Sacha Baron Cohen to star in Netflix drama ‘The Spy’

Sacha Baron Cohen has been cast in the lead role of the Netflix limited series “The Spy,” Variety has learned.

The six-episode series tells the story of Eli Cohen, a spy for Israel in Syria in the early 1960s. Cohen managed to embed himself into Syrian high society and rise through the ranks of their politics. His actions, connections, ultimately his death have had lasting consequences, shaping the Middle East as it is today.

Baron Cohen currently appears in the Netflix special “Seth Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity,” which launched globally on Netflix on April 6. This will mark his first regular TV role since he created and starred in “Da Ali G Show” for Channel 4 in the U.K. and then on HBO over 10 years ago. The series spawned three films, including the highly-successful “Borat,” which earned Cohen an Oscar nomination. He is also known for his roles in films like the 2012 version of “Les Misérables,” the “Madagascar” franchise, and “Taladega Nights.” He also previously starred in the spy comedy “The Brothers Grimsby” opposite Mark Strong.

He is repped by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham.

“The Spy” will debut globally on Netflix (outside of France), and on OCS in France at a date to be determined. The series will be written and directed by Gideon Raff, the creator of the series “Prisoners of War” on which “Homeland” is based. Légende Films and Alain Goldman are producing.

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