Sacha Baron Cohen swaps Ali G's tracksuit for a tux as he risks run-in with ex Isla Fisher at Academy Museum Gala - amid criticism of controversial character's comeback

Sacha Baron Cohen swapped Ali G's tracksuit for a tux as he risked a run-in with ex Isla Fisher at the Academy Museum Gala on Saturday night. 

The actor, 55, looked worlds away from his yellow tracksuit-wearing character as he cut a very dapper figure in a black double-breasted jacket and a matching bow tie. 

He posed on the star-studded red carpet in Los Angeles just missing ex wife Isla, who stunned in a dazzling black off-the-shoulder gown. 

The Now You See Me actress, 50, showed off her amazing figure in the corset number which boasted a daring thigh-high split. 

Isla and Sacha mutually announced the end of their 14-year marriage in April 2024 with the divorce finalised in June last year.

His appearance comes as Sacha faced criticism over his upcoming controversial Amazon film, Ali G: Who Iz I? which is set to hit cinemas on October 23. 

The promo trail has been defiant in the face of calls for the mockumentary to be banned in UK cinemas, with a petition being launched by campaigners amid claims the film and character are 'enforcing racist stereotypes'.

The actor, in his directorial debut, filmed the movie secretly over the course of a year with the mockumentary following his character's life 'since the world went to c**p', alongside his pregnant girlfriend.

Julie, who was played by EastEnders' Kellie Bright in the original 2002 movie, is dubbed 'Me Julie', and the film's soundtrack included a song with that name by Sacha and Jamaican-American reggae artist Shaggy. 

A day after the trailer's release in August, NewsCord, a UK news comparison and media monitoring platform, started a campaign urging cinemas around the world to refuse to screen the film.

The campaign group has said they have emailed 15 major chains globally with the request on behalf of those who register.

A defiant Sacha himself soon also addressed the growing backlash, writing on X: 'In an age where a comedian's career can be ended by a single un-PC joke, I thought I'd play it safe and bring this guy back.'

Reports suggested that the UK cinema chain Picturehouse had responded to the campaign and confirmed its outlets would not be screening the film.

However, Variety has since reported that Picturehouse's email was a standard customer response to any release query about a film that hasn't yet been booked by the company and didn't appear on its schedule, with no decision yet made.

Sacha teased the return of the comedy legend with a surprise appearance at Wimbledon in July, where he donned his character's trademark look of bling jewellery paired with a tracksuit and sunglasses.

Last year, it was first reported he was 'bringing back his iconic comic creation, 27 years after the character first appeared on screens – where he was staged as the 'voice of youth' on Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show in Autumn 1998'.

Subsequently, he became the title character of Da Ali G Show in the early 2000s, before starring as the titular character in 2002 film Ali G Indahouse.

In a 2007 interview with The Daily Telegraph, Sacha announced that Ali G had been retired.

However, he resurrected Ali G at the 2012 British Comedy Awards to accept his Outstanding Achievement Award.

He returned to TV as Ali G with Ali G Rezurection in 2014, which featured new footage of Ali G while showing old highlights of Da Ali G Show.