You’ve seen him in the grey suit. You’ve seen him in the neon green mankini. But the one thing most people notice—usually right after they stop laughing or cringing—is that Borat is an absolute unit. Seriously. He towers over almost everyone he interviews.
So, how tall is Borat, actually?
To get to the bottom of the "Kazakh journalist" and his physical stature, we have to look at the man behind the mustache: Sacha Baron Cohen. Baron Cohen stands at a legit 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm). Some sources, including IMDb, even pin him at 6 feet 3.5 inches.
That’s tall. Like, "almost a professional basketball player" tall.
The Visual Magic of the Grey Suit
In the world of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, his height isn't just a random fact. It’s a tool. Comedy often relies on the "fish out of water" trope, but Baron Cohen turns it into "giant fish in a very small pond."
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When Borat walks into a room, he’s physically imposing. He occupies a lot of space. This creates a fascinating psychological dynamic with the people he’s pranking. Most people are naturally a bit more submissive or hesitant when they’re looking up at someone who is 6’3”.
Think about the "High Five" scene or when he’s wrestling in a hotel. His long limbs make every movement look more chaotic and absurd. If Borat were 5'7", the character would feel completely different. He’d be a pesky underdog. At 6'3", he’s a looming force of nature that people don't know how to handle.
Comparing Sacha Baron Cohen to Other Stars
To give you some perspective, 6'3" puts him in a specific bracket of Hollywood's "tall guys."
He’s roughly the same height as:
- Chris Hemsworth (Thor himself)
- Muhammad Ali (at his peak)
- Prince William
He actually towers over many of his frequent comedy peers. It’s why he looks so gigantic when he’s standing next to average-sized people on the street. He’s about four inches taller than the average American male, which is roughly 5'9".
Why We Care About How Tall Borat Is
Honestly, people search for this because Borat feels "larger than life." The way he carries himself—shoulders hunched slightly, arms often dangling—is a masterclass in physical comedy. Baron Cohen uses his height to look awkward rather than athletic.
It’s a deliberate choice. He could easily look like a leading man (and he does in movies like The Trial of the Chicago 7), but as Borat, he uses those 75-plus inches of height to appear lanky, uncoordinated, and out of place.
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The Mystery of the Mankini
We can't talk about his height without the mankini.
When Baron Cohen wore that infamous outfit on the beach in Cannes, his height made the visual ten times more jarring. A tall, hairy man in a tiny piece of fluorescent fabric is objectively funnier—and more terrifying—than someone of average build doing the same thing. The sheer amount of "exposed Sacha" was what made the stunt legendary.
Facts vs. Fiction: Is the Character Taller?
There is no "official" height for the character of Borat Sagdiyev in the script. He’s just Borat. However, in the 2020 sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, his height is used to contrast with his daughter, Tutar (played by Maria Bakalova). Bakalova is about 5'4".
That nearly one-foot height difference adds to the "father-daughter" dynamic, making her look even more vulnerable in the strange American environments Borat drags her into.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan of physical comedy, go back and watch the first Borat film specifically watching his posture. Notice how he minimizes his 6'3" frame to fit into small chairs or how he leans into people to make them uncomfortable. It’s a brilliant example of how an actor can use their natural physical attributes to enhance a character's personality.
If you're ever feeling short, just remember that even at 6'3", Sacha Baron Cohen had to work really hard to make sure people didn't find him too intimidating to talk to. Physical presence is everything in comedy.
For your next movie night, try comparing his "stature" in Borat versus his role as King Julien in Madagascar (where he's a tiny lemur) or as the flamboyant Brüno. You'll see that height is just a number, but how you use it is the real art.