Sacha Baron Cohen's Oscar plans worry academy
Oscar organizers unhappy about actor appearing as dictator
CBC News
Posted: Feb 23, 2012 4:56 PM ET
Last Updated: Feb 23, 2012 4:54 PM ET
Actor Sacha Baron Cohen attends the premiere of Hugo in New York. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)
Academy Award organizers are concerned about reports that Sacha Baron Cohen plans to walk the red carpet dressed as General Aladeen, the lead character in his upcoming film The Dictator.
The British actor has not been banned from attending the ceremony on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Cohen is a cast member of the Oscar-nominated film Hugo and also a voting member of the academy, which merits him an invitation.
On Wednesday, the Hollywood Deadline reported that the academy was thinking of revoking his tickets. The Dictator is a parody of late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
But an unnamed executive told Reuters on Thursday that members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had been in touch with Cohen’s team. They are waiting for a response about his plans before they decide if he can use his tickets.
“Our red carpet is not for stunting,” the executive told Reuters.
Cohen is known for bringing his outlandish film characters into the real world. In 2006, he made an appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival as Borat, the lead character of a film of the same name. In 2009, to promote his film Bruno, he arrived at the MTV music videos as the lead character.
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