From unseen to understood: Sacha Baron Cohen credits Marvel's Black creative team
Sacha Baron Cohen says an unexpected conversation shaped his Marvel debut — and why it stuck with him long after is the twist you’ll want to hear.
When Marvel came calling about Mephisto, Sacha Baron Cohen says the pitch started with a sensitivity check. At a live Happy Sad Confused event at New York’s 92Y, he recalled the creative team — which he described as largely Black across producing and directing — explicitly acknowledging the history of antisemitic tropes that link Jewish people to demonic imagery before asking if he’d be comfortable playing the devil.
“I think for the Jews out there, sometimes we don’t feel seen,”
Cohen said of the exchange, which he called unusually considerate and rare in Hollywood, according to Variety’s account of the talk. He added that the care shown in that room mattered to him personally, not just professionally, and that the outreach felt like genuine recognition rather than box‑checking.
Cohen’s debut as Mephisto arrived in the finale of Ironheart on Disney+ , a dramatic MCU turn far from his Borat and Ali G personas. The character had been teased for years across Marvel projects; here, the devil finally stepped out of the shadows to make an offer Riri Williams couldn’t refuse.
Inside the finale
- Dominique Thorne — Riri Williams accepts Mephisto’s deal to bring back her best friend.
- Lyric Ross — Natalie is resurrected, but Riri’s new dark veins hint at a cost to the magic.
- Anthony Ramos — Parker Robbins is defeated, then pops up mid‑credits seeking help from Zelma Stanton.
Season 2 status
As for more Ironheart, Marvel has left the door open on screen but hasn’t unlocked it behind the scenes. As of October 2026 , Marvel Studios and Disney+ have not announced a Season 2 renewal, and there’s been no official cancellation either.
The six‑episode series was created by Chinaka Hodge, with Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Coogler among its executive producers. Hodge told Entertainment Weekly she’d welcome additional seasons and urged audiences to show support in a separate TVLine interview — statements of interest, not a production order or a date.