Image via Getty / CBS Photo Archive
For many, Maria Bakalova was the emerging star of Sacha Baron Cohen Borat sequence, and his scenes with nanny Jeanise Jones were a big highlight.
Like Borat’s daughter Tutar, Bakalova spent a short time filming with Jones, who quickly became one of the most beloved people in real life to appear in the film. Jones is one of the few people presented who does not paint himself negatively and was hired to look after Tutar. The 62-year-old woman later revealed that she initially believed it was a documentary, not a comedy, and even told her church to pray for Tutar, as she was very concerned for her well-being. Cohen donated $ 100,000 to a GoFundMe campaign launched for Jones after it was revealed that she won only $ 3,600 for her participation. (Fundraising reached $ 184,000.
Now Bakalova revealed in a Los Angeles Times profile that she has since also been in contact with Jones.
“Jeanise is a true angel. I will probably always think of her as my godmother, a true heroine and life coach,” explained Bakalova. In the film, Jones gives Tutar advice to defend herself in a misogynistic society and explains that she does not need to seek the approval of men. “She just wanted to help this girl become a strong woman. We had a real human connection from the first day we met,” said Bakalova.
She even spoke to Jones on Thanksgiving this year, which Bakalova said was personally her first in America. “I was so happy to talk to her that I started to cry,” she said. “When we were filming, it was very difficult for me, because I wanted to tell her not to worry about me. She is a great example of how important it is to be a good person and to care about others.”
“Jeanise is a true angel. I will probably always think of her as my godmother, a true heroine and life coach,” says Bakalova. “We had a real human connection from the first day we met. I called her on Thanksgiving” https://t.co/4rsVDDBucU
– Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 4, 2021
In another part of the interview, Bakalova also commented that she took a somewhat methodical acting approach when working on the film and was sometimes confused with Tutar in a similar way as Cohen would do with Borat. “One of the things that really attracted me about the film was its message, that we have to treat everyone equally, regardless of their nationality, race, gender and sexuality,” she added.
“It was my first American Thanksgiving Day and it was also my best,” says Bakalova. “I was so happy to talk to her that I started to cry. When we were filming, it was very difficult for me, because I wanted to tell her not to worry about me” https://t.co/4rsVDDBucU pic.twitter.com/ixffpTb7P7
– Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 4, 2021
Read in full Los Angeles Times profile here.
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