Sacha Baron Cohen's Dictator blames Oscars ceremony ban on 'Zionists'

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The remark may have been a jest in the manner of speech of his next comedy creation, The Dictator.
But it added to the dilemma faced by Academy executives who fear the British star is trying to hijack the 84th Oscars to publicise his new film and have threatened to ban him.

The 40-year-old creator of Borat and Bruno was invited to Sunday night's ceremony partly because of his performance in Martin Scorsese's much-nominated Hugo.

But he has made clear he wants to wear the military uniform of his oddball creation, apparently modelled on Colonel Gaddafi of Libya and Saddam Hussein of Iraq.

And today, in a statement on a website dedicated to his new fictional creation, Baron Cohen warned the matter was not yet settled. "Admiral General Aladeen will deliver a formal response tomorrow morning to being banned from the Oscars by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Zionists," he said.

Hugo has the most nominations with 11 against 10 for The Artist but the silent movie is tipped by bookmakers William Hill to win best film. After last year's British triumph with The King's Speech, Colin Firth is returning to present an Oscar but the UK's hopes of another great year may be fading.

The Help's Viola Davis is now tipped for best actress, an honour long regarded as a shoo-in for Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Gary Oldman, nominated for playing George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, looks almost certain to lose to The Artist's Jean Dujardin.

Guests at the post-ceremony ball will be served a "3D Oscar" dessert topped by a chocolate Oscar in front of an edible billboard that gives a 3D effect when viewed with special glasses.