Chris Rock to present 88th Oscars ceremony amid Hollywood diversity debate
AFP RELAXNEWS
February 21, 2016 20:41 MYT
February 21, 2016 20:41 MYT
Chris Rock presenting the Oscars ceremony in 2005. - AFP Photo/Robyn Beck
The actor, comedian and director will take to the stage on Sunday, February 28 to present the American movie industry's prestigious Academy Awards for the second time in his career.
Taking over from last year's host, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Rock isn't likely to let the lack of racial diversity in Hollywood and at the Oscars go unmentioned in his cutting comedy.
Since this year's nominations were announced on January 14, the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag has been the focus of media attention surrounding the 88th Oscars ceremony. The absence of Afro-Americans in the main categories has been condemned by a host of stars.
Some famous names -- such as Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, plus directors Spike Lee and Michael Moore -- have even announced that they'll be boycotting this year's event in protest over the "all-white ballot".
And while some have asked Chris Rock to do the same (such as rapper, 50 Cent), he has accepted to host the ceremony for 2016. And there's no doubt that the actor will make reference to the scandal during his opening speech.
Already on the agenda in 2005
Interracial relations in the USA are a favourite subject for this seasoned stand-up, who's well-known stateside for his numerous TV appearances. After being spotted by his idol and role model, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock became a staple of American TV in the 1990s, bringing his corrosive humour to popular shows such as "Saturday Night Live."
After being picked to host the Oscars in 2005, the actor tackled the theme of racial equality in his opening speech, highlighting the lack of diversity at the awards -- even though Jamie Foxx and Morgan Freeman both won Oscars that year and the stars of "Hotel Rwanda," Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo, were nominated.
The issue was raised again in 2015, with Neil Patrick Harris quipping "Tonight we celebrate Hollywood's best and whitest, sorry... brightest." Since then, the controversy has intensified.
A breath of fresh air to boost audiences
In 2005, the Academy called on Chris Rock in an attempt to bring some cutting-edge bite back to a ceremony that had become pompous and outdated. The comedian, then aged 40, didn't hold back, letting rip at the Hollywood movie industry and poking fun at Jude Law and Tobey Maguire in particular.
His controversial comedy wasn't to everyone's taste, however, with Sean Penn taking particular offense.
Now, 11 years after his first appearance was trashed by the press, Chris Rock has been invited back onstage at the Dolby Theatre. But can his experience in live comedy and quick-witted improvisation really help him spice up an event that's timed to the last second?
In an attempt bring a new dose of energy to the 2016 ceremony, the Academy has decided to further curtail the drawn-out on-stage ramblings of overwhelmed winners. This year, acceptance speeches will be limited to 45 seconds, with the names of people the winners want to thank scrolling across the bottom of the screen.
This faster-moving format could help draw viewers back to the event, as many were put off by the ceremony's length. In 2015, 37.26 million Americans tuned in to the Oscars, the lowest ratings since the 2009 ceremony presented by Hugh Jackman.
The 1998 ceremony still holds the record for viewing figures, with 57.25 million Americans tuning in to watch Billy Cristal host the event that crowned "Titanic" with 11 Oscars.
READ: Academy announces major changes to membership amid #OscarsSoWhite backlash