North Carolina actor says he recognised Sacha Baron Cohen but played along
Joshua Loudermilk says he recognised Sacha Baron Cohen while filming the new Ali G movie, but kept playing along as a hard-right border activist. He says the filmmakers did not know he had worked out the joke, and he hopes the role will help launch his comedy career.
Loudermilk, a 54-year-old aspiring actor from North Carolina, answered a Craigslist advert in September 2025 offering $300 plus travel expenses to attend a supposed border-security event. He says he mainly wanted the money after being made redundant and invented conservative views for his application. The film depicts him and Republican Michael Aboud joining a fictional mission involving a kidnapped newborn; Aboud has denounced Cohen and said he intends to sue.
In short
- Loudermilk says he recognised Cohen but stayed in character.
- He answered a casting advert for $300 and travel expenses.
- He hopes the film will help his comedy career.
Explained simply
Sacha Baron Cohen is a British comedian and actor known for playing fictional characters who meet people unaware that they are part of a comedy film. Ali G, one of his best-known characters, is a mock interviewer whose questions and conversations make fun of public figures and social attitudes.
Joshua Loudermilk is an aspiring actor from North Carolina who says he took part in filming while posing as a hard-right border activist. The film also features Republican Michael Aboud, who says he did not know the event was fictional and has threatened legal action.
The story raises questions about how people are filmed for comedy when they may not realise the situation is staged. Loudermilk says he recognised Cohen and played along, while the other participants’ accounts differ.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Ali G: Who Iz I? stooge says he was in on joke but didn’t tell Sacha Baron Cohen: ‘He’s not going to punk me. I’ll trick him’”.