It is official that American comedian and actor Kevin Hart will host the 91st Academy Awards ceremony in February 2019.
The previous two Oscar ceremonies had been hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd. However, the last show had received a record-low 26.5 million viewers which does add pressure to the new team of 2019.
But Hart has taken on the challenge. On Tuesday afternoon, the comedian has posted on his Instagram: “I appreciate @TheAcademy for the opportunity. For years I have been asked if I would ever host the Oscars and my answer was always the same, I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s suppose to”.
He added: “I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. (…) Now it’s time to rise to the occasion”.
Kevin Hart had previously hosted the MTV Movie Awards together with Dwayne Johnson. Hart had been saying since 2015 that he would greatly appreciate to host the Oscars and had told the Live With Kelly and Michael show that he was doing his level best to earn the role:
“That would be a major accomplishment. With what I’ve done and the progress I’ve made in my career, that’s definitely the next major step, I feel, for a comedian”.
The iconic comedian is one of the few African American Oscar hosts in the entire history of the Academy Awards ceremonies, including Chris Rock, Whoopi Goldberg and Sammy Davis Jr.
Now, the Academy has indeed decided to increase diversity, and not only among its members but also among the its nominated films and performers for the Oscars.
On January 22, 2019, Oscar nominations will be announced and the show will take place live and broadcast on 24 February, 2019 in Hollywood.
#Peace.Love.Oscars
