Kevin Hart may still host the Academy Awards. The comedian appeared on Ellen and told the host that he will reconsider his decision to quit. Hart was announced as the host of the annual event and stepped down two days later after old anti-gay tweets from social media were unearthed and reposted, causing a backlash. Hart apologized to the LGBTQ community and made the decision to leave in an effort to not have controversy take away from the night and the people on stage winning their awards.
During his appearance on Ellen, Kevin Hart and Ellen DeGeneres spoke at length about the Oscars fall out, his old tweets and his apologies. Hart noted that he had apologized in the past, but said that nobody was digging up positive videos or tweets. Ellen DeGeneres then revealed that she had spoken to the Academy and that they would be “thrilled” if Hart reconsidered his decision to step down as host. Hart had this to say in response.
“Leaving here, I promise you I’m evaluating this conversation… Let me assess, just sit in the space and really think, and you and I will talk before anything else.”
Kevin Hart’s old tweets and interviews from 2012 and 2015 were the reason that he stepped down from hosting the Academy Awards. At the time of his decision, Hart released a video on social media stating that the Academy had given him an ultimatum: either apologize, or they go with another host. At first, the comedian was reluctant to apologize because he said that he had already addressed the matter over the years and said sorry for his action. However, he later changed his mind and made a full apology, which he continued to do during his Ellen appearance.
Ellen DeGeneres says that she believes in forgiveness and wants Kevin Hart to host the Academy Awards. As of this writing, the Academy has not announced a replacement and the ceremony takes place next month. There have been rumors that the show will continue without a host this year, but that has yet to be confirmed. In the last several years, ratings for the annual event have been slipping, so it could be a wise decision to bring Hart back on as host to see if it generates a buzz.
Related: Kevin Hart Quits as Oscars Host After Refusing to Apologize Again for Old Anti-Gay Tweets
Even if Kevin Hart and the Academy work through their differences, there will more than likely be more than a few people who are upset with the decision. In the end, the comedian has apologized numerous times, and it was his decision step down in the first place. So, a second chance might be the best thing for all at this point. As for whether or not this ends up happening, that’s anybody’s guess, but for now, it looks like there is still hope for Hart to once again take on the hosting gig. You can check out the discussion below, thanks to The Ellen Show Twitter account.
I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 4, 2019