Sacha Baron Cohen Banned from the Oscars?
Sacha Baron Cohen was reportedly uninvited from the Oscars amid rumors the comedian planned to show up dressed as the main character from his upcoming film The Dictator.
According to Deadline, a source at Paramount revealed the Academy is nervous about Cohen's potential stunt.
"Unless they're assured that nothing entertaining is going to happen on the Red Carpet, the Academy is not admitting Sacha Baron Cohen to the show," the source said.
An Academy spokesperson later told The Hollywood Reporter, "We haven't banned him. We're just waiting to hear what he's going to do."
Despite the Academy's dismissal, Deadline insists Cohen's invitation was yanked, saying, "But the fact is that, this morning, the Academy's Managing Director Of Membership Kimberly Rouch phoned Paramont's awards staff to say Baron Cohen's tickets had been pulled unless he gives the Academy assurances ahead of time promising not to show up on the Red Carpet in costume and not to promote the movie on the Red Carpet. The Academy made it clear that, without those assurances, it would not issue him the tickets. So he's banned."
The Academy doesn't allow guests to promote movies on the red carpet or during the live telecast. Organizers only recently began airing movie advertisements during commercial breaks.
Cohen, who stars in the Oscar-nominated film Hugo, turned down the chance to present at the Oscars in 2007 after officials didn't allow him to dress as his alter ego Borat.
The Oscars air on February 26.
