Sacha Baron Cohen is the subject of confusion as to whether he has been banned from this year's Academy Awards.

The comedian reportedly put a proposal to the Academy stating that he would walk the Oscars red carpet dressed as spoof character General Aladeen before changing into a tuxedo for the awards ceremony.

Event organisers have said that they do not agree with his plans to appear as his character from new movie Dictator, The (2012) but is still welcome, while studio Paramount Pictures claims that he has effectively been banned from Sunday night's awards.

An Academy spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter: "We haven't banned him. We're just waiting to hear what he's going to do."

"We don't think it's appropriate, but his tickets haven't been pulled. We're waiting to hear back."

A representative from Paramount however told Deadline earlier on Wednesday (February 23): "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 publication's sources claim that a senior Academy Awards staff member contacted Paramount's awards team to say that Baron Cohen would not be allowed to have his ticket back unless he promised organisers that he would not arrive in costume.

Source: Press Release