Kevin Hart will be the host of the 2019 Academy Awards, the comedian announced via his Instagram page on Tuesday.
“I am so happy to say that the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars,” Hart wrote, according to The Guardian.
Welcome to the family, @kevinhart4real! #Oscars https://t.co/vfcxAeJlwQ
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) December 5, 2018
Hart’s announcement came just hours after The Hollywood Reporter published a story that called the gig “the least wanted job in Hollywood,” despite the Oscar’s reputation as the highest honor in the film industry.
But Hart seems thrilled for the opportunity, dubbed “one of the most prestigious but also the most difficult in show business,” by The Guardian.
“I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time,” Hart wrote.
He will be one of just a handful of African American actors to host the Awards; a list that includes Chris Rock, Whoopi Goldberg and Sammy Davis Jr.
Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 22, with the live televised ceremony taking place Hollywood on Feb. 24.
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.
