American TV host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel surprised many when he agreed to host the upcoming 96th Oscars, sharing that he initially didn’t anticipate a return to the prestigious stage.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Kimmel revealed, “I did not think I would ever do it again.” Kimmel first hosted the Academy Awards in 2017, an event that gained notoriety when ‘La La Land’ was mistakenly announced as the Best Picture instead of ‘Moonlight.’ Despite this unexpected turn of events, Kimmel returned to host in 2018 and then again last year.
Reflecting on his previous hosting experiences, Kimmel acknowledged the memorable incidents, stating, “I did two of them, and they went well — something crazy happened at one of them with a story I’ll have for the rest of my life.” Despite the success, Kimmel initially hesitated about hosting again, given the immense effort involved in presenting the Oscars.
Kimmel highlighted a key challenge in hosting the Oscars – discussing films that the audience might not have watched. He recalled a moment in 2017 when he made a joke about ‘Moonlight,’ revealing, “I made a joke about ‘Moonlight’ that made it clear to me that the vast majority of the room had not seen the movie, even though it won Best Picture.”
However, a change of heart occurred last year when Kimmel found a film that resonated with a broader audience. He explained, “I knew there was a movie that people had seen, and it just makes the job easier.” This unexpected shift in perspective came after watching ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’
Even though Kimmel anticipated that hosting in 2021 would be his final stint, a viewing of ‘Barbie’ left him reconsidering, as he found a shared point of reference with the audience. “Maybe I’ll do this again because at least I have a point of reference with everyone,” he reflected.
Kimmel, who humorously quipped upon his announcement in November, “I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times,” is now the fourth-most frequent Academy Awards host in history, following Bob Hope (19), Billy Crystal (9), and Johnny Carson (5).
Molly McNearney, Kimmel’s wife and co-head writer for ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ also serves as an executive producer of the show. The 96th Oscars are set to be broadcast live on ABC on March 10 from the Dolby Theatre.
