Jimmy Kimmel, the host of the 2 most up-to-date Academy Awards ceremonies and two others earlier than them (2017 and 2018), and John Mulaney, the host of the latest Academy Governors Awards ceremony, have withdrawn themselves from consideration for the job of emceeing the 97th Oscars on March 2, 2025. That, in fact, begs the query: who will the Academy, its Oscars telecast producers (more likely to be the identical crew that oversaw the well-received 2024 ceremony, minus Kimmel’s spouse) and its broadcasting accomplice ABC land for the gig — if anybody? (They went with no host in 2019, 2020 and 2021.)
The Academy and ABC, being risk-averse, will typically re-approach individuals who have hosted earlier than, however most who hosted in recent times are by no means going to be invited again. Overlook about James Franco and Anne Hathaway, who hosted collectively in 2011, and Neil Patrick Harris, who had the job in 2015 — all of them bombed. Many discovered the 2013 host, Seth MacFarlane, too undignified (see: his “We Noticed Your Boobs” music). And the present helmed by Regina Corridor, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes was usually thought to be unspectacular.
Ellen DeGeneres was effectively acquired when she hosted in 2007 and 2014, however her public picture has since taken a beating — even she refers to herself as having been “kicked out of present enterprise.” Alec Baldwin, who co-hosted in 2010, turned politically polarizing by mocking Donald Trump on Saturday Evening Reside, after which was caught up in the Rust tragedy. And Billy Crystal, who hosted 9 instances between 1990 and 2012, and Whoopi Goldberg, who hosted in 1999 and 2002, are actually 76 and 68, respectively, and wouldn’t assist the Academy and ABC of their efforts to draw youthful viewers to the telecast.
4 previous hosts, nevertheless, could stay viable.
At 78, comedy legend Steve Martin — who hosted in 2001, 2003 and, with Baldwin, 2010 — is now too outdated to be focused by the Academy as a solo host. But when the Academy and ABC might persuade his longtime comedy accomplice Martin Quick, 74, and their 32-year-old Solely Murders within the Constructing co-star Selena Gomez, a millennial and Gen-Z darling, to host collectively, that may be an enormous coup. (Two issues price noting: ABC and Solely Murders streamer Hulu share a mum or dad firm in Disney; and Gomez is a star of one among this 12 months’s prime Oscar contenders, Emilia Pérez.)
Jon Stewart, who hosted in 2006 and 2008, would definitely be a “get,” and he most likely has extra time on his arms than he has had at every other level in a few years, on condition that he now solely hosts The Day by day Present one night time every week. That stated, he’s politically outspoken, which can give the Academy and ABC pause as they make each effort to maintain politics out of the Oscars ceremony, having seen simple proof in monitoring knowledge that it impacts viewership.
Chris Rock, who hosted in 2005 and 2016, is as widespread as ever, and it could be a giant deal to get him to return to the Oscars for the primary time since he was shockingly slapped by Will Smith whereas presenting an award in 2022. That stated, when he beforehand hosted the present he offended lots of people with a skit that includes Asian kids, for which the Academy — however not Rock — finally felt compelled to apologize. I think that many, together with Janet Yang, the Academy’s first president of Asian descent, would possibly wish to go in one other course.
Then, there’s Hugh Jackman, who hosted the tremendously acclaimed 2009 ceremony — he sang, he danced and he even bought Beyoncé to carry out with him — and who occurs to be one of many two stars of the largest blockbuster of this 12 months, Deadpool & Wolverine. Heck, I might even see Wolverine (Jackman) enlisting Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds, Jackman’s shut pal) to share the gig with him.
My sense is that the Academy doesn’t really feel that it wants a comic to function host, only a acquainted face — or two — who’re well-liked, seen as cheerleaders of the trade and will help to maneuver issues alongside. That would appear to bode effectively for Jackman, who just about everybody agrees is a good (some would say the best!) showman, as was additionally evident when he hosted the Tony Awards in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2014.
Different choices alongside these traces embrace Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who has by no means shied away from the limelight; Glen Powell, the breakthrough star of the 12 months and somebody who would definitely draw younger individuals to the telecast; John Legend, presumably together with his spouse Chrissy Teigen; Emily Blunt, presumably together with her The Fall Man co-star Ryan Gosling (they had been nice collectively as co-presenters on the ceremony earlier this 12 months); and Tom Hanks, who has served on the Academy’s board of governors, stays very concerned with its museum and would most likely assist it out if it actually finds itself in a bind.
If the Academy and ABC do find yourself sticking with a comic, they might go to former late night time host and present podcaster and journey present host Conan O’Brien, who looks like a fairly unobjectionable selection; Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, separate or collectively, who had been a success after they co-presented on the 2020 present; Chelsea Handler, who has honed her internet hosting abilities whereas emceeing the lower-stakes Critics Alternative Awards in 2023 and 2024; Ali Wong and/or Invoice Hader, two halves of a really humorous couple; or Tiffany Haddish, though she has grow to be a bit controversial.
I might not anticipate ABC to log off on anybody who competes within the late night time enviornment with Kimmel (that guidelines out NBC’s Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, CBS’s Stephen Colbert, and HBO’s John Oliver and Invoice Maher) or actually anybody from a rival community (together with NBC’s Michael Che or Colin Jost, the latter of whom hosted the White Home Correspondents Affiliation dinner in April).
Trevor Noah is now out of the late night time recreation and would most likely do a beautiful job, however he has grow to be the Grammys’ go-to man (he’s anchored their final 4 telecasts), so it appears unlikely he’d be requested to additionally tackle one other of the EGOT-level award reveals.
As a lot as followers would possibly wish to see what Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle would do as host, the Academy and ABC would nearly actually keep away from them just like the plague, given how anarchic and unpredictable they each are.
Lastly, except they’ve had a serious change of coronary heart, you may depend out a handful of high-profile of us who would possibly appear to be good internet hosting candidates, however who’ve been requested — in a number of instances by me — and explicitly said that, for one purpose or one other, they may by no means take the job: Justin Timberlake, Melissa McCarthy, Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Krasinski, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
A possible wild card: Kevin Hart, some of the widespread comedians and film stars within the recreation as we speak, who as soon as stated that it was his dream to host the Oscars and was all set to take action on the 2019 ceremony earlier than withdrawing after outdated tweets of his sparked controversy. Hart, who has expressed remorse about these tweets and stays a fan favourite, stated in January that he would by no means host the Oscars or any awards present, describing them as “very chilly” and never “comedy-friendly environments.” However in Could, he hosted Netflix’s roast of Tom Brady, which isn’t a very completely different kind of project, and it proved an enormous hit on the service and went on to be nominated for an Emmy. So maybe Hart — who one other previous Oscars host, David Letterman (1995), advised me can be “a genius selection” — will rethink!