Chris Rock is officially returning for a second run as Oscar host, with organizer the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirming this morning yesterday’s trickle of news that he was in talks for the gig. This is a coup for the Oscars and new producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin — Hudlin and Rock became buddies when Hudlin helmed the pilot for Rock’s more-than-semi-autobiographical series Everybody Hates Chris. Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series that ran from 2005-2009 on the CW.
Since then, Rock has confirmed his spot as probably the world’s best stand-up comic as well as a filmmaker, after his Top Five made an awards-season run last year.
“Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” said Hill and Hudlin in a statement this morning. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all. He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!”
Rock hosted the 77th Oscars telecast in 2005, and ruffled some feathers in town — that seems to not be a problem now as Hudlin said when he and Hill were hired that they weren’t planning to stay safe with their host choice. “We want the viewer to have a sense of excitement and a little hint of danger. I think those are good qualities to have in a host,” he told our Pete Hammond. “It is a high-wire act obviously and a lot of (potential hosts) are ‘I’m not ready for that kind of challenge.’ But we think there is an exciting list of possibilities that could kill it.”
The 88th Academy Awards will air live February 28 on ABC.
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