Isla Fisher reveals ‘repulsive’ dating turn-offs after split from Sacha Baron Cohen
Isla Fisher has revealed the exact fashion faux pas that will end any chance of a second date, admitting a backpack is enough to send her running in the opposite direction.
The 50-year-old, who split from Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen in 2023, was quizzed on her dating 'icks' during an appearance on Australian radio show The Smallzy Show on KIIS FM.
Asked what puts her off a potential partner, she didn't hold back.
'Backpack the wrong way, backpack period,' she said.
Advert
"If a bloke shows up in a backpack, wrap it up, Wayne. It's done."
She went on to clarify that the bag itself isn't necessarily the issue, adding: "It's like you can wear a backpack, but it's if you click your backpack together, if you click it there, it's not good."
Backpacks weren't the only style crime on Fisher's list.
The Now You See Me actress also confessed that footwear can be a major turn-off, particularly when it comes to a certain type of shoe worn a certain way.
What did Isla Fisher say about deck shoes?
Fisher singled out deck shoes as 'already quite aspirational and a bit of an ick' on their own, but revealed one recent encounter took things to another level entirely.
"He slipped the heel off and he was just wearing them like a plimsoll," she explained. "I could see his heel, repulsive."
The actress didn't limit her observations to real-life dating, either.
She also weighed in on how leading men move on screen, arguing that an unconvincing running style can kill the romance for female viewers almost instantly.
"When a man runs on film and it's just like, it looks like a sprinkler moving, it's just wrong," she said, before crediting Tom Cruise as one of the rare actors to have 'nailed' a believable sprint.
Why did Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen split?
Fisher and Baron Cohen, who share three children, jointly filed for divorce in 2023 after 13 years of marriage and more than two decades together.
The pair confirmed the split via Instagram in April last year, writing that after 'a long tennis match lasting over twenty years, we are finally putting our racquets down', while asking for privacy as they navigated the change.
Speaking to The Times, Fisher described the divorce as 'the most difficult thing I've been through', though she said the experience had taught her about her own resilience.
"We are building a new, healthy version of what our family looks like," she added.
She echoed similar sentiments in a chat with E! News, crediting her female friendships with helping her rediscover her strength.
"My friendships, my female friendships have really been instrumental to me discovering or recovering that strength," she said. 'I'm incredibly grateful.'
The divorce was finalised in 2025.
Topics: Entertainment, Celebrity
Thomas Bamford