Sacha Baron Cohen pulled a hilarious prank at Los Angeles’ BAFTA Britannia Awards on Saturday night, which saw the comedian “accidentally” push an elderly actress off stage.
The incident occurred at the Beverly Hilton, and was witnessed by members of the Hollywood elite. The English mirth machine was collecting the Charlie Chapin Britannia for Excellence in Comedy award at the ceremony. He was also given a vintage cane at the event, presented to him by Grace Cullington, the oldest living actress to have worked with the silent comedy legend.
To commemorate the occasion, Baron Cohen looked to recreate Chaplin’s infamous walk alongside the elderly thespian, who is wheelchair bound. This lead the audience to rise onto their feet as they attempted to capture the moment on their mobile phones.
However, Cohen soon slipped and inadvertently fell into her chair, which pushed Cullington off the stage and into the audience. She was then put over the shoulder of a security officer who carted her off to the back, where she most likely received medical attention.
After the fall, Baron Cohen told the audience , “Grace Cullington is the oldest, no, sorry, was the oldest surviving [Chaplin co-star]. I dedicate my award to her. This is obviously a tragedy. She has upstaged me. But on the bright side, what a way to go, giving an award to me. Thus, she’ll probably make the Oscars in Memoriam segment.”
He then added, “I’d like to say a few words to her family: Do not try to sue me. If you decide to get the lawyers involved, I will take you down just like I did your granny. The cane that woman forced on me was clearly defective and I’ve got lots of witnesses. At least 400 in this room and at least 500 watching on TV. Anyway, tonight is not about her, it’s about me.” You can view the entire incident above, while you can also watch a clip of Chaplin’s famed walk below:
Also at the gala, George Clooney was presented with the Stanley Kubrick Award for Excellence in Film. Before he was presented with the accolade, Clooney told the press that he was worried that he was now receiving awards that people normally get just before they die.
Clooney commented, “It starts to worry me. That’s ‘just before you’re dead’ kind of stuff. They know something that I don’t know. They know my doctor.”
Did you find Sacha Baron Cohen’s prank funny?
