Continue to Hollywoodlife () SKIP AD
Hollywood Life Logo Image

Hollywood Life

Today's Top Stories

  • Kim Kardashian & her kids
    Watch

    Kim Kardashian’s Kids Hilariously Fight Over Candy While She Tries To Promote New Perfume  

  • See Pics

    Delilah Belle Hamlin, 22, Wears Lacey White Lingerie As She Lounges In Bed

  • botox alternative
    SHOP

    These Patches Help Treat Frown Lines For Less Than A Quarter Of The Price Of Botox

Hollywood Life
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrity Bios
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Shopping
  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
ALL NEWS
  • Betty White

    Betty White Then & Now: See ‘Golden Girls’ Icon Through The Years In Honor Of Her 99th Birthday

  • Happy 57th Birthday, Michelle Obama: See Her Sweetest Photos With Barack & Their Daughters

  • Christie Brinkley, 66, Goes ‘Swimming In The Rain’ In Black Swimsuit On Turks & Caicos Vacation — Watch

  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Holidays
  • Entertainment Features
  • Podcast
  • Oscar Contenders
ALL ENTERTAINMENT
  • ‘That’s So Raven’ Cast Then & Now: See Raven-Symoné & More After 18 Years

  • ‘Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor Awkwardly Admits She Watched Her Sex Scenes With Her Grandparents

  • Feeling Stressed? This Light Therapy Lamp Brightens Your Mood & It’s 44% Off

  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Khloe Kardashian
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Harry Styles
  • Kourtney Kardashian
ALL CELEBRITY BIOS
  • ‘That’s So Raven’ Cast Then & Now: See Raven-Symoné & More After 18 Years

  • 9 Celebs Who Paired Their Crop Tops With Sweats: Kim Kardashian, Hailie Jade & More

  • Betty White Then & Now: See ‘Golden Girls’ Icon Through The Years In Honor Of Her 99th Birthday

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Beauty Features
  • Skincare
  • Makeover
  • Diet & Fitness
ALL BEAUTY
  • tiny

    Tiny Stuns With Her Emerald Green Hair Makeover — See Before & After Pics

  • Treat Yourself With These Relaxing Bath Bombs That Have Over 25k Reviews & Are Under $30

  • Missy Elliott Debuts Rockin’ Bright Purple Pixie Cut Hair Makeover — See Pics

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping
ALL FASHION
  • 9 Celebs Who Paired Their Crop Tops With Sweats: Kim Kardashian, Hailie Jade & More

  • Iggy Azalea Slays In Crochet Bikini Top & Matching See-Through Pants After Playboi Carti Split — See Pics

  • Delilah Belle Hamlin, 22, Wears Lacey White Lingerie As She Lounges In Bed — See Pics

  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Next Up

Marla Maples, 57, Wears Nothing But A Swimsuit While Laying In The Snow & She Looks Better Than Ever

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
  • Search Close

Trending

  • Bonnie Says
  • Celeb Babies
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • Podcast
Search

NewsExpand Menu

  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
  • Rock The Vote

EntertainmentExpand Menu

  • Entertainment Features
  • TV
  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Podcast
  • At Home With...

BeautyExpand Menu

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Skincare
  • Beauty Features
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Shopping

FashionExpand Menu

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping

TrendingExpand Menu

  • Bonnie Says
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • PODCAST

About UsExpand Menu

  • About Us
  • Writer Bios
  • Scoops, Tips & Corrections
  • Subscribe To Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Celebrity ProfilesExpand Menu

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Selena Gomez
  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
Alerts & Newsletters
  • Jobs
  • Scoops & Corrections
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • AdChoices
  • Data Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
© 2021 Penske Media Corporation
  • News
  • Celebrity News
  • Rudy Giuliani
Interview
January 5, 2021 12:45AM EST

‘Borat 2’ Star Maria Bakalova Felt Like It Was Her ‘Duty’ To Complete Awkward Rudy Giuliani Scene

Maria Bakalova, Rudy Giuliani, Sacha Baron Cohen
Everett Collection/MEGA
Sacha Baron Cohen
Variety Actors on Actors, Day 2, Los Angeles, USA - 28 Apr 2019
Isla Fisher, Sacha Baron Cohen. Isla Fisher, left, and Sacha Baron Cohen attend the 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards - Showtime Emmy Eve party at the San Vicente Bungalows, in West Hollywood, Calif
2019 Primetime Emmy Awards - Showtime Emmy Eve Party, West Hollywood, USA - 21 Sep 2019
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher
71st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Arrivals, Microsoft Theatre, Los Angeles, USA - 22 Sep 2019
Sacha Baron Cohen
71st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Arrivals, Microsoft Theatre, Los Angeles, USA - 22 Sep 2019 View Gallery View Gallery 12 Photos.
Jade Boren
Evening Writer
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk

Maria Bakalova revealed how she successfully pretended to be a journalist for her ‘intense’ interview with Donald Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, in the ‘Borat’ sequel.

It was one of the most controversial scenes in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Maria Bakalova, posing as a journalist, sat down for an interview with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani that ended in chaos. In a real interview that came out nearly three months after Borat‘s sequel film was released, the 24-year-old actress revealed how she was able to complete the awkward scene — even after Donald Trump‘s lawyer called the police.

Maria Bakalova, Sacha Baron Cohen
Maria Bakalova and Sacha Baron Cohen in character as Tutar and Borat in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. (Photo Credit: Everett Collection/MEGA)

“I knew who he was. I was afraid because Rudy is a lawyer, and he is the president’s lawyer,” Maria, who played Borat’s daughter in the sequel film, told The Los Angeles Times for an interview published on Jan. 4. She continued, “I am not an American and don’t know about American politics. But I knew that as an actor, it was my duty to do this scene to save the movie.”

It also helped that Maria’s on-screen dad, Borat — AKA Sacha Baron Cohen — was also posing as a cameraman during Maria and Rudy’s interview. “I also knew that I wasn’t alone in the room because Sacha was hiding there,” Maria added. “I knew that if something happened, I could make my exit. But to be honest, my heart was definitely racing because it was an intense situation. The movie has been out for a few months, and everyone can see it and decide for themselves what to accept and believe.”

Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani, pictured above, was not pleased about his cameo in the Borat sequel film. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

It wasn’t too hard for Maria to pretend to be a journalist, or Borat’s 15-year-old daughter from Kazakhstan, depending on the scene. The Bulgarian actress admitted that as she was fooling real people with her character, she believed she was Tutar herself sometimes.

“I heard Sacha say in an interview that sometimes he was confused about whether he was Borat or himself. The same was true for me. You can call it ‘Method acting!’ Quite often, I felt like I was Tutar. After a while, you think it’s a normal day in your life,” Maria told The Los Angeles Times. “You also feel so much adrenaline in your body. The excitement, the crazy rush, it’s like you are hypnotized. About half an hour later, you begin to realize what you were doing, and think to yourself, ‘Wow, that was very scary!’”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maria Bakalova (@mariabakalovaofficial)

A photo of Maria Bakalova and Sacha Baron Cohen running away after the tense scene with Rudy Giuliani in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. (Courtesy of Instagram/@mariabakalovaofficial)

Maria’s scene with Rudy caused a major stir after the Borat sequel was released on Amazon Prime Video in Oct. 2020. After Maria and Rudy’s interview, they headed into a room and Rudy sat on a bed, where he was pictured with his hands in his pants. Borat then barged into the room in lingerie, leading Rudy to call the police — and later, a heated exchange between Trump and Sacha after the movie’s release.

Rudy, who was not aware that Maria and Sacha were actors and thought Maria was a legitimate adult journalist, later insisted that his hand was not in his pants for inappropriate reasons. “I had to take off the electronic equipment,” Rudy said in an interview on Oct. 21. “And when the electronic equipment came off, some of it was in the back and my shirt came a little out, although my clothes were entirely on. I leaned back, and I tucked my shirt in, and at that point, at that point, they have this picture they take which looks doctored, but in any event, I’m tucking my shirt in. I assure you that’s all I was doing.”

Click to Subscribe to Our HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get more celeb news.
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Rudy Giuliani

More Related News:

  • 'Borat' Actress Maria Bakalova Was 'Scared Something May Happen' In Hotel Room With Rudy Giuliani
  • 'Borat's Daughter' Maria Bakalova Was Guest At White House & Came Within Feet Of Donald Trump
  • Sacha Baron Cohen -- PICS

Most Read

Iggy Azalea Slays In Crochet Bikini Top & Matching See-Through Pants After Playboi Carti Split — See Pics

Iggy Azalea

Christie Brinkley, 66, Goes ‘Swimming In The Rain’ In Black Swimsuit On Turks & Caicos Vacation — Watch

christie

Tracee Ellis Ross, 48, Looks Spectacular In Animal Print Bikini

Tracee Ellis Ross

Kim Kardashian’s Kids Hilariously Fight Over Candy While She Tries To Promote New Perfume  

Kim Kardashian & her kids

8 Pics Of Joseph Baena Recreating Dad Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Iconic Bodybuilder Poses

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

More From Our Brands

  • 5 Milestone Moments For Michelle Obama Since Leaving the White House
    SheKnows

    5 Milestone Moments For Michelle Obama Since Leaving the White House

  • 10 Valentine’s Day Cocktails That Taste Like Falling In Love
    StyleCaster

    10 Valentine’s Day Cocktails That Taste Like Falling In Love

  • Game of Talents: Wayne Brady-Hosted Mystery Variety Series Sets March Premiere on Fox — Watch Promo
    TVLine

    Game of Talents: Wayne Brady-Hosted Mystery Variety Series Sets March Premiere on Fox — Watch Promo

  • See Black Pumas Perform ‘Colors’ for Biden-Harris Inauguration Welcome Event
    Rolling Stone

    See Black Pumas Perform ‘Colors’ for Biden-Harris Inauguration Welcome Event

  • Happy Birthday Michelle Obama — A Look Back At Her Most Powerful Outfits Over the Years
    FootwearNews

    Happy Birthday Michelle Obama — A Look Back At Her Most Powerful Outfits Over the Years

    HollywoodLife

    • About Us
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Advertise With Us
    • Careers
    • Scoops & Corrections
    • Contact Us

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Rights
    • AdChoices
    • EU Privacy Preferences
    • Terms of Use
    • Data Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    News

    • Celebrity News
    • World News
    • Exclusives
    • Celebrity Babies

    Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
SheKnows Media - Entertainment
© Copyright 2021 HollywoodLife, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
ad