Kevin Hart To Host 2019 Oscars

Actor and comedian Kevin Hart is set to take the stage as the host for the 91st Academy Awards in February.

On Tuesday afternoon, Hart announced the news over his Instagram.

“For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same… I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s supposed to. I am so happy to say that day has finally come for me to host the Oscars,” he wrote.

“I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time….To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced that stage is unbelievable,” he continued. “I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. I want to thank my family/friends/fans for supporting me & riding with me all this time….I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. I appreciate the @TheAcademy for the opportunity ….now it’s time to rise to the occasion #Oscars.”

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences also confirmed the news and welcomed Hart as their new host by posting a photo on Instagram of Hart on the Oscars stage. 

“Meet our new host. Tune in. February 24,” the caption read.

The Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star will be following in the footsteps of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who has hosted the award show for the past two years, as well as Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harris, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal and Jon Stewart, who have also hosted in the past. 

Once Kimmel discovered that Hart would be the next host, he congratulated him over Twitter. “Congratulations amigo – @TheAcademy made an excellent choice.  You are going to kill it,” he wrote.

Hart isn’t new to the host position, as he has previously co-hosted the MTV Movie Awards with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, his Jumanji and Central Intelligence co-star. Recently, the actor has starred in Night School with Tiffany Haddish and is currently filming The Secret Life of Pets 2.

For the award show, Hart will work with first-time producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss, who will be in charge of overseeing the show. Gigliotti will take the lead as producer and Weiss will act as co-producer and director. 

Ahead of the award show, the Academy has promised that the show will not run over three hours. To help keep that promise, they have announced one big change, being that they will not reveal all 24 Oscar categories during the live show. Instead, they will present six to eight categories during the commercial breaks and edit the acceptance speeches in the broadcast.

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The 91st Academy Awards will air on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, on ABC.