Academy Doesn't Want Sacha Baron Cohen to Dress as 'The Dictator'
Sacha Baron Cohen has allegedly been warned not to attend the Oscars dressed as his latest creation, a sex-crazed Middle Eastern dictator.
Although the comedian was invited to the awards show as part of the cast for the multi-nominated film Hugo, rumor has it Cohen wants to attend Sunday's telecast dressed as the character from his new movie.
Cohen told Paramount about his desire to show up in character, sources told The Hollywood Reporter. Though Paramount declined comment, a spokesperson for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences told Deadline, "We would hope that every studio knows that this is a bad idea. The red carpet is not about stunting."
Cohen's last major stunt took place at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, where he showed up as flamboyantly gay fashionista Bruno. During a too-close-for-comfort encounter, a bare-bottomed Bruno descended from above in feathered wings and landed in a visibly outraged Eminem's lap. Eminem later conceded he was in on the joke.
The Dictator will be released on May 11.
