Ali G writer defends new movie following backlash: "Ali G is not a racist character"

Ali G writer Colton Dunn has defended the character amid huge backlash against Sacha Baron Cohen's character and the upcoming new film Ali G: Who Iz I?. First hitting our screens in 1998, Ali G became a cultural sensation known throughout the UK for his catchphrases and striking yellow tracksuit.

However, over the decades, criticism has been levied towards comedian Baron Cohen for the character, labelling it a racist representation of Black people.

Speaking to Deadline, Dunn, one of three Black writers who worked on the upcoming Amazon MGM film, said he did not agree with the backlash.

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"From my point of view, Ali G is not a racist character. Ali G is a tool to expose racists," he said.

"He puts himself in the most ridiculous situations, and he doesn’t do that because he’s racist. He goes into these crazy-ass places, places where people would kill him if they knew what was going down.

"I don’t think he’s doing that from a racist point of view. That’s why I signed on. I wouldn’t sign on to work with somebody that I thought was racist, that’s against everything that I’ve done."

The trailer for the film sparked immense backlash, with an online campaign circulating urging cinema chains not to screen the film.

The Widow's Bay writer said he found Ali G "hilarious" when he first encountered the character in high school.

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"We all felt we knew a guy just like Ali G. I don’t remember it being controversial at all," he said.

"I don’t know what the experience is like for the Black performers in Britain. I’m not going to speak on their experience and I respect their experience, but I also respect my experience."

This is not the first time concerns about Ali G have been raised, with backlash when the original TV series aired and protests during the 2002 premiere of the film Ali G in Da House.

Ali G: Who Iz I? is released in cinemas on October 23, 2026.

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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more. Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club. LinkedIn