Sacha Baron Cohen, the British actor who can be seen this awards season as a Kazakh television broadcaster in Jason Woliner‘s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and an American social activist in Aaron Sorkin‘s The Trial of the Chicago 7, has been named Outstanding Performer of the Year by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The 49-year-old will be feted on April 7 during a virtual ceremony that will feature a career-retrospective Q&A followed by a presentation of the award.
“In 2020, Mr. Cohen twice was able to capture our interest, our imagination and the zeitgeist,” SBIFF executive director Roger Durling said in a statement. “His work in both films is timely, urgent and nuanced.”
Previous recipients of this SBIFF honor include Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson (2020), Rami Malek (2019), Allison Janney and Margot Robbie (2018), Ryan Gosling and b (2017), Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan (2016), Steve Carell (2015), Cate Blanchett (2014), Jennifer Lawrence (2013), Viola Davis (2012), James Franco (2011), Colin Firth (2010), Penelope Cruz (2009), Angelina Jolie (2008), Helen Mirren (2007), Heath Ledger (2006), Kate Winslet (2005) and Charlize Theron (2004).
