Actors Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen were together for 14 years before their shocking divorce earlier in the year. But according to Fisher, their relationship wouldn’t have been a thing in the first place if it wasn’t for Cohen’s humor.
Isla Fisher once shared what it was like meeting Sacha Baron Cohen
Cohen and Fisher may have gotten married in 2010, but they actually knew each other a lot longer than that. According to Cohen himself, the two met at a party in Australia around the year 2000. Cohen confided in a resurfaced interview with The New York Times that Fisher’s humor caught her attention.
“She was hilarious,” Cohen said. “We were at a very pretentious party, and me and her bonded over taking the mick out of the other people in the party. I knew instantly. I don’t know if she did. It’s taken her about 20 years to know.”
Cohen should’ve counted himself lucky for his comedic gifts. Fisher once joked that if it wasn’t for Cohen’s own humor, their relationship might’ve never materialized.
”We both have a similar sense of humour or I wouldn’t have married him,” Fisher once said according to Contact Music.
Cohen also helped Fisher professionally. The Borat star made her realize what she should’ve really been focusing on as an actor.
”He was the reason I got into comedy because I was going for a lot of dramatic roles and getting frustrated when I didn’t get them. And Sacha said, ‘You’re the funniest person I know. You should be doing comedy,’” Fisher remembered.
It was advice that paid off well for Fisher, as she really saw her career soar after indulging in the comedy genre. Some of her notable hits included Scooby-Doo, Wedding Crashers, and Rango.
Sacha Baron Cohen once theorized why their marriage worked for so long
Before their divorce, Fisher and Cohen were seen as one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples. With a decade and more of romance between them, some wondered how the pair maintained their relationship after so much time. Cohen believed their status in Hollywood had something to do with their success.
“Luckily, we’re not A-list,” he said. “I remember once in Hollywood, I was trying to avoid being photographed by paparazzi. I think I put something in front of my face when exiting a restaurant and this photographer shouted, ‘You’re only a B-lister!’ And I said to Isla, ‘Oh, my God, we’re B-listers! We made it! We’re B-listers.’”
This might’ve also helped with the pair’s privacy, which Fisher shared was very important to them and their marriage.
“Having a shared ability to find humor in the sharpness of life is always going to bring connection,” Fisher once told The Australian Women’s Weekly (via Hola!). “I get nervous talking about it because I feel like, by not having my relationship in the public domain and not having spoken about how we met or really talked about our marriage publicly, it’s remained something private and valuable to me.”
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher recently announced their divorce
Their streak didn’t last, however, and the pair recently announced their divorce through a statement.
“After a long tennis match lasting over twenty years, we are finally putting our racquets down. In 2023 we jointly filed to end our marriage,” the two posted on social media.
They also went on to add,
“We have always prioritized our privacy, and have been quietly working through this change. We forever share in our devotion and love for our children. We sincerely appreciate your respecting our family’s wish for privacy.”
Because of their privacy, the former couple didn’t reveal the exact reason behind their divorce. Some speculate a comment Rebel Wilson made about Cohen’s unflattering behavior on a film they did together might’ve played a role. But only time will tell if either of them might decide to open up about their split.
