Kevin Hart is putting all the speculation to rest and confirming he will not host the 2019 Academy Awards. The comedian confirmed the news while appearing on “Good Morning America” to promote his upcoming movie “The Upside.” Hart’s return as Oscars host was left ambiguous last week after Ellen DeGeneres encouraged him to take on the gig and revealed she had spoken to the Academy herself and heard the group would take him back. While Deadline reported January 5 Hart’s return was unlikely, the comedian made it official on “GMA.”
As for the Oscars controversy at large, Hart was adamant he is moving on. “I’m over it,” he said multiple times when asked about the situation. “There’s no more conversation about it. I’m over that, I’m over the moment. I’m not giving no more explanation of who I am. I’m just done.”
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“If you didn’t [hear the apology], I don’t know what you’re looking for,” Hart continued. “I’m a good person, I love to love, if you don’t see that then it’s a problem with you.”
Hart was announced as Oscars host back in December, but he stepped down two days after the announcement following backlash over controversial jokes from his past that used LGBTQ slurs. The search for a new Oscars host might not include any host at all, as it’s widely speculated the Academy will use a rotating roster of celebrities to guide viewers through the awards show.
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Since his appearance on “Ellen” last week, Hart has maintained he apologized for his controversial jokes in the past. The comedian spoke about growth and moving forward in an Instagram post published over the weekend.
“When did we get to the point where we forgot that we all learn, then we all have the ability to grow and with that growth comes a wealth of knowledge,” Hart wrote. “You can’t change without a understanding of what GROWTH means.”
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The 2019 Academy Awards take place Sunday, February 24. Watch Hart’s appearance on “Good Morning America” in the video below.
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