Jimmy Kimmel will not return as the host for the 2025 Oscars, and comedian John Mulaney has also turned down the opportunity to emcee the prestigious event.
Kimmel, who has hosted the Academy Awards four times, including the 2024 ceremony, declined to reprise his role for the 97th annual Oscars set to be held on March 2. His 2024 stint garnered the telecast’s highest ratings in four years, drawing in 19.5 million viewers.
John Mulaney, who was approached to host the 2025 Oscars, also passed on the offer. Mulaney, who hosted the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards in January, made a memorable impression as a presenter at the 2024 ceremony with a Kevin Costner-approved bit about “Field of Dreams.” Costner praised Mulaney’s performance, calling it “genius” and “amazing.”
Despite their absence, the Oscars are still expected to be a major event. The ceremony will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. ET on ABC from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
Kimmel, who also hosts the ABC game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” collaborated with his wife Molly McNearney, the show’s co-executive producer, on his previous Oscars hosting gigs. Reflecting on his approach to hosting, Kimmel noted, “The big challenge always is trying to keep the show moving, so it’s a matter of picking your spots and popping in when you’re needed and staying out of the picture when you’re not.”
As the search for a new host continues, the Academy will look to find someone who can bring the same level of humor and energy to the show that Kimmel and Mulaney have provided in the past.
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