Dwayne Johnson is the latest celebrity to explain why he won’t be hosting the Academy Awards 2019. In a response to a fan’s tweet on how the actor would be a great host for the upcoming event, the actor revealed he was indeed the first choice for the ceremony. Johnson replied, “I was their first choice to host this year, and my goal was to make it the most fun and entertaining Oscars ever,” he explained. “We all tried hard, but couldn’t make it work since I’m shooting Jumanji .” Apart from Dwayne Johnson, the Jake Kasdan-directed film also featured Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and Bobby Cannavale.
Ah mahalo dude, I was their first choice to host this year, and my goal was to make it the most fun and entertaining Oscars ever. 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 🥃 https://t.co/eiiMuBNOzb
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 6, 2019
This explanation comes on the heels of the Academy’s confirmation that the 91st Academy Awards would be the first in 30 years to proceed without an emcee. In place of a host, Academy will use various celebrities to introduce the show’s different segments instead of the traditional monologue-filled opening. Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg and Brie Larson are among few presenters for the 91st Academy Awards. ABC will broadcast the Oscars live on 24 February. No host has been announced after Kevin Hart stepped down following a backlash over past homophobic tweets by the comedian.