Sacha Baron Cohen has finally apologized to Ryan Seacrest for his incredibly funny red carpet prank at the Oscars. Seacrest, who had attended the weekend’s “SNL” taping for fun, was surprised to be approached by Isla Fisher, who apologized for her husband’s behavior. Speaking on his radio show Monday, Seacrest explained, “I saw Isla Fisher and I said ‘hi,’ and she said these words, and then it dawned on me. She said, 'I apologize for my husband.' And I said, 'Oh, yes, …More

Israeli Oscar-nominated “Footnote” was the highest grossing film to play on only two screens in the US this weekend. The subtitled drama took in a record $48,100 from the two theaters in which it opened in New York, with an incredibly high per-screen average of $24,050. Overall, “Footnote” ranked just 43rd in the box office, behind wider-released fellow Oscar contenders “A Separation,” and “In Darkness.” However, the early results bode well the upcoming Los Angeles …More

Stalker or fashionista? We bet the vintage Christian Dior gown still had a wiff of Natalie Portman on it when it sold for $50,000 online. The red strapless dress may have been from 1954, but apparently that just makes it more attractive. That, and the fact that it came briefly into contact with an Oscar statuette as Portman presented the Best Actor award to Jean Dujardin. Page Six reports that a London businessman snapped up the aged frock. Is it really worth $50,000? To us, it just looks like red, polka-dotted …More

Bar Refaeli was looking too hot last Sunday night to just go to one Oscar party! The Israeli supermodel wore her gold Robert Cavalli gown to Elton John’s fundraising viewing party in support of his charity, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and then to the Vanity Fair bash. Look, we consider this community service on Bar’s part. When you’re that out-of-control fine, it would be selfish to not let as many people as possible stare at you. Check out pictures from both events below! J-Connection: …More

At least, Natalie Portman was a married woman when she attended the Oscars. Which is totally the same thing. Jeweler Jamie Wolf confirmed to Us Weekly that Portman and ballet choreographer Benjamin Millepied are, in fact, married. "I designed the rings worn by Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman," Wolf told Us. "They were made with recycled platinum and conflict free diamonds." Representatives for the couple have been tight-fisted with details about the secret nuptials. Portman and Millepied fell in love on …More

Though director Asghar Farhadi hoped his film’s Oscar win would uncover an artistic Iran “hidden under the heavy dust of politics,” the official reaction cast the country’s first Foreign Language Academy Award as a victory over Israel. Iranian state TV praised “A Separation” for “leaving behind” Israeli competitor “Footnote,” a film it characterized as coming from the “Zionist regime.” Typically the Iranian government highlights sports and …More

Billy Crystal was up to all his usual tricks at the Academy Awards last night. He boasted, he toured the nine Best Picture nominations and sang a little ditty. Nothing was particularly new, but then again, this was his ninth time up on that stage, and he still managed to make it endearingly funny. Like the pictures that ended up winning those little golden statuettes, the stage was done up in retro flashing bulbs and classic style. Nearly silent film “The Artist” managed to take down both Best …More

The best moment of the 2012 Oscars? We’ll go with what Sacha Baron Cohen did before the show even started. You just knew if the Jewish funnyman was allowed to attend the Oscars in full dress as the character from his latest film, “The Dictator,” something outrageous was going to happen. You just didn’t know who was going to be Baron Cohen’s unwitting victim. Enter Ryan Seacrest. Yes, the famous MC got quite the shock as he interviewed Baron Cohen, in character as General Aladeen. …More

If you don’t win an Oscar this weekend, don’t cry Jonah Hill! The 2012 Israel Film Festival Los Angeles has already promised you a prize at their awards gala on March 15. “We are very pleased to honor such a dynamic and multi-faceted talent like Jonah Hill,” Festival founder and executive director Meir Fenigstein said. “We are excited to present the IFF Achievement in Film Award for his remarkable accomplishments and his support for Israeli filmmaking.” Remember that bit in …More

There are only two reasons: Gil Cates and Melissa Leo. Allow us to explain. Longtime Academy Awards producer Gates approached Billy Crystal last year about hosting the Oscars. Crystal tells Entertainment Weekly, "I did six shows with Gil. He said, 'I think I'm getting the job. Would you host? Let's do one more together.'” "I thought I was going to do it,” Crystal confessed. “But then tragically Gil got sick and he had surgery and he passed away." Cates died before he could peg Crystal with the …More

We told Sacha Baron Cohen it was his move after the Oscars said they would take away the Jewish comedian’s tickets if he came in character to promote his new film, “The Dictator.” Apparently, he listened! Yes, Baron Cohen struck back in the way he knows best: by being hilarious! While his newest creation of Admiral General Aladeen may not stroll the red carpet on Sunday, he did record a message that was broadcast on NBC’s “Today Show” this morning, coming straight from …More

We told you that Sacha Baron Cohen was thinking of attending the Oscars as his character from his upcoming film, “The Dictator.” Now, apparently, the Oscars are thinking of banning the guy for even proposing the stunt! Deadline Hollywood reported that Cohen’s tickets to the Oscars—he is invited thanks to being part of the cast of Best Picture nominee “Hugo”—are going to be taken away “unless he gives the Academy assurances ahead of time promising not to show up on …More