Morgana Robinson has revealed she demanded a bodyguard while filming the upcoming Ali G sequel, describing the experience as 'disturbing, risky and unpredictable'. The 44-year-old actress and comedian plays Julie, the long-suffering and now pregnant girlfriend of Sacha Baron Cohen's character, in Ali G: Who Iz I?, a role previously played by Kellie Bright in the 2002 film Ali G Indahouse.
Unlike the fully scripted first film, the sequel blends narrative storytelling with interactions and interviews with real people, some of whom are described as 'often dangerous'. Robinson told The Sun that filming involved encounters with right-wing 'extremists' in the US, which prompted her to request security presence at all times.
Security and Codeword on Set
'There's an element of fear, as well as excitement and adrenaline, so there is security, like with the big boots and walkie-talkies, hidden around a rock or a tree or behind the door somewhere. So they're only like a metre away from you at all times,' Robinson said. She also revealed she had a codeword in case things became too dangerous.
The plot sees Ali and Julie relocate to Los Angeles to resurrect his talk show. When that fails, Ali falls in with a right-wing network willing to platform his offensive views, while Julie is kidnapped by a former Mossad agent, also played by Baron Cohen.
Ali G's History and Robinson's Career
Ali G first appeared on Channel 4's The Eleven O'Clock Show in 1998, before getting his own series, The Ali G Show, which ran for three series on Channel 4 and HBO. One notable interview featured Donald Trump in Trump Tower, New York, where Ali G pitched his 'ice cream glove', prompting Trump to end the interview after seven minutes. Trump later claimed he saw through the comedian's facade, a claim refuted by Cohen, who told Variety that Trump was 'apparently furious' after the interview.
Robinson is known for her absurdist comedy, having headlined The Morgana Show on Channel 4, where she performed impressions of Natalie Cassidy, Fearne Cotton and Boris Johnson. She also appeared in House of Fools and was a contestant on Taskmaster in 2021, returning for its Champion of Champions special in 2024, where host Greg Davies awarded her five points for a poster paint and feathers stunt, calling it 'wilfully and dangerously stupid.'
Ali G: Who Iz I? is out in UK cinemas now.
