The Academy has made it official: Eddie Murphy will be the host of the 84th Academy Awards to be held Sunday, February 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Oscar producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer made the announcement today.
The 2012 Academy Awards will mark Murphy's first gig as Oscar host.
"I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others," stated Murphy in the official press release. "I'm looking forward to working with Brett and Don on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year."
Commenting on Murphy's involvement, Ratner stated, "Eddie is a comedic genius, one of the greatest and most influential live performers ever. With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances - especially on stage - I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and tremendous heart to the show Don and I want to produce in February."
Added Mischer, "Eddie is a truly ground-breaking performer, whose amazingly diverse array of roles has won him a devoted audience of all ages. His quick wit and charisma will serve him very well as Oscar host."
Murphy was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2006 for his role in Dreamgirls. He'll next be seen on the big screen in Oscar producer Brett Ratner's comedy Tower Heist co-starring Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick and Michael Pena.
A Look Back at a Few Recent Oscar Hosts:
- James Franco and Anne Hathaway fail to liven up the Oscars
- Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin handle 2010 hosting duties
- Hugh Jackman sings and dances as Oscar host
(Photo of Eddie Murphy © DreamWorks Studios)
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