Sacha Baron Cohen praises ‘Ironheart’ team for sensitivity about casting him as Mephisto
The actor recalled how Marvel's production team thoughtfully approached offering him the role of the demon character, citing historical antisemitic associations.
Sacha Baron Cohen shared how the creative team behind Marvel’s Disney+ series “Ironheart” took deliberate care when offering him the role of Mephisto, the demon character featured in the show’s first-season finale. Speaking at a live “Happy Sad Confused” podcast taping at New York’s 92nd Street Y on Wednesday, the actor recalled the thoughtful approach the producers and directors took during their pitch.
“It was a wonderful meeting when I was offered it,” Baron Cohen told host Josh Horowitz. “It was primarily, I think, an almost entirely Black producing and directing team. And they said, ‘We want to offer you Mephisto, but we are aware of the negative association of Jews historically with the devil, and we want to make sure that you’re not insulted by us offering this.’ It was such an amazingly considerate, empathetic thing to say.”
Centuries of harmful stereotypes
The concern raised by the production team reflects a persistent historical problem. Stereotypes associating Jewish people with demonic characteristics and horns stem from a centuries-old mistranslation of the Bible, perpetuating antisemitic myths that depict Jewish people as wealthy, powerful and menacing forces demanding sacrifice from others. The character of Mephisto itself, inspired by the devil-like figure Mephistopheles from literary tradition, has long been used in Marvel comics to represent a trickster who manipulates superheroes into making deals in exchange for their souls.
A moment of feeling seen
Baron Cohen expressed deep appreciation for the team’s awareness and sensitivity, describing the experience as validating. “I think for the Jews out there, sometimes we don’t feel seen,” he said. “We don’t feel like people can empathize with us, that we are suffering too. And so to have this entirely Black producing and directing team be so empathetic, was a moment of being seen. It was an amazing experience.”
The role in ‘Ironheart’
In the season finale of “Ironheart,” created by Chinaka Hodge and executive produced by “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Coogler, Baron Cohen’s Mephisto makes a deal with the series protagonist Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, to help her resurrect her deceased best friend. The three-time Oscar nominee is currently on tour promoting “Ali G: Who Iz I?”
This article was compiled by the Glamorade editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
