Isla Fisher has spoken candidly for the first time about her divorce from Sacha Baron Cohen, describing the end of their 14-year marriage as the hardest personal struggle she has ever endured. In a new interview with WISH, the Australian-born actress revealed that while the split was devastating, it has also given her the chance to rethink her future, both personally and professionally.
Fisher, 49, and Baron Cohen, 53, finalized their $245 million divorce in June 2025 after quietly separating the previous year. Their public announcement, released in April 2024, emphasized their commitment to co-parenting their three children and maintaining mutual respect. But behind the carefully worded statement was an emotional period Fisher admits pushed her to the brink.
A Painful Chapter
Calling the divorce “the most difficult thing I’ve been through,” Fisher admitted the process tested every part of her resilience. The actress, who built her career on a mix of comedic roles and dramatic turns, said navigating the public scrutiny of her split was especially painful.
Unlike many Hollywood divorces, Fisher and Baron Cohen had spent years projecting a united, relatively private front. Their red-carpet appearances were rare, and they were known for keeping family life out of the headlines. Yet, once the split became official, Baron Cohen was quickly linked to a younger influencer, sparking a new cycle of tabloid attention.
“It doesn’t feel better,” Fisher said of the separation. “It’s just something you have to learn to live with. You adjust, you survive, and you try to find something meaningful to pour yourself into again.”
Finding Solace in Work
For Fisher, that “something” has been a return to acting. She said that motherhood had long been her central focus, which at times meant stepping back from Hollywood. “It’s not that I fell out of love with ambition,” she explained. “I was just more in love with motherhood, and I still am.”
But with her children spending time with their father as part of the custody arrangement, Fisher said she has rediscovered the joy of professional creativity. “It’s so exciting to focus your energy back on something. I’ve really enjoyed going back to work, and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to fall back in love with acting again.”
The actress added that the space has allowed her to imagine what she calls the “last act” of her life. “It’s amazing that at this point, I get to reinvent myself from the ground up. The kind of work I want to do, the kind of person I want to be around socially, spiritually, and emotionally—it feels like a new chapter.”
Reinvention After Heartbreak
Fisher has framed this transition as both an opportunity and a risk. “Everything is scary,” she admitted. “But it’s also exciting. I’ve got time to discover what inspires me creatively and personally.”
She described the shift from being a full-time parent to balancing co-parenting with personal growth as surreal. “For most parents, life is consumed by our kids, and that’s divine, magical, and absorbing. But now I have time where they aren’t with me, and that gives me space to think about what’s next.”
This openness to reinvention echoes broader cultural conversations about women embracing new directions in midlife. Psychologists have noted that divorce often triggers profound identity shifts, particularly for women in their forties and fifties who may have devoted decades to marriage and family. Fisher’s candor reflects a growing willingness among celebrities to talk about these transitions with honesty rather than silence.
A Hollywood Power Couple No More
The Fisher–Baron Cohen union was once considered one of Hollywood’s more stable marriages. They met at a party in Sydney in 2001, became engaged in 2004, and married in Paris in 2010.
Their relationship often played out in the shadows of their careers—Baron Cohen’s brash, politically charged comedy creations contrasted with Fisher’s versatile roles, from Wedding Crashers to Confessions of a Shopaholic and critically acclaimed performances in The Great Gatsby and Arrested Development.
Their divorce settlement, estimated at $245 million, places them among the most expensive celebrity splits. Yet, both publicly maintained that co-parenting their children remained the priority. “We are proud of all we’ve achieved together,” the pair said in a joint statement in June. “We remain friends and committed to our family.”
A New Era for Fisher
Since the separation, Fisher has begun choosing projects that excite her rather than simply fit into a schedule. Friends close to the actress say she has been reading scripts more actively, focusing on roles that challenge her. “She feels like this is her second wind,” one industry insider told Variety.
Fisher’s remarks suggest she is not rushing into another relationship. Instead, she is taking the time to reflect on what kind of partner she might want in the future—if at all. “The kind of person I would want to be with, the kind of work I want to do, the kind of energy I want to surround myself with—that’s what I’m thinking about,” she said.
Her comments align with a broader cultural movement toward intentional living after divorce, where people prioritize authenticity over appearances.
The Wider Celebrity Divorce Landscape
High-profile divorces in recent years—from Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt—have often turned into prolonged legal and public battles. Fisher and Baron Cohen’s quieter approach stands out. They managed to finalize the split in less than two years, avoiding messy court disputes and public feuds.
Still, the emotional toll is clear. Experts note that even amicable divorces bring uncertainty, financial strain, and emotional upheaval. For Fisher, who has balanced motherhood with a career spanning more than two decades, the challenge lies in rebuilding while under the spotlight.
Looking Ahead
As she moves into her fifties, Fisher appears intent on embracing risk and reinvention. Her comments suggest a woman who, while deeply affected by heartbreak, refuses to be defined by it. “It’s been an amazing and lucky thing to have this opportunity,” she said. “Scary, yes—but exciting, too.”
For fans, Fisher’s resilience offers a reminder that even in the glare of celebrity culture, divorce can be both an ending and a beginning. And for Fisher herself, it marks the start of a personal and professional reinvention—one she is determined to write on her own terms.
