Kevin Hart stepped down as the host of the 2019 Academy Awards on Friday, leaving the organization with less than three months to find a replacement host. According to sources who spoke to Radar Online, the Academy asked Eddie Murphy to fill the spot — a request that many see as ironic given the circumstances.
Hart opted not to host after a massive controversy over homophobic tweets he posted between 2009 and 2011. As far as the actor was concerned, he had apologized enough over the years, and this latest backlash was more about control than justice.
If that was enough to get Hart off of the Oscar stage, Murphy is a surprising next choice for the Academy. Murphy has a long history of homophobic jokes and slander, including a long diatribe in his famous Delirious stand-up comedy special.
On top of that, Murphy turned down the job back in 2012 when the Academy got into conflict with producer Brett Ratner.
Regardless, the chances of Murphy hosting are low. The insider told reporters that Murphy is “uninterested” in the gig. They also claimed that he had been asked multiple times over the years, turning it down each time.