When Kevin Hart was revealed to be the host of the 2019 Oscars, fans were excited. However, the comedian stepped down from hosting duties a few days after old homophobic tweets resurfaced online. The comedian refused to apologize for the comments, saying that he had previously addressed the controversial tweets. Despite this, it looks like the Academy still wants Kevin Hart to be the MC for the evening.
According to Variety, The Academy is still open to having Kevin Hart host the Oscars, but only if he wants to. The news arrives a few hours after his appearance on Ellen where he spoke on the Oscars controversy. Leadership at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC are interested in having him resume his role as the host if he gives them a sign that he's interested. This sign could be from his spokesperson or on social media.
During today's episode of Ellen, the talk show host encouraged Hart to reconsider his position. She said that his homophobic tweets aren't an accurate representation of the person she knows. Hart blamed "trolls" who wanted to destroy his career.
“This was to destroy me,” he said. “This was to end all partnerships, all brand relationships, all investment opportunities, studio relationships, my production company and the people that work underneath me. This was to damage the lives that have been invested in me.”
He continued to apologize for his comments, adding, "I don’t have a homophobic bone in my body.”