Rebel Wilson has taken aim at former co-star Sacha Baron Cohen in an Instagram story about her upcoming memoir that is due to be released on April 2. Wilson alleged that Baron Cohen was attempting to stop a passage from being included in her new book.
In the post, Wilson wrote: "I will not be bullied or silenced by high-priced lawyers or PR crisis managers. The 'a******' I was talking about in one chapter of my book is: Sacha Baron Cohen." She added: "But the book WILL come out, and you will all know the truth."
Writing on Instagram last week (March 15), Wilson said: "When I first came to Hollywood, people were like, yeah, ‘I have a no a****** policy, means like, yeah, I don’t work with a******.’ I was like, ‘Oh yeah. I mean, that sounds sensible or logical. But then it really sunk in because I worked with a massive a****** and yeah, now I definitely have a no a******s policy."
In another post previously shared online, Wilson, 44, alleged: "Now the a****** is trying to threaten me. He’s hired a crisis PR manager and lawyers. He’s trying to stop press coming out about my new book. But the book WILL come out and you will all know the truth."
However, in a statement shared by Baron Cohen's representatives, he strongly refuted the allegation. "While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence," the statement read.
"Including contemporaneous documents, film footage, and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of The Brothers Grimsby." The two stars appeared as a couple in the comedy film, Grimsby, which is known as The Brothers Grimsby in the US.
Wilson played the girlfriend of Baron Cohen’s character Nobby, an English football hooligan who becomes a spy. The film also saw Mark Strong, Penelope Cruz, and Baron Cohen's real-life wife Isla Fisher, star.
Despite the big names, the film didn't perform as well as Baron Cohen hoped. However, he said it almost came as a relief, telling The Guardian: "Any flop is difficult.
"But in retrospect, the experience was fantastic. I was on the trajectory of a comedy movie star in Hollywood where you make a certain amount of movies that have to do well at the box office. The great thing about having a complete bomb was being liberated from that."
Before the film came out, Wilson claimed what it was like on set working with Baron Cohen. Speaking on the Kyle and Jackie O radio show in Australia, she said: "Every day he's like, 'Just go naked, it will be funny.
"Remember in Borat when I did that naked scene? It was hilarious.' On the last day I thought I'd obviously won the argument and he got a body double to do the naked scene."
Wilson then went on to allege, Baron Cohen wanted her to stick a finger up his bottom. She said: "I went, ‘What do you mean Sacha? That's not in the script.'
"And he's like, 'Look, I'll just pull down my pants, you just stick your finger up my butt, it'll be a really funny bit.'" Wilson said they eventually reached a compromise: "You don’t wanna be a diva so I... said I'll slap you once on the butt and that's it," she said.
Wilson's book, Rebel Rising, is set to be released in hardcover, ebook and audio April 2 - published by Simon & Schuster. Sacha Baron Cohen's reps have been approached for additional comment.
