The United Kingdom (UK) edition of Rebel Wilson’s recently released memoir has undergone notable alterations compared to its American counterpart. Specifically, the chapter titled ‘Sacha Baron Cohen And Other Assholes’ has been heavily redacted, with the removal of all content pertaining to Cohen himself. In the British version of the book, these sections have been replaced with prominent black bars and a brief preface from Wilson explaining that the omission is due to ‘peculiarities of the law in England and Wales.’
Cohen has publicly addressed these redactions, expressing support for the decision but taking issue with Wilson’s use of the term ‘peculiarities.’ Through a spokesperson, Cohen stated that ‘Printing falsehoods is against the law in the UK and Australia; this is not a ‘peculiarity’ as Ms. Wilson said, but a legal principle that has existed for many hundreds of years.’ The statement further accused HarperCollins, the publisher of the memoir, of failing to adequately fact-check the chapter, leading to the removal of ‘defamatory claims’ upon presentation of evidence of their falsity.
A statement released by HarperCollins clarified that the redacted material comprised ‘most of one page with some other small redactions.’ The content in question centered around Wilson’s allegations that she was subjected to humiliating clothing and degrading situations during the filming of the 2016 movie ‘Grimsby,’ including pressure to film a nude scene despite a no-nudity clause in her contract.
Cohen’s team has strongly refuted these assertions, maintaining that Wilson was fully involved as a collaborator in all aspects of the film’s production, including the script, costume, hair, and makeup.
The original US version of the memoir was released on April 4, while the international release has been postponed to coincide with Wilson’s promotional tours.
