Sacha Baron Cohen was 'terrified' to play role in 'The Trial of the Chicago 7', here's why

Sacha Baron Cohen is a well-known artist best known for his comic acting skills and portrayal of fictional characters such as Ali G, Borat, Nobby, and many more. Over the years, he has been receiving immense love from his huge fan base for his amazing performances. According to Insider, the actor revealed a few things about his journey in The Trial of the Chicago 7. Here's everything you need to know about it.

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Sacha Baron Cohen gets serious in ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’

As per Insider, during a special American Film Institute screening of his recent movie, The Trial of the Chicago 7, the actor/comedian revealed in a virtual Q&A that he was terrified to do an American accent for the movie. He said that he was terrified to sound wrong. The actor also admitted that even a note from the movie's director Aaron Sorkin revealed that portraying the men put on trial was not an impersonation but an interpretation. 

Sacha further noted that the biggest challenge doing the voice of Hoffman was that he had a Massachusetts accent. He also had gone to school at the University of California, Berkeley, so that he can have a unique voice. He also said that he didn't hear Jeremy's real voice until the movie completed its shooting.

Sorkin, who was also part of the virtual Q&A, said that Cohen showed a lot of dedication towards his. Even before his shooting began, he had headphones on listening to Hoffman speeches to get a perfect accent. He further said that Cohen's performance in the film was a standout, as he plays the role of Hoffman who is the leader of a movement and also someone with a born talent for theatrics. 

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About The Trial of The Chicago 7

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a 2020 American historical legal drama film written and helmed by Aaron Sorkin. The movie follows the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy. It also shows the intention of inciting riots in the year 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The movie features an ensemble cast that includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Flaherty, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Noah Robbins, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, and Jeremy Strong.

Originally set for a theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, the distribution rights to the movie were sold to Netflix due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The movie was released in select theatres on September 25, 2020, and then began streaming digitally on Netflix from October 16, 2020. The movie received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, the screenplay, and the modern parallels.

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