Was Dwayne Johnson really The Academy’s first choice to host the Oscars this year? In response to someone bringing up his name as a “great host” for next year’s ceremony, Johnson revealed that both sides tried to make it work for this year, but prior commitments got in the way.
The 46-year-old actor couldn't take the gig because he would be too busy working on Jumanji. "I was their first choice to host this year, and my goal was to make it the most fun and entertaining Oscars ever," Johnson revealed. "We all tried hard, but couldn’t make it work since I’m shooting Jumanji. Academy and I were super bummed but maybe one day down the road."
Johnson’s friend and co-star Kevin Hart will also return to the sequel to 2017's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The film is slated for a December 13, 2019 release.
Speaking of Hart, the comedian previously accepted this year’s hosting duties. He eventually stepped down after the resurfacing of his old homophobic tweets.
The 91st Academy Awards, which will be hostless, will take place on Sun, Feb 24 at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
