The announcement came on Wednesday with Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang announcing the host for the big evening. Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, Molly McNearny, will return as the host and producers, respectively, for the second consecutive year. “We are thrilled about Jimmy returning to host and Molly returning as Executive Producer for the Oscars. They share our love of movies and our commitment to producing a dynamic and entertaining show for our global audience,” Yang and Kramer said in a release.
56-year-old Kimmel will now sit alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Jack Lemmon, who have hosted the Academy Awards four times. Only three other hosts, Johnny Carson (5), Billy Crystal (9), and Bob Hope (11), have emceed the stage more times.
Jimmy has hosted numerous award ceremonies, including Primetime Emmys in 2012, 2016, and 2020. He is known to leave his audiences in splits, having hosted shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, American Music Awards, Shark Tank, etc. His stint as the host of his show, ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ is the longest of all current late-night T.V. shows in the United States. With his warm, friendly, and humorous personality, Jimmy has cemented his place as an entertaining and loved host in the industry. Along with hosting, the comedian-actor is a well-renowned producer and voice artist.
"Jimmy has cemented himself as one of the all-time great Oscars hosts with his perfect blend of humanity and humor,” Oscar’s showrunner Raj Kapoor had to say. Jimmy had joked last year about his selection as the Oscars host, saying they selected him after everyone good said ‘no.’
With their infectious enthusiasm and versatile comic skills, hosts like Jimmy Kimmel elevate the Oscars from a formal ceremony to a fun event. Jimmy’s experience as the host of late-night television shows makes him great at engaging audiences. Keeping up with all the hot topics and current trends in pop culture helps him tailor his jokes and conversations accordingly. Jimmy’s pleasant personality and ability to charm anyone with his wit will be a welcoming presence on the Oscars stage.
Popular movies like Warner Bros’ Barbie and Universal Pictures’ Oppenheimer are set to break all viewership records at this year’s Oscars, continuing the Barbenheimer fever. The two movies are big contenders for the Best Picture race, alongside critic favorites such as American Fiction, Maestro, and Poor Things.
The 96th Oscars will air worldwide on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Other key dates leading up to Hollywood’s biggest award nights were announced earlier by the Academy. The board will announce the nominations on Jan 23, 2024, and hold the Oscars Nominee Luncheon on February 12, 2024.
