Borat 2: Babysitter Jeanise Jones says she feels ‘betrayed’ by film’s pranks
Real-life babysitter was told film was documentary about women’s rights, and did not know who Sacha Baron Cohen was
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Your support makes all the difference.A professional babysitter who makes an emotional appearance in Borat 2 has said she feels “betrayed” by the film.
Jeanise Jones, 62, features in a number of scenes in Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedy sequel, as she is recruited to babysit Tutar (Maria Bakalova), the 15-year-old daughter of Borat (Baron Cohen).
Jones and Tutar strike up a bond, with Jones teaching Tutar that she should not undergo plastic surgery purely at her father’s behest, and providing wisdom about being a woman in the world.
Jones has now revealed that she did not know who Baron Cohen was when she was asked to participate in the film, which she was told was a documentary about women’s rights. She has also said that she believed Tutar was a real person who may have been sold into the sex trade.
“I’m feeling like she’s from the Third World and that kind of stuff does happen where they sell women,” Jones told Page Six. “I’m thinking this is for real so I felt kind of betrayed by it.”
She continued: “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.”
Jones was found by the Borat 2 production team through the Oklahoma church in which she volunteers, and was paid $3,600 (£2,600) to participate. She shot scenes for the film in her Oklahoma home, and was later flown out by the film’s producers to Washington, where she filmed more scenes.
Jones said that she only discovered the truth about Borat 2 when she was shown a trailer for the film in early October, and that she and many within her church were genuinely concerned for Tutar’s welfare when they believed she was a real person.
“We were up there praying for her and asking God to help her and we were doing what we thought was the Christian thing to do,” Jones recalled.
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While newcomer Bakalova has not yet spoken about her work in the film, Baron Cohen has insisted she receive Oscar attention for her performance.
Find out what Baron Cohen’s prank victims have said about being tricked in the new film here.
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