The producers of the Academy Awards are reportedly in talks with their choice of host for this year’s ceremony – and it’s sure to raise some eyebrows.
Kim Kardashian apparently isn’t the only one who has eyes on Pete Davidson.
Page Six reports that the Saturday Night Live comic, 28, is in talks to host this year’s Oscars.
“His people are talking to producers,” a source exclusively tells Page Six.
The normally stodgy show is looking for a “reset,” the source says, adding that the Academy wants to bring in younger viewers.
Davidson, who has been dominating headlines with his dating life, has proved that he’s able to command a real audience and draw in a younger demographic.
The source pointed out that the New Year’s Eve special Davidson hosted with Miley Cyrus for NBC brought in 6.3 million viewers.
“He gets a demographic that is hard to get,” the source said of Davidson’s appeal. “He is in a good space, his career is doing well and he is on the rise. He is a sex symbol, unlikely, but he is big with a certain generation.”
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The awards show, directed by Glenn Weiss and produced by Will Packer, will take place on March 27.
Packer previously produced the 2019 film What Women Want, which starred Davidson as an assistant to Taraji P. Henson’s hard-hitting sports agent character.
The Academy Awards has gone host-less since 2019, and has continued to slip in the ratings with only approximately 10.4 million viewers tuning in last year.
Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, announced during the winter Television Critics Association virtual press tour earlier this month that the 2022 awards show will have a host.
Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland, 25, already expressed interest in the hosting gig, telling The Hollywood Reporter that the Academy has reached out to him.
Meanwhile, Deadline reported that there could be multiple hosts for different portions of the broadcast. A source told the publication that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Rock are also on the wish list.
Jimmy Kimmel was the last star to host the show in both 2017 and 2018. Kevin Hart was chosen to host in 2019, but stepped down due to a controversy involving resurfaced homophobic tweets.
A rep for Davidson declined to comment.
This article originally appeared in the NY Post and was reproduced with permission.
Originally published as Pete Davidson being eyed as 2022 Oscars host
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