Oscars 2015 to be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris; Show's producers expecting high level of energy and wit from actor
Actor Neil Patrick Harris has been making the headlines after being signed on to host the 2015 Oscars.
According to Variety, fans are looking forward to the comedian and Broadway star to follow Ellen de Generes' approach in hosting the event, which made the awards show a huge success in 2014.
"It is truly an honor and a thrill to be asked to host this year's Academy Awards," Harris said in his official statement for being selected as the 2015 Oscars host. "I grew up watching the Oscars and was always in such awe of some of the greats who hosted the show. To be asked to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, and everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting is a bucket list dream come true."
Harris even took to Twitter and posted a video of the bucket list.
The ceremony in 2014 raked in the highest number of viewers after 14 years, with which DeGeneres' famous Oscars selfie was considered as the most retweeted message in history. It was also reportedly worth a whopping $1 billion to the sponsor, Samsung.
Despite the success of the 2014 Oscars, DeGeneres has reportedly made the decision of not returning for a second year, and stated that she had been unsure all along about taking on such hosting duties, even for last year's event.
Meanwhile, as the spotlight turns to Harris, his film and television career has also been brought forward with which his previous hosting duties for the Emmys and the Tony Awards have been praised.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, producers for the Oscars, are looking forward to Harris bringing on the same level of energy and wit that viewers in 225 countries can appreciate.
"We are thrilled to have Neil host the Oscars," Zadan and Meron said in their official statement. "We have known him his entire adult life, and we have watched him explode as a great performer in feature films, television and stage. To work with him on the Oscars is the perfect storm, all of his resources and talent coming together on a global stage."
The Oscars 2015 will take place on Feb. 22.
