. His manners are impeccable and his views are appalling, and he offers both with such warmth that the people he meets relax, agree and say things on camera they would not say to a journalist. The grey suit did two films of work and, in Sacha’s words, is now locked away.
Character file
Passport · Паспорт
Republic of Kazakhstan · Type P
- Full name
- Borat Margaret Sagdiyev
- Nationality
- Kazakh
- Place of birth
- The village of Kuzek, in what was then the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
- Occupation
- Journalist for Kazakh television; sent to America by the Kazakh Ministry of Information to make a documentary; Global Ambassador for the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
- Religion
- Pagan for the majority of his life. Follower of the hawk. Briefly converts to Pentecostalism after attending a church service in the States and in the process converts his entire village to Christianity.
- Ethnicity
- Kazakhstani
- Purpose
- Cultural learnings
- Family
- Asimbala Sagdiyev (mother), Boltok Sagdiyev (father), Natalya Sagdiyeva (sister), Bilo Sagdiyev (twin brother), Maryam Tulyakbay (mother-in-law), Nursultan Tulyakbay (half-brother), Oksana Sagdiyeva (half-sister and wife)
- Spouses
- Ludmilla Sagdiyeva, Oksana Sagdiyeva (died during the filming of Borat's documentary), Luenell, at least two more
- Children
- Bilak and Biram Sagdiyev (twin sons), Jeffrey Epstein Sagdiyev (son), Tutar Sagdiyeva (daughter)
03 / The reel
Best of Borat
The prejudice ordinary people are willing to say out loud when they think they are talking to someone who shares it.
- On YouTube, fromHaniwa
Clip, 2006, Haniwa
Borat at the rodeo, Salem, Virginia
A rodeo crowd in Salem, Virginia cheers the war on terror, then hears the Kazakh anthem.
Clip, 2006, Prime Video
Funniest pranks from Borat (2006)
Prime Video's own cut of the 2006 film's encounters, from the driving lesson to the dinner party.
- On YouTube, fromAmazon Prime Video UK & IE
Clip, 2020, Amazon Prime Video UK & IE
Borat learns about the dangers of the Democrats
Two men explain the Democrats to Borat during lockdown, and keep going.
Clip, 2020, Prime Video
Borat learns to golf
A golf lesson, and what the instructor is prepared to say about who is in charge.
Interview, 2020, Prime Video
Q&A with Borat (internet presentation)
Borat takes questions, in character, for the 2020 film.
More
Trailer, 2020, Prime Video
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm official trailer
Amazon's official trailer for the sequel, released October 23, 2020 on Prime Video.
Trailer, 2021, Prime Video
Borat Supplemental Reportings official trailer
Trailer for the 2021 Prime Video special made from unused sequel footage.
Awards, 2021, Oscars
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Scene at The Academy
The Academy's nominee featurette; the film received two nominations at the 93rd Oscars.
Awards, 2021, Golden Globes
Sacha Baron Cohen wins Best Actor, Musical or Comedy, Golden Globes 2021
His acceptance at the 78th Golden Globes, where the film also won Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy.
Clip, 2020, Prime Video
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm trailer announcement
Borat's in-character teaser announcing the trailer.
- On YouTube, fromhfpavideo
Awards, 2007, hfpavideo
Sacha Baron Cohen, Golden Globes 2007 (HFPA video)
Appears to be the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's legacy channel, but its official status could not be confirmed, so treat as link only unless verified.
- On YouTube, fromKlokline Cinema
Trailer, 2006, Klokline Cinema
Fan upload of the 20th Century Fox trailer; no official studio upload found, link only.
- On YouTube, fromsachaspain
Awards, 2005, sachaspain
Borat hosts the MTV Europe Music Awards 2005, Lisbon
Borat hosted the November 3, 2005 ceremony at Pavilhao Atlantico in Lisbon; Kazakhstan's foreign ministry objected publicly. No MTV upload found, fan upload, link only.
04 / Where he appeared
Where he appeared
- 2000Da Ali G ShowChannel 4
- 2003 to 2004Da Ali G ShowHBO
- 2005MTV Europe Music AwardsHost, Lisbon
- 2006Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of KazakhstanFilm, 20th Century Fox
- 2020Borat Subsequent MoviefilmFilm, Amazon Studios
- 2021Borat Supplemental ReportingsSpecial, Amazon Prime Video
05 / On the record
Notable moments
Borat sings his own Kazakh anthem to the tune of The Star-Spangled Banner at a rodeo in Salem, Virginia, and the crowd turns.
The government of Kazakhstan threatens legal action and a ban as the 2006 film opens.
Kuwait plays the Borat anthem by mistake for Mariya Dmitriyenko's gold medal at a shooting championship in March 2012.
Rudy Giuliani's hotel-room scene in the 2020 film lands two weeks before the US election.
Accepting the 2021 Golden Globe, Sacha thanks Giuliani for the film's comic timing.
06 / Honours
Awards and accolades
A Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for each film, in 2007 and 2021, and Academy Award nominations for both screenplays. The 2020 film also took the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy.
07 / Sacha on Borat
Sacha on Borat
- DeadlineOn retiring Borat, at the Golden Globes
“The gray suit is locked up and not coming out again.”
Source: deadline.com
- VarietyOn why he brought Borat back, and why he is done
“I brought Borat out because of Trump. There was a purpose to this movie, and I don’t really see the purpose to doing it again. So yeah, he’s locked away in the cupboard.”
Source: variety.com
- The Irish Times (syndicated New York Times interview by Maureen Dowd)On what Borat was for
“In 2005, you needed a character like Borat who was misogynist, racist, anti-Semitic to get people to reveal their inner prejudices. Now those inner prejudices are overt. Racists are proud of being racists.”
Source: irishtimes.com