The Oklahoma woman who starred in Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm as the babysitter says she feels betrayed by the film. The latest Borat adventure is a hot topic as of late due to its controversial subject matter, and since the famed Kazakhstani reporter is joined by his onscreen daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova).
Though Cohen gets ample screen time as Borat, Bakalova’s performance is equally outrageous at times and offers the extra push that a sequel of this magnitude requires. At one point in the film, Borat’s quest to give his daughter away to a rich suitor – in this case, to U.S. vice present Mike Pence – demands that he work for extra money. The plan is to buy Tutar some plastic surgery, and Borat is forced to leave his 15-year-old daughter in the care of a friendly babysitter. While Borat tries his luck at being a barber, Tutar spends time with the babysitter, providing some insight into what it’s like having Borat for a father. By the end of their time together, Tutar learns that she has worth as a young woman and that she doesn’t need to change her appearance to please her father or any man.
With Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm now the hit that it is, many people who stared in it are now realizing just what they agreed to take part in. For 62-year-old Jeanise Jones, the realization that Bakalova had been an actor and that it all had been a setup left her feeling “betrayed.” According to The Independent, Jones was told that she would be starring in a documentary about women’s rights. She was paid $3,600 USD for her time, and filming was done at her house in Oklahoma, as well in Washington at a later date. Jones was flown out to Washington by the production for her scenes there. At no point during the production did she know who Sacha Baron Cohen was or what she was actually a part of. Said Jones:
“I’m feeling like she’s from the Third World and that kind of stuff does happen where they sell women. I’m thinking this is for real so I felt kind of betrayed by it. They told me it was a documentary for this young lady to understand she has rights and she can do whatever a man can do. I felt pain for her and tried [to see] if there’s any way we can get through to her that she doesn’t need to do all that.”
The scenes with Jones and Bakalova are arguably the closest the film gets to having heart-warming moments. It’s clear in the footage that Jones is genuinely concerned for Tutar’s well-being as well as her self-esteem. She offers encouraging and kind words to Bakalova, reminding her that she is a beautiful young woman who has more to offer people than her looks or physical features. The moment is the perfect contrast to an earlier scene where Tutar is told by a social media influencer that in order to attract men she must change everything about herself. In the final scene with Jones, Borat learns that he loves his daughter – at which point he asks Jones if she’ll be his wife. Unfortunately for Borat, she declines.
It’s understandable why Jones would feel a little betrayed by the film. She was told she would be involved in something that she felt strongly about, only to end up starring in a wild and often controversial comedy. However, this doesn’t change the strength of the message that Jones delivers in Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm. Regardless of the comedic nature of the film, her supportive words and kindness are not only genuine, but they also illustrate that even in Borat’s crazy world, there are still those who care about others.
Source: The Independent