Neil Patrick Harris is hosting the Oscars. The news, first reported by Variety and also BuzzFeed, was confirmed to HuffPost Entertainment by a representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. A press release confirmed Harris as host for the 87th annual Academy Awards.
Harris has taken home Emmys and a Tony, and has hosted both, but this will be his first time acting as emcee for the Oscars. He did, however, perform in the opening musical number in the 2010 ceremony.
Last year, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the most-watched Oscars of the past decade. The broadcast garnered 43 million viewers.
“It is truly an honor and a thrill to be asked to host this year’s Academy Awards,” Harris said in a statement. “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.” Harris tweeted a video of the bucket list, which proves — as we all knew — that Harris has had a pretty great career.
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) October 15, 2014
