Borat’s Maria Bakalova ‘freaking out’ about Rudy Giuliani scene and Sacha Baron Cohen asked if ok

Maria Bakalova has revealed that Sacha Baron Cohen checked if she was ‘ok’ to film her interview scene with Rudy Giuliani after he refused a Covid test.

The Bulgarian actress, 24, who played teenager Tutar in Borat 2, was seen duping the 76-year-old into thinking she was a conservative reporter and leading him into a hotel room during a controversial scene in the movie.

Reflecting on the now infamous moment in an interview with GQ Hype, Maria admitted that she was ‘freaking out’ and worried about coronavirus. 

‘I was freaking out’: Maria Bakalova has revealed that Sacha Baron Cohen checked if she was ‘ok’ to film her interview scene with Rudy Giuliani after he refused a Covid test 

Maria explained: ‘There was a moment when I think, “Am I going to be able to ask that question?”

‘Because if I asked, “Will you come with me in the bedroom?”, will you come? It is a scary situation, as for a person who is being interviewed, why are you going there? Why are you lying there? 

‘So I was freaking out when I was supposed to ask that question [suggesting they go to the bedroom].’

Maria also detailed how the scene was shot on the same day that Guiliani refused a Covid test, only adding to her apprehension. 

Scene: The Bulgarian actress, 24, who played teenager Tutar, was seen duping the 76-year-old (pictured in November) into thinking she was a conservative reporter and leading him into a hotel room during a controversial moment in Borat 2

Scene: The Bulgarian actress, 24, who played teenager Tutar, was seen duping the 76-year-old (pictured in November) into thinking she was a conservative reporter and leading him into a hotel room during a controversial moment in Borat 2

She said: ‘And at the same time, this was after Coronavirus started. And we knew earlier that day that he refused to have a Covid test.’

Despite the lawyer’s flat-out refusal, the Borat cast decided to go through with the shoot and it was Sacha who checked Maria was fine to continue.

She continued: ‘Yes [Guiliani refused a test]. And eventually we were we’re like, “OK, let’s do it. Let’s do it.” But that was one of the things that Sacha asked me [was she OK to go ahead]. And I was like, “OK, let’s do it”.’   

Sacha has also previously spoke about the crew’s concern over the former Mayor of New York City, who did contract the virus in December, not having a test.

He told Variety: ‘There was this debate of what do we do? Do we go ahead with this scene? What happens if he has coronavirus? We concluded that it was worth the risk.’ 

In the movie, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Maria interviews Giuliani about Covid and the leads him into a hotel room, where he reclined on a bed and appeared to put his hands down his pants, before he was interrupted by Sacha Baron Cohen’s character.

Concerns: The actress, 24, admitted that she was worried about the risk of coronavirus but decided to go through with the scene

Concerns: The actress, 24, admitted that she was worried about the risk of coronavirus but decided to go through with the scene

‘She’s 15. She’s too old for you,’ Borat screams in the scene filmed in July, waving Giuliani off his ‘daughter’ Tutar.

Giuliani later pointed out, ‘I was fully clothed at all times,’ and told a reporter he was merely tucking in his shirt, not doing anything untoward.

‘I lean back and I tuck my shirt in and at that point they have this picture that they take, which looks doctored by in any event,’ the former mayor of New York told WABC radio back in October.   

Elsewhere in her GQ interview, Maria admitted she thought Sacha was mad for thinking they’d be able to fool Giuliani in the film.

She said: ‘When I first saw the script I asked him [Sacha] who’s going to play Rudy Giuliani? Or who is going to play Mike Pence? 

‘And he said they’re going to play themselves. “Oh, my God,” I thought, “you’ve lost your mind. That’s never gonna happen!” 

Checking in: Maria added that it was Sacha Baron Cohen (pictured as her dad in the film) who asked if she was 'ok' to film the interview scene

Checking in: Maria added that it was Sacha Baron Cohen (pictured as her dad in the film) who asked if she was ‘ok’ to film the interview scene 

Maria also candidly chatted about spending a whole day at the White House, saying that she got to go ‘everywhere’.

She said: ‘I spent a whole day at the White House and it was really impressive. It’s the White House! It’s beautiful. 

‘I was with [Trump-supporting] One American News with the reporter Chanel Rion and I went everywhere at the White House. [Laughs.] Which is also kinda scary! 

‘But somebody, I think, got suspicious from another media [outlet], wondering were these people at One American News bringing some people, and so then we had to leave.’

Since her breakout performance, Maria has been nominated for a BAFTA, Oscar and Screen Actors Guild award. 

Hitting back: Giuliani said the video was a 'complete fabrication' and he was 'tucking in his shirt' after the video of the scene appeared in October

Hitting back: Giuliani said the video was a ‘complete fabrication’ and he was ‘tucking in his shirt’ after the video of the scene appeared in October

Discussing how she found out about her Academy Award nomination, Maria revealed that Judd Apatow told her while they were working on upcoming movie The Bubble.

Maria explained: ‘Subconsciously, I knew exactly at 12.20pm they’re going to announce the nominees. But I didn’t want to watch it. 

‘We were shooting a scene where you can see my hands and they were shaking like crazy. And I was able to see the time – it was 12.12pm, 12.15pm, 12.20pm – and I see people holding their phones, looking at something but nobody’s reacting. 

‘And then Judd came over, and I’m like, “He’s not saying it on the mic, so he’s coming closer to not embarrass me in front of all the people.” 

‘And then he told me that I’ve been nominated for an Academy Award. I think I had a moment of craziness because everybody started cheering. 

‘And it’s insane, because it’s even more precious when it’s shared with more people.’

Read the full feature online at GQ Hype now.

Borat's back: Sacha Baron Cohen (pictured) pranked President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

'All fabricated': Rudy Giuliani (pictured at the White House) later dismissed the scene

Borat’s back: Sacha Baron Cohen pranked President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which was released in October