The 2022 Oscars will have a host for the first time in three years, per ABC, and now it seems one name has emerged as a possible contender to headline the ceremony: Pete Davidson.
According to a report from Page Six, the SNL star is being considered by the network to host this year’s ceremony and his representatives are reportedly in talks with producers. Davidson is being sought after because they hope by having him the show will reach a much desired younger audience. According to Page Six, “He gets a demographic that is hard to get. He is in a good space, his career is doing well and he is on the rise. He is a sex symbol, unlikely, but he is big with a certain generation.”
Davidson’s New Year’s Eve special on NBC, which he co-hosted with Miley Cyrus, pulled in 6.3 million viewers and that has played a role in ABC seeking him out. Aside from SNL, Davidson earned some acclaim for 2020’s The King of Staten Island and he made an appearance in last year’s The Suicide Squad. He’s also a big media magnet at the moment, mostly regarding who he may or may not be dating. He has been linked to Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale, and, most recently, Kim Kardashian.
It’s clear that ABC wants the Oscars to skew younger because The Academy has also reportedly reached out to Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland. Younger viewers have moved away from watching live television in favor of streaming and that has affected the ratings for the Oscars in recent years. Last year’s Academy Awards saw the lowest ratings in Oscar telecast history with a mere 9.5 million viewers.
Do YOU think Pete Davidson is a good choice to host the Oscars this year?