Australian actress Isla Fisher worried her fans by posting a cryptic message on Instagram that provided a look at her mental health amid her ongoing divorce from comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.
The 49-year-old actress shared a concerning image of a man embracing a crying woman today (April 8), accompanied by a caption that referenced a controversial service allegedly offered in Japan.
“You can rent a handsome man just to cry with you and wipe your tears,” she wrote, and while the message might’ve been intended to be lighthearted, it came amid reports of growing tension between the former couple as they split their estimated $79 million fortune.
Isla Fisher posted a cryptic message on Instagram amid her ongoing divorce with Sacha Baron Cohen
Fisher and Baron Cohen publicly announced their separation in April 2024, surprising their fans by revealing they had actually been apart since late 2023. The couple reportedly were in a loving relationship for over two decades, with their marriage lasting 13 years.
“After a long tennis match lasting over 20 years, we are finally putting our racquets down,” the pair said in a joint statement on social media. “In 2023 we jointly filed to end our marriage. We have always prioritized our privacy and have been quietly working through this change.”
Although the announcement was initially seen as amicable, signs of discord and lingering emotional pain have since surfaced. As Bored Panda previously reported, Fisher described the process as “the most difficult thing [she’s] been through,” while praising the women in her life for helping her cope.
“The female relationships that I cultivated in our business, those women have been there for me,” she said, framing the divorce as an opportunity for growth.
Cohen allegedly felt blindsided by Fisher’s comments, interpreting it as her siding with actress Rebel Wilson
Fisher’s positive words about her divorce got swept away by rumors of flaring tensions between her and Baron Cohen. At the time, sources close to the actor said the interview blindsided him—and not in a good way.
“Sacha was fuming when he read that, he felt utterly betrayed,” the insider told the Daily Mail, suggesting that Fisher’s words were actually an attempt to align herself with actress Rebel Wilson, who last year accused Baron Cohen of misconduct during the filming of 2016’s The Brothers Grimsby.
Wilson’s allegations—contained in her memoir Rebel Rising—were reportedly a major factor in the deterioration of the couple’s relationship.
The book included serious allegations against Cohen, depicting disturbing moments in which the actor abused his position to force the actress to perform “explicit and bizarre” actions on him.
“SBC summons me via a production assistant saying that I’m needed to film an additional scene. ‘Okay, well, we’re gonna film this extra scene,’” the actress wrote.
“Then he pulls his pants down and says very matter-of-factly: ‘Okay, now I want you to stick your finger up my a**.’ And I’m like, ‘What? No!’”
Despite the couple presenting their separation as civil, rumors have swirled that point towards unresolved tension
Despite presenting their divorce as a mature and calm decision, Fisher’s remarks—which were likened to the #MeToo movement—revealed a deeper, more complex rift between the couple.
“It felt like a blatant statement that she was on side with Rebel,” a source added. “The whole women sticking together thing was obvious, and it made him very cross and upset.”
The former couple, who met at a party in Sydney in the early 2000s and married in 2010, share three children together.
In an interview with Stellar, Fisher said that the divorce had altered her outlook, and assured her fans that with her children growing up and her marriage behind her, she planned to refocus on her career.
Earlier this year, the exes briefly appeared to be on civil terms, interacting publicly on Instagram after Cohen complimented Fisher on a photoshoot post, calling her “stunning.” Fisher responded with a simple “Thank you,” tagging her former husband. But the thaw appears short-lived.
Bored Panda also reported that the friendly facade had apparently cracked, with one insider describing the situation as “war” and claiming that “any remaining veneer of civility has gone.”
“Good for her.” Netizens congratulated Fisher on her divorce amid the growing rumors
