Sacha Baron Cohen is being sued for over $100 million in libel damages over his film Bruno.
Ayman Abu Aita, a Palestinian grocer and peace activist from Bethlehem, says the depiction of him in the movie has ruined his life.
In Bruno, Cohen’s gay character claims to travel to the Ein El-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon to meet a leader of the Al-Aqsa Brigades. A caption describes Abu Aita as ‘Terrorist group leader, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade’.
n fact, the scene was filmed at a well-known hotel on the outskirts of Bethlehem in the West Bank in an area under Israeli control, next to an Israeli army base.
Last July Cohen told David Letterman his production team found this ‘real terrorist’ through a CIA contact.
Abu Aita has filed a suit against Cohen, NBC Universal Studios and Letterman demanding over $100 million – equal to half the movie’s gross box office takings.
The father of four says says he has since received death threats, he is a firm opponent of terrorists, and that he was tricked into meeting Cohen, thinking he was a German producing a film about the Palestinian cause.
December 7, 2009 at 3:32 am
Who couldv’e seen that coming?
I’d like to sue him just for being the x-rated Andy Kaufman.
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December 7, 2009 at 7:20 am
Too bad for him once you sign the release form you are s**t out of luck. Just like those kids from South Carolina in Borat.
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December 7, 2009 at 2:31 pm
You don’t sue someone for 100 million dollars if you’re from Lebanon, FAIL!
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December 9, 2009 at 11:43 pm
hes not from lebanon. GTFO!
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