Desert Island Discs: who is Rebel Wilson - will Fat Amy, Pitch Perfect movies star discuss Sacha Baron Cohen?

The featured guest on this weekend's Desert Island Discs (2 June) is Rebel Wilson, one of Hollywood's most recognisable stars.

Wilson is likely to reflect on her remarkable rise to fame, from humble beginnings in Australia to her breakthrough roles in hit films, and share insights into the challenges she faced along the way.

She’ll also be revealing the eight music choices that hold special meaning to her and may have served as the soundtrack to key moments in her life, as well as which book and luxury she would take with her to a desert island.

One topic that is sure to spark intrigue is the recent controversy surrounding allegations Wilson made against fellow actor Sacha Baron Cohen in her new book.

Until the episode actually airs - at 10am on Sunday 2 June - we won’t know, but could Desert Island Discs provide her a platform to address these allegations directly?

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Who is Rebel Wilson?

The Australian actor rose to global prominence after her performance in the 2011 Hollywood hit comedy Bridesmaids alongside Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy.

Her portrayal of “Fat Amy” in the wildly successful Pitch Perfect trilogy - depicting the journey of a female college acapella group - further solidified her status in the entertainment industry.

Born on 2 March 1980 in Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, Wilson's introduction to showbiz began through her parents' involvement in breeding and showcasing dogs, particularly beagles, who garnered such fame in popular television shows, they even secured their own representation.

After completing a combined arts and law degree, Wilson joined the Australian Theatre for Young People before taking a leap of faith at 29 to pursue her Hollywood dreams.

Initially bunking on a friend's sofa while enduring countless auditions and rejections, all while navigating the complexities of life in a new country, she set herself a one-year deadline to break into the industry, a goal swiftly achieved with her breakout role in Bridesmaids.

Recently, she has expanded her creative repertoire by making her directorial debut with The Deb, a musical set in Australia.

Wilson's impact extends far beyond the screen. As a vocal advocate for body positivity and self-acceptance, she has inspired countless individuals to embrace their differences and celebrate their unique qualities.

What did she say about Sacha Baron Cohen?

Wilson made headlines earlier this year when her memoir was published in the UK with allegations about the actor Sacha Baron Cohen redacted for legal reasons in a chapter entitled “Sacha Baron Cohen and Other Assholes”.

In it, Wilson makes claims about Baron Cohen’s behaviour during the filming of their 2016 comedy Grimsby, which he has strongly denied.

The UK version includes a reference to “the worst experience of my professional life. An incident that left me feeling bullied, humiliated and compromised. It can’t be printed here due to the peculiarities of the law in England and Wales.”

The rest of the page was redacted, with black lines also removing shorter details elsewhere in the chapter. Wilson said she “rues the day” she met Baron Cohen, who she describes as her “idol”.

After the allegations were earlier detailed in the US version of the book, Baron Cohen’s spokesperson said: “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage, and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production.”

The Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids star said her aim was not to cancel Baron Cohen with her recollections in the memoir, but to retell an experience which made her feel “completely disrespected, which led to me treating myself with even more disrespect by eating in an extremely unhealthy way.”

Desert Island Discs with actor Rebel Wilson will air on BBC Radio 4 at 10am on Sunday 2 June.