Isla Fisher opened up about the emotional toll that ending her marriage to Sacha Baron Cohen had on her.
Speaking with Elle, the actress, who finalized her divorce from the comedian in June after more than two decades together, admitted the transition has been far more challenging than the public could ever imagine.
Tension began to rise in late 2023, around the same time the pair privately filed to end their marriage, and shortly after the passing of Fisher’s father.
Highlights
- Fisher admits rebuilding her life after the separation has been “challenging” but ultimately rewarding.
- The separation coincided with misconduct allegations against Baron Cohen by Rebel Wilson in 2024.
- Fisher remains focused on her children and career, which remains active with several projects.
Making matters worse, in 2024, Rebel Wilson’s memoir, Rebel Rising, placed Baron Cohen at the center of serious misconduct allegations many fans believe contributed to the marriage’s collapse.
Isla Fisher opened up about the challenges she’s facing now that her divorce from Sacha Baron Cohen is finalized
Image credits: Stephanie Augello/Getty Images
The actress explained how she felt the full weight of her separation when she moved into her new London home. Fisher described the moment her furniture arrived as a symbolic break from everything that had preceded it.
The start of a new life.
Image credits: Michael Kovac/Getty Images
“When it all arrived, I did have a bit of a cry because this was my first time as a single woman, being in a home of my own,” she said.
“Trying to create a new life from a grassroots level, at least emotionally, has been challenging, but deeply rewarding,” she said. “I’m enjoying this new version of my life.”
Image credits: Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade
Beyond the emotional milestone of settling into her home, Fisher also opened up about the quieter routines that now define her day-to-day life. She told the outlet that she no longer craves a lively household.
Image credits: Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade
“I don’t need to party in my house anymore,” she said, explaining that peace has become her priority. Instead, she prefers slow, grounding rituals.
“I love to get in the bath. I’ll light some candles, bring in my laptop and put on something on Netflix. That’s as exciting as it gets.”
She joked that she also “loves to be in bed,” describing it as “sometimes the only place to get peace.”
While their public exchanges have been civil, sources claim the relationship between the former couple remains tense
Image credits: Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade
Fisher and Baron Cohen announced their separation in April 2024, stunning fans by revealing they had actually lived apart since late 2023. Their joint statement projected an image of stability and mutual respect.
“After a long tennis match lasting over 20 years, we are finally putting our racquets down,” they wrote. “In 2023 we jointly filed to end our marriage. We have always prioritized our privacy and have been quietly working through this change.”
Image credits: Raph_PH/Wikimedia
But while the public announcement carried a calm tone, Fisher later admitted that stepping out of the marriage nearly broke her. As Bored Panda previously reported, she described the process as “the most difficult thing [she’s] been through.”
She credited the women in her life for helping her through the spiral. “The female relationships that I cultivated in our business, those women have been there for me,” she said.
Image credits: islafisher
Then came the cryptic Instagram post in April 2024, where Fisher shared an image of a man embracing a crying woman.
“You can rent a handsome man just to cry with you and wipe your tears,” she wrote.
What might have been intended as humor worried fans, since it coincided with reports alleging rising tension as the pair worked to divide an estimated $79 million fortune.
Cohen was accused of using his position to make inappropriate demands of Rebel Wilson
Image credits: islafisher
After Fisher spoke publicly about her emotional journey, reports surfaced that Baron Cohen took the comments as a personal blow.
“Sacha was fuming when he read that, he felt utterly betrayed,” a source told the Daily Mail.
Insiders claimed Fisher’s comments were interpreted as a quiet alignment with Rebel Wilson, whose bombshell memoir Rebel Rising accused Baron Cohen of misconduct during the 2016 filming of The Brothers Grimsby.
Image credits: islafisher
Wilson alleged that Cohen pressured her into “explicit and bizarre” acts on set.
“Then he pulls his pants down and says very matter-of-factly: ‘Okay, now I want you to stick your finger up my *ss.’ And I’m like, ‘What? No!’” she wrote.
The allegations reportedly rattled the marriage and placed Fisher in a delicate position. Sources suggested that her later interviews, which praised the strength of women supporting women, increased the tension.
Fisher is now focusing on her children and career, with five projects releasing this year
As she adjusts to single life, Fisher spoke about how she designed her house with her children and extended family in mind.
“I wanted the kids’ bedrooms on my floor so that I can monitor smartphone use,” she said.
When it comes to her career, 2025 has proven to be a busy year for the actress.
Isla Fisher’s slate includes DreamWorks’ Dog Man (January 31), Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (February 13), the Venice-premiering drama Jay Kelly (November 14), the recently released Playdate (November 12), and the upcoming Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (November 14).
Beyond her projects, she admitted that adapting to life outside a partnership remains a work in progress.
“I’m trying to remind myself of my new identity as somebody outside of a partnership and to stay as buoyant as possible,” she said. “Any time there’s change, it’s hard to adapt. But hopefully I’m doing an okay job.”
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