Trendy Fashion Report: The 84th Annual Academy Awards

The Red Carpet was ablaze with the usual dramatics and this time it was heightened by the anticipated and eventual appearance of The Dictator, a Sacha Baron Cohen creation.

And Cohen managed to steal the spotlight in a very revealing way, when he decided to make E! Television Host Ryan Seacrest his main target. While Seacrest interviewed Cohen’s alter ego, he was suddenly showered with a powdery confection that flowed from a gold urn that Cohen was protectively carrying around. That added some more spice to an already sizzling runway.

Once the awkward sideshow came to an abrupt end, it was back to business as usual, as gorgeous gowns and dazzling jewels rained heavily on the red carpet.

Here are some of the looks that left us breathless.

Viola Davis in Vera Wang

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad

Berenice Bejo in Elie Saab

Sandra Bullock in Marchesa

Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford

Cameron Diaz in Gucci

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace

Rooney Mara in Givenchy