Vogue‘s December issue features stunning photography by Anne Leibovitz to promote the somber tale of Les Miserables. You wouldn’t believe some of the measures the stars of this film had to take to make sure they were the perfect fit for their role!

Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway and Russel Crowe are just a few of the celebs who starred in the upcoming film. Since the play has been a world-wide success for many years now, the actors have their work cut out for them to fully capture the dark emotion and saddening tone. Anne showed her true dedication to her job and slimmed down, dropping 25 pounds to play her frail, starving character Fantine. Days on days she only ate a small amount of oatmeal paste to slim down.

Although the tale is typically seen as a “miserable” one like the title suggests, Amanda Seyfried promises Vogue that even though the story-line is typically sad “The whole thing is really just one big love story.”

We can’t to see it!

Nicole DeBari

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1. Anne Hathaway Admits ‘Les Miserables’ Weight Loss Was ‘Nuts’
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3. ‘Les Miserables’ Trailer: Anne Hathaway Sounds Great, Looks Awful

Sacha Baron Cohen stopped by the The Today Show – in character as The Dictator – for a May 7 interview with Matt Lauer, and you won’t BELIEVE what he said!

At the start of the interview, “not knowing” they were live on air, the dictator states that he has done some research and he knows that Matt is in a secret love affair with Ann Curry! He says, “The Filipino girl… Yes, yes! Ann Curry… I know you are having an affair with her. Ask me good questions so I will not bring it up when we are live on air.”

Matt took the joke in good spirit and laughed it off — he’s a good sport!

HollywoodLifers, Will you see The Dictator when it comes out on May 16? Sound off below!

More ‘The Dictator’ News:

1. Sacha Baron Cohen Dumps Ashes On Ryan Seacrest At The Oscars
2. Sacha Baron Cohen’s ‘Dictator’ Threatens The Academy Awards In Hilarious New Video
3. Anna Faris Gets A Serious MakeUNDER For Her New Role — What Do You Think Of The Look?

Ryan Seacrest, 37, didn’t look amused when Sacha Baron Cohen — dressed in military attire to promote his new flick The Dictator — decided to douse him with “Kim Jong-Il’s ashes” as the host was interviewing him on the red carpet.

“I was surprised, but not surprised,” Ryan said on his radio show Monday morning. Although he knew his interview with the over-the-top comic wasn’t going to be drama free, he admitted, “I definitely did not know he was going to do that.”

He continued: “You know in your gut, you feel like, this is going too normally. It just seemed like he didn’t put all that on to just answer a couple questions in character.”

Regardless, Ry-Crest, who believed the ashes were probably “pancake mix,” came prepared, just in case.

“My mom told me when I was a mini red carpet reporter, ‘You always want to have two jackets. You never know what’s going to happen. You never know what you’re going to spill on yourself and you want to be red carpet-ready at all times. That’s your job.’ So I had another jacket,” he said.

Watch the ash-tastic shocker below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

More Ryan Seacrest News:

1. Sacha Baron Cohen Dumps Ashes On Ryan Seacrest At The Oscars
2. Ryan Seacrest Being Replaced By Neil Patrick Harris On ‘American Idol’?
3. Will Ryan Seacrest Be Fired From ‘American Idol?’

Love him or hate him (we’re still on the fence), Sacha Baron Cohen made good on his promise to walk the red carpet of the 2012 Academy Awards dressed as his controversial Dictator character Admiral General Aladeen. And the dude definitely knows how to make an entrance, this time by dumping ashes (supposedly those of the late, great Kim Jong-il) all over Ryan Seacrest! (Someone’s clearly not an American Idol fan.)

Watch the madness go down below, then vote — do you think Sacha took the joke too far?

Contrary to previous reports, Sacha Baron Cohen will be allowed to attend the 2012 Oscars — and he took to Twitter in character as The Dictator to show his excitement!

Sacha, 40, took to the film’s Twitter as Admiral General Shabazz Aladeen on Feb. 24 to write, “VICTORY IS OURS! 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!”

Academy Awards producer Brian Grazer also confirmed the news to Access Hollywood.

“We absolutely respect him as an artist and he’s allowed to come,” he said. “He’s coming.”

Will YOU watch the Oscars, HollywoodLifers?

– William Earl

More Oscars:

1. ‘Don’t Call Me Oscar’ Recreates This Year’s Oscar Best Picture Nominees — Cute Pics
2. Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart’s Romantic Pre-Oscar Party Date Revealed
3. Kids Predict This Year’s Oscar Winners — Hilarious Video

Admiral General Shabazz Aladeen has something he’d like you to know. In a video released Feb. 24, the Wadiyan dictator threatens the “Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Zionists” with “unimaginable consequences” if his tickets to the 84th Annual Academy Awards aren’t returned by 12 p.m. on Sunday. On Feb. 22, the Academy stripped Aladeen’s portrayer, Sacha Baron Cohen, of his tickets to the ceremony after the Borat star announced his intention to appear in character on the red carpet in order to promote his upcoming movie The Dictator.

In the hilarious — and politically incorrect — video, Aladeen addresses “the great Satan of America” while condemning the Academy for ignoring such fine Wadiyan films as “When Harry Kidnapped Sally,” “You’ve Got Mail Bomb” and “Planet of the Rapes.” He also makes it clear he wants his tickets back, as he’s already paid Hilary Swank $2 million to be his date. Before signing off, he wishes Oscar host “Billy Crystals” good luck. “You’re fantastic,” he says.

Shortly after posting the video on YouTube, Sacha called in to Today as Aladeen to discuss the issue with hosts Carl Quintanilla and Ann Curry. “I actually delayed 30 executions to do this,” he stated on the air.

What a genius marketing move! Count on Sacha to use the ban to his advantage. Whether or not the funny man makes it to the Oscars, he’s already generated tons of publicity for The Dictator.

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Has Sacha gone too far, or is the Academy being unreasonable? Watch Sacha’s video and vote:

– Josh Rosenblatt

“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,” Paramount told our sister site Deadline.

Never mind that the 40-year-old prankster is a member of the Academy and one of the stars in Hugo, which has 11 nominations and is vying for Best Picture.

Slammed with bad press after the announcement of the ban was made, the Academy clarified that it won’t let Sacha come to the awards show if he plans on donning a costume and promoting his new film, The Dictator, which is a “heroic story of a Middle Eastern dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy never comes to the country he so lovingly oppressed.”

So, if the Old Guard sticks to its guns, we guess this means that Billy Crystal is the only thing worth looking forward to on Sunday night?

Word of advice: Loosen up, Academy. Sacha is the Red Bull to your overall stuffy snooze fest.

More Sacha Baron Cohen News:

1. New Moms Isla Fisher And Amy Poehler Are Writing A Movie Together!
2. First Look At Isla Fisher’s New Baby Girl — And Her Name Is Finally Revealed!
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We all know Kim Kardashian is used to having insults hurled at her, but the latest one is a biggie — and not just because it’ll be appearing on the big screen. In Sacha Baron Cohen‘s new movie The Dictator, his character beds Megan Fox, then compliments her on being “much less hairy” than a Kardashian.

Megan’s character also appears to be insulted that Sacha’s character gave her a ruby, as she asks, “What am I, a Kardashian?”

Ouch!

Watch The Dictator trailer below:

Click here to view the embedded video.