The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced today that comedian Chris Rock will once again host the Academy Awards. Rock previously hosted in 2005.
The pick was announced today, just hours after it was rumored yesterday that Rock, 50, was already in talks for the gig.
“Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin said Wednesday. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all. He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!”
Rock added, “I'm so glad to be hosting the Oscars. It’s great to be back.”
Rock’s hosting gig comes just after he wrote, directed and starred in Top Five and he just directed Amy Schumer’s Live At The Apollo for HBO. He is a four-time Emmy winner and worked with Hudlin on his Everybody Hates Chris series.
“Chris Rock is a comedic powerhouse who will bring tremendous energy to the event, and we’re honored to have him,” Paul Lee, President ABC Entertainment Group, added.
The Academy is clearly hoping that Rock will help bring in a younger audience after Neil Patrick Harris failed to do so in March. This year’s ceremony saw ratings fall 16 percent from the previous year, when Ellen DeGeneres hosted.
Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards and earned mostly good reviews, even if he did anger some people in the audience. Thankfully for him, Jude Law isn’t expected to be up for any awards this season.
The 88th Academy Awards will air on ABC, live from the Dolby Theatre on Feb. 28.
Here’s Rock’s opening monologue from 2005.