Jimmy Kimmel to Return as Oscar Host – The New

Jimmy Kimmel to Return as Oscar Host – The New York Times

The organizers of the Oscars decided to stick with a proven host: Jimmy Kimmel.

Mr. Kimmel, the late-night comedian who has hosted the event three times, will return to the Oscar stage on March 10 to headline the 96th ceremony, according to two people briefed on the plan They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose. Molly McNearney, co-writer and executive producer of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, will serve as executive producer for the 96th Academy Awards.

“I have always dreamed of hosting the Academy Awards exactly four times,” Mr. Kimmel said in a statement.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not respond to requests for comment.

Looking to make the ceremony more culturally relevant after a period of declining ratings, the Academy and ABC, which broadcasts the Oscars, have switched formats in recent years. In 2022 they tried three hosts (Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, Amy Schumer) and from 2019 to 2021 they tried zero hosts. For the 2023 show, the Academy returned to a host — Mr. Kimmel, who also took on the job in 2017 and 2018.

He delivered. According to Nielsen, viewership rose to nearly 19 million people this year, up from 16.6 million the year before and 10.4 million in 2021, its lowest level ever. Before 2018, viewing had never dipped below 32 million.

Equally important for the Academy, Mr. Kimmel’s return was without controversy, helping to restore the luster to an event that was tarnished in 2022 when Will Smith marched onstage and slapped Chris Rock. The Academy and ABC also revamped the red carpet preshow and hired consultants with Met Gala experience to make the stars’ arrivals less chaotic and more glamorous. The red carpet was replaced in favor of a champagne colored carpet.

“After his triumphant return to the Oscar stage last year, we are honored to have Jimmy back,” Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, said in a statement. He called Mr. Kimmel “a valuable member of our Disney family.” (Disney owns ABC.)

Hosting the ceremony was once considered a standout achievement by top comedians such as Billy Crystal, a nine-time host, and Whoopi Goldberg, who hosted four times. However, many stars are wary of the time commitment and possible backlash that hosting can bring. The denigration of the Oscars — for their stilted banter, for voters’ choices, for their very existence — has become a hallmark of the social media age.

Awards season in Hollywood got off to a slow start this time due to the actors’ strike, which prevented stars from promoting finished works. After the strike ended, studios and publicists quickly ramped up their awards campaigns, including stars like Emma Stone, a front-runner for a best actress nomination for her exuberant performance in the surrealist comedy “Poor Things,” and in films like “American Fiction.” Pressured,” a satire about a writer who pens a fake memoir dealing with racial stereotypes.

Other films expected to feature prominently at the 96th Academy Awards include “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” both of which were huge hits at the global box office. If they get as many nominations as people in Hollywood expect, that will help Mr. Kimmel: Viewership for the Oscars tends to increase when popular films are honored.