Neil Patrick Harris to Host the 2015 Oscars
Neil Patrick Harris is crossing one off his bucket list!
The Tony winner announced today that he has been tapped to host the 87th Academy Awards. He made the announcement in a video in which he actually crosses "Host the Oscars" off his bucket list. It's a great choice for the Academy, since Harris is not only a popular awards show host, he's a very skilled one, to boot. He's hosted the Emmys twice, and the Tonys four times.
Of course, Harris' selection to host the 2015 Oscars wasn't as obvious as it probably should have been. Reportedly, Harris was only offered the gig after Ellen DeGeneres and Julia Louis-Dreyfus turned it down. But producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who will be producing the show for the third consecutive year, are stoked to have Harris on-board.
"We are thrilled to have Neil host the Oscars. We have known him his entire adult life, and we have watched him explode as a great performer in feature films, television and stage," Zadan and Meron said, in a statement. "To work with him on the Oscars is the perfect storm, all of his resources and talent coming together on a global stage."
"It is truly an honor and a thrill to be asked to host this year's Academy Awards," said Harris himself. "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."
Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs added her thoughts on the announcement that Harris would host the 2015 Oscars, stating, "We share Craig and Neil's excitement in welcoming the incredibly talented Neil Patrick Harris. He is the consummate entertainer. Neil's distinctive charm and showmanship make him the ideal host to honor the Oscar legacy and ensure we all enjoy another unforgettable celebration."
Overall, this is pretty great news for the ceremony, since Harris is not only a great emcee, but a true Renaissance man, capable of virtually anything the role will demand of him. He could be the best host the show has had in years, before it's all said and done. Watch Neil Patrick Harris make the announcement by following the link in his tweet below:
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) October 15, 2014
The 87th Academy Awards ceremony airs on Feb. 22, 2015, on ABC.
Credit: Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times