Ellen DeGeneres Urges Kevin Hart To Reconsider Hosting The Oscars

Hey there, friends! Let’s talk about something that’s been buzzing around Hollywood lately. Ellen DeGeneres might just be the superhero we need right now. Last month, Kevin Hart was all set to host the Oscars, but then some old homophobic tweets from a decade ago resurfaced, and it sparked a huge controversy. Kevin decided to step down, but guess what? Ellen has been advocating for him ever since.

Ellen’s Support for Kevin Hart

During a recent sit-down interview filmed on January 3, which aired the very next day, Ellen revealed that she had personally called The Academy to discuss the possibility of Kevin changing his mind about hosting the Oscars. She told Kevin, “I called The Academy earlier today, and they were thrilled at the idea of you hosting. They want you there, and they would be overjoyed to have you back. Whatever it takes, Kevin, you should host.”

I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P

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— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 4, 2019

Kevin Hart’s Decision to Step Down

Back in December, Kevin made it crystal clear that stepping down from hosting the Oscars was his choice. The Academy had asked him to apologize for the tweets, but Kevin felt he had already addressed the issue multiple times. In his own words, “I just got a call from The Academy, and they basically said, ‘Kevin, apologize for your tweets, or we’re going to have to find another host.’ The reason I passed is because I’ve already spoken about this several times. It’s not the first time this has come up, and I’ve already said where the rights and wrongs are. I’ve explained who I am now versus who I was then. I’ve done it.”

Hours after that, Kevin took to Instagram to share his final decision. In a heartfelt message, he wrote, “I’ve made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscars because I don’t want to be a distraction on a night that should celebrate so many amazing, talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from the past. I’m sorry if I hurt people. I’m evolving, and I want to continue to grow. My goal is to bring people together, not tear us apart. Much love and appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.”

Ellen’s Encouraging Words

During their heartfelt conversation, Ellen encouraged Kevin not to let the haters on the Internet dictate his decisions. She said, “Don’t pay attention to them. They’re just a small group of people who are really loud. We’re a huge group of people who love you and want to see you host the Oscars. If you don’t host, they win. You can’t let them destroy you because you have too much talent. For them to stop you from doing what you love, from following your dreams, from doing what you have the right to do… that’s not fair. Don’t let those people win. Host the Oscars. That’s why The Academy hasn’t found another host yet. They’re secretly hoping you’ll come back.”

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I know who I am & so do the people closest to me. #LiveLoveLaugh

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A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 6, 2018 at 7:31pm PST

Kevin’s Reaction to Ellen’s Advice

Kevin admitted that it was tough for him because it felt like a personal attack on his character. But after talking to Ellen, he seemed open to reconsidering. “It’s tough for me because it was a malicious attack on my character, to end me,” he said. “But leaving here, I promise you, I’m evaluating this conversation. Let me sit in this space, really think about it, and we’ll talk before anything else.”

As of now, no new host has been announced to replace Kevin. The 2019 Oscars, marking the 90th award show, will air on Sunday, February 24, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. You won’t want to miss it!