The Oscars Reportedly Considering Having Multiple Hosts for 2022 Ceremony

By Timothy Adams

The possibility of The Oscars having multiple hosts this year is becoming a distinct possibility. After three years of running an Oscars show without a host, The Academy Awards announced the role would be making a comeback in 2022. However, Variety reports the Academy is reaching out to multiple celebrities to gauge their interest in hosting the 94th Oscars. It's noted that discussions are in the early stages and no decisions have been made at this time. ABC, the Academy, and producer Will Packer will have the final say on host pairings.

Variety has a list of names of people eyed to host, though a good number of them aren't likely to materialize. On the "Not Happening" list are Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jimmy Kimmel, with Tiffany Haddish following into the "Probably Not Happening" category." The Rock has been asked a number of times, but his busy schedule has prevented him from accepting. Kevin Hart was considered for the 91st Academy Awards but had to step down due to some of his homophobic tweets coming back to light. He has a close relationship with Will Packer, but is also busy filming overseas. Kimmel is a name from the past, having, having hosted twice, but because of this, the Academy is looking to go in a different direction. Haddish is also busy shooting back-to-back movies.

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph are names to keep an eye on. They've all been approached before, and were one of the bright spots when they announced Regina King as the winner of the Supporting Actress award. Everybody's favorite couple, Tom Holland and Zendaya, are high up on everyone's wish list, though they are also unlikely to co-host. Both are in high demand following Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Holland is gearing up for the Uncharted press tour and an upcoming TV series.

Ultimately, the names to watch out for are Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, stars of the Hulu comedy Only Murders in the Building. Since Disney owns both ABC and Hulu, the synergy is already built-in, plus it allows Disney to promote the series on the larger ABC network. "They have mass appeal," Hulu and ABC Entertainment President Craig Erwich told Variety. "Everybody loves them. They'd be a dream. That said, there's a lot of incredible talent we're considering. We're having ongoing conversations with Will and the Academy about it."

Jimmy Kimmel was the last celebrity to host the Oscars back in 2018. A lot of attention is paid to who is selected for the coveted gig, which comes with a microscope as every sentence and joke is scrutinized not only by the crowd watching at home but also by the guests in attendance. The train of thought for having more than one host is each individual has their own fan following and different energy they bring to a stage, so the Oscars would cast a wider net as far as viewership goes. Viewership has been on a steady decline year after year.

Earlier this month the Academy's official Twitter account posed the question, "Hypothetically, if we asked you who would you want to host the Oscars, and this is strictly hypothetical, who would it hypothetically be?" The post garnered a lot of feedback, with some celebrities throwing their own names into the ring.

Will Packer has the job of producing the Oscars, with sources stating, "If he can actually pull off what he's planning for the show, this will be a game-changer for everybody."

Who would you like to see chosen to host The Oscars? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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