The Dictator's Oscar Victory: Sacha Baron Cohen Invited to Attend in Costume
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Dictator
The Dictator has won!
The Acadmy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has invited Sacha Baron Cohen to attend Sunday night's Oscar ceremony dressed as his title character in the upcoming film The Dictator, Deadline reports. This decision reverses the Academy's previous stance banning attendees using the red carpet for "stunting" or self-promotion. Baron Cohen had originally planned on walking the Oscars red carpet as the fictional Admiral General Aladeen.
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"VICTORY IS OURS!" reads a statement from The Dictator himself on Friday. "Today the Mighty Nation of Wadiya triumphed over the Zionist snakes of Hollywood. Evil and all those who made Satan their protector were vanquished and driven into the Pacific Sea. What I am trying to say here is that the Academy have surrendered and sent over two tickets and a parking pass! TODAY OSCAR, TOMORROW OBAMA!"
The actor has a history of doing outrageous stunts to promote his films, once appearing at the Cannes Film Festival as the character Borat in a giant lime green thong. At the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009, he dressed in character as Bruno, a gay fashion icon, flew in on overhead wires and literally landed in the lap of a seemingly furious Eminem.
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Paramount Pictures tells Deadline that Baron Cohen has not yet decided if he will attend, whereas Oscars telecast producer Brian Grazer and Academy President Tom Sherak say that Baron Cohen is attending and is in fact a part of the show. The conflicting reports could indicate that the whole "banning" situation was a publicity stunt from the start.
The 84th Academy Awards airs Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8:30/5:30c on ABC. The Dictator opens in theaters nationwide on May 11.
Do you think this whole affair has been a publicity stunt from the start? Will you watch The Dictator?