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‘Midlife crisis’: Newly divorced Sacha Baron Cohen is suddenly ripped at 53

From Borat to buff? Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has clearly been working on himself since his split from Aussie actress Isla Fisher.

Sacha Baron Cohen showed off his eye-popping physique in a cover shoot for Men’s Fitness UK.

In a sneak peek of the August issue shared on Instagram today, the actor — who plays the MCU’s newest supervillain Mephisto — displayed his oiled-up abs while pumping iron.

Other photos showed the ultra-ripped Borat star doing pull-ups and posing in the gym after bulking up for his recently debuted role on Marvel’s Disney+ series Ironheart.

In the caption, the magazine teased its interview with the “king of comedy” about the jaw-dropping physical transformation.

Very nice! The new-look Sacha.
Very nice! The new-look Sacha.

MORE: ‘Finalised’: Who got what in Isla, Sacha split

Cohen, 53, shared the post on his Instagram Stories, joking, “This is not AI, I really am egotistical enough to do this.”

He also quipped that he was “hard launching [his] midlife crisis” before hilariously debuting his “new character: Middle aged man who replaced beer with protein shakes.”

The Borat star reportedly divulged in the cover story that he previously wasn’t in prime physical condition.

Cohen described himself prior to the transformation as “having the core strength of an arthritic jellyfish,” according to a preview obtained by Deadline.

We’ve seen a lot of Cohen’s body over the years.
We’ve seen a lot of Cohen’s body over the years.
With his ex-wife, Aussie actress Isla Fisher, before they split. Picture: Jon Kopaloff/Getty
With his ex-wife, Aussie actress Isla Fisher, before they split. Picture: Jon Kopaloff/Getty

In order to get into shape, the comedy icon reached out to Matthew McConaughey for a recommendation on a solid trainer.

“He looked like a ruler, straight up and down,” Alfonso “The Angry Trainer” Moretti recalled to the outlet of making Cohen strip down to his underwear during their first Zoom meeting.

Still, the trainer could see “an athlete in hiding.”

Moretti help Cohen transform his body with a low-sugar, high-fibre diet and an intense training regimen that included 100 daily push-ups.

Cohen – seen here in an ad as Borat circa 2020 – embarked on a regimen that involved 100 daily push-ups. Picture: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP
Cohen – seen here in an ad as Borat circa 2020 – embarked on a regimen that involved 100 daily push-ups. Picture: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP

On his Instagram Stories, the Bruno actor thanked Moretti for “doing the unthinkable — putting up with [him] for 25 mins a day.”

The father of three’s dramatic fitness reveal comes weeks after he finalised his divorce from Isla Fisher in June following nearly 14 years of marriage.

“We are proud of all we’ve achieved together and, continuing our great respect for each other, we remain friends and committed to co-parenting our wonderful children,” the former couple said in a joint statement last month.

“We ask for the media to continue to respect our children’s privacy.”

This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as ‘Midlife crisis’: Newly divorced Sacha Baron Cohen is suddenly ripped at 53

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/magazines/midlife-crisis-newly-divorced-sacha-baron-cohen-is-suddenly-ripped-at-53/news-story/a6761e64b73a0181f68f90ecbb7b4347