After several weeks of speculation following the confirmation that Hugh Jackman would not return to host next year’s Academy Awards telecast (and the presumption that after a mixed reaction, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin wouldn’t be asked back), it’s been announced that the job has gone to James Franco and Anne Hathaway.
Significantly younger than most previous hosts, it appears to be another attempt to broaden the appeal of the ceremony and attract a younger audience, after several years of stagnating or shrinking audiences. However whether either are big enough names to really draw viewers in is debatable. Not are they the sort of intriguing partnership that Martin and Baldwin seemed when they were announced, even if they didn’t turn out to be that amazing.
Both actors have appeared on the Oscar show before, although neither have hosted. Hathaway certainly showed she might have what it takes following a showstopping song-and-dance number with Hugh Jackman at the ceremony two years ago. Franco is perhaps a more unexpected choice, although he’s an interesting character who may surprise us. However with many expecting him to be nominated in the Best Actor category for 127 Hours, it’ll be interesting to see how they handle him being both host and nominee.
Here’s what Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer, producers of next year’s ceremony, said in a statement: ‘James Franco and Anne Hathaway personify the next generation of Hollywood icons — fresh, exciting and multi-talented. We hope to create an Oscar broadcast that will both showcase their incredible talents and entertain the world on February 27. We are completely thrilled that James and Anne will be joining forces with our brilliant creative team to do just that.’
It’ll be interesting to see how Hathaway and Franco handle is, especially as they’re not specifically comedians or ‘show people’, as Jackman was. It’s certainly a prestigious assignment, but also one that means the whole world is waiting to judge. (Source: AMPAS)