The Hollywood Reporter
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are joining forces to co-host the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, the telecast’s producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman said Tuesday.
Doubling down on comedy, the producers said, “Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past, and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event.”
As a solo act, Martin hosted the Oscars in 2001 and 2003, earning an Emmy nomination for his first turn at-bat. He’s also been a presenter on a number of occasions including this year, when he appeared with Tina Fey to hand out a trophy.
Baldwin has appeared as a presenter, most recently in 2004 when he was nominated as best supporting actor for his appearance in “The Cooler.”
“Adam and I, from our first meeting on, knew we wanted an emphasis on comedy,” Mechanic said. “If we err in any one direction, we want to take a show that can feel long and boring at times and make it feel shorter and more fun. The idea of two co-hosts who could move things along just seemed like a great idea.” More…