America’s darling actor, director, producer, comedian famed actor and Broadway star Neil Patrick Harris is all set to host the 87th Academy Awards on 22nd February 2015 from L.A.’s Dolby Theatre.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who will be producing the show for the third consecutive, said in a statement, “We are thrilled to have Neil host the Oscars.”
Harris will follow in the footsteps of Ellen that generated the highest number of views in the past 14 years by posting a selfie with celebrities on her twitter account.
However, DeGeneres could not be persuaded to return for a second time and had been highly unwilling to perform as a host in the first place.
Harris disclosed the news on Wednesday, October 15, in a video posted to Twitter where he says,“I’m in!”
The clip shows him on the phone, telling an anonymous caller he says “I’m in” before showing his bucket list, already crossed off the list was “have children” and “meet the president. “The last item on the list and the only one without a check mark is to “host the Oscars.” As the camera zooms in, he circles the Oscar in black pen.
This will be Harris’ first time hosting for the Academy Award but he of course has plenty of experience on other stages as he has hosted the Tony Awards four times and the Emmy’s twice.
He stated to ABC News, “It is truly an honor and a thrill to be asked to host this year’s Academy Awards. I grew up watching the Oscars and was always in such awe of some of the greats who hosted the show. To be asked to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, and everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting is a bucket list dream come true.”
He’s won five Emmys and this year took home a Tony for the lead role in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
