Banksy & Sacha Baron Cohen , by rowan on Feb 1, 2011 8:03:06 GMT 1, www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/3382682/Banksy-and-Sacha-Baron-Cohen-strike-deal.html

FUNNYMAN SACHA BARON COHEN has struck a deal with BANKSY to exchange one of Borat's old moustaches for a painting by the artist worth more than £100,000.
Sacha, 39, is exchanging the face fuzz from his famous character for a daub of Thomas the Tank Engine by the acclaimed mystery street artist.

He'll hang it at his LA mansion beside other work by Bansky, while the painter plans to display the fake 'tache in a Perspex box. It is a stunning coup for Sacha because famous names including KATE MOSS, ANGELINA JOLIE and CHRISTINA AGUILERA have paid big money for Banksy's art.

A source said yesterday: "Sacha and Banksy are huge fans of each other's work.

"Sacha is one of the few people who knows the artist's real identity and they struck the deal at a recent meeting.

"The exchange was a no-brainer - for both sides."

Sacha, whose characters include ALI G and gay Austrian fashion reporter BRUNO, is best known for Kazakh journalist BORAT. His alter-ego is his most successful creation and the movie, BORAT: CULTRUAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN, was an international box office hit.

While Sacha - and Borat - are known worldwide, Banksy's identity is still a secret. Unconfirmed reports say his name is Robin Gunningham and he comes from Bristol.

However, he may be unmasked at the Oscars this month. His directorial debut, EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP, has been short-listed for the Best Documentary gong.