With the news that the 2022 Academy Awards would have a host for the first time since 2018 came the inevitable question of who would take on the coveted emcee gig.
As it turns out, there are three people who are up for the job of hosting Hollywood’s most glamourous night and they are all brilliant choices.
Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes have all been confirmed as the ones to lead the Academy Awards ceremony with the formal announcement made on the February 15 episode of Good Morning America.
On February 13, Schumer posted an Instagram slideshow with some of her biggest career highlights, along with the caption “Big fun news coming”, so now we know what she was referring to.
Schumer will make a more than capable host, with the comedian, writer, actress and producer having been nominated for 12 Primetime Emmy Awards over the course of her career, winning in 2015 for outstanding variety sketch series for her hit Comedy Central show Inside Amy Schumer.
Hall, meanwhile, is known for comedic features such as the Scary Movie franchise and Girls Trip, as well as meatier fare such as The Hate U Give, indie film Support the Girls and Master.
And, of course, Sykes is legendary with a career that spans over 30 years. She has 14 Emmy nominations and one win to her name and is the star, creator and writer of Netflix’s The Upshaws which is currently streaming. She has also appeared in TV Shows such as The New Adventures of Old Christine, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Black-ish.
The Academy first made the decision to make the Oscars hostless in 2019, after Kevin Hart had been slated to take on the gig. The actor and comedian decided to step away from the job after past Tweets he had written, which were homophobic in nature, were resurfaced. Hart explained that he walked away from the gig “because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists.”
Prior to Hart’s ill-fated appointment, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel hosted the annual ceremony in 2017 and 2018.
Other famous faces to take on the emceeing gig have been Chris Rock (2016), Neil Patrick Harris (2015), Ellen DeGeneres (2014), Seth MacFarlane (2013), Billy Crystal (2012) and James Franco/Anne Hathaway (2011) with the Franco/Hathaway stint being widely derided by viewers and critics alike.
If you are keen to catch all of the action of entertainment’s most anticipated night the 94th Academy Awards will air exclusively on Channel 7 and 7plus, LIVE AEDT on Monday, March 28 which works out to be around noon. This means you can see all of the glitz and glamour at exactly the same time as the US.
And, while you wait for the actual ceremony, why not brush up on all of your Oscars trivia by reading up on the greatest (and occasionally awkward) moments in the history of the Academy Awards?
You can also check out all our Oscars coverage here.
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