Kevin Hart has unequivocally confirmed that he will not be hosting the Oscars this year. It’s been a wild situation with the Academy Awards coming up very fast and the show still doesn’t have a host. In all likelihood, they’ll go without one for the first time in three decades, which comes as a result of Hart stepping down after a series of old, anti-LGBTQ tweets resurfaced online following the initial announcement that he would host. Within less than a day, Hart stepped down after he refused to issue an apology and the show was once again without a host.
However, the comedian and actor recently appeared on Ellen and the idea was floated that perhaps the Academy would be willing to have him come back as host. Initially, they wanted Kevin Hart to apologize for his remarks. This is something Hart didn’t want to do, as he stated his remarks had been addressed previously. The way in which he addressed the remarks in the past has been called into question, but in any case, the door still seemed at least cracked open if he wanted to host the Oscars still. But in a new interview with Good Morning America, Hart quickly shut the idea down.
“No… I’m not hosting the Oscars this year. It’s hard to predict what can happen and I don’t want people to think there’s a thing between me and the Academy, because there isn’t. The Academy, they’re amazing people, the offer was made, it was received, I was excited, things happened, it didn’t work out the way it that it should have. Right now from a time perspective, I don’t have the time.”
Overall, Kevin Hart seemed defensive and very much over the situation, stating repeatedly that he’s not going to address the Oscars controversy anymore or how he’s changed. “It gets no more energy from me,” Hart said. His defensiveness was on full display when host Michael Strahan asked Hart what advice he might have for a parent whose kid might be gay.
Related: 2019 Oscars May Go Without a Host
“Are you a monster, Mike? It’s safe to say that you’ve got good energy. It’s safe to say that you’re a loving person. Why would I assume anything different? Why would I ever assume anything different? Why do you have to prove that you are a loving individual? You know who you are, and people close to you know who you are…. That’s the position I’m in. I shouldn’t have to prove who I am, I shouldn’t have prove the love of the love that I am capable of giving. If anyone out there wants to believe that Kevin Hart is that much of a monster, that he wouldn’t love somebody because of their choice in life, then all power to them.”
It’s quite clear that Kevin Hart has said what he feels he needs to say on the topic, despite the criticisms to his response thus far. While it remains to be seen how this impacts his career, the Oscars will carry on without him. The Oscar nominations are set to be announced on January 22, with 91st Academy Awards Ceremony scheduled for Sunday, February 24. Feel free to check out the full interview with Kevin Hart below from the ABC News YouTube channel.