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BY JESSICA SIBERT
You're watching multisource entertainment video news analysis from Newsy.
From nominee-- to host. Dreamgirls actor Eddie Murphy has been tapped to host the 84th annual Academy Awards.
“It's confirmed. Eddie Murphy will host next year's Oscars. This is the first time he has hosted the ceremony. Murphy, of course, known for his Saturday Night Live, Beverly Hills Cop. Nutty Professor franchises. He was the donkey in Shrek. He can sing and dance, and of course he was nominated for a few of his own Academy Awards.” (CNN)
Murphy was recommended by the director of his next movie-- who also happens to be the awards show producer. The Hollywood Reporter explains...
“Brett Ratner and Don Mischer...presented their choice on Tuesday to officials at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, who signed off on Murphy hosting.”
One inside source tells Deadline-- Murphy will be a hit.
“Nobody knows movies better or is a bigger cinephile than Eddie. Not Brett. Not even Quentin Tarantino. Eddie can quote scenes from every single movie word for word. He can bring all that experience to hosting. Plus he has Saturday Night Live experience before a live crowd.”
But Murphy has never hosted the Academy Awards show-- in fact, he hasn’t been on a stage in more than 20 years.
A blogger for the LA Times notes-- “...his live-on-stage talent hasn't been in use in about a quarter-century, so going with Murphy is a risky decision. Plus, aside from his voice work in the ‘Shrek’ series, Murphy's movie career hasn't exactly been on fire recently. “
But regardless how Murphy fares on stage-- a blogger for TIME says this is a great PR move for producer Ratner.
“You can look at it in the sense that Ratner and Murphy have been working closely together so the Oscars would benefit from their chemistry. Or you can look at it in the sense that Tower Heist will get an unparalleled publicity boost from one of its main stars getting set to helm the Oscars.”
When Ratner was chosen to produce the award ceremony, he said that comedy would be a big part of what he will bring to the broadcast.
ABC will air the 84th annual Academy Awards ceremony on February 26th.
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Transcript by Newsy.
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