Live From the Oscars: Why Pete Davidson Won’t Be Hosting (EXCLUSIVE)
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This week, ABC announced that there would be a host for the 2022 Academy Awards. Shortly after, reports circulated that Pete Davidson has been in talks with Oscars producers to host.
Despite press reports, Variety hears from multiple sources that Davidson will not be hosting the Oscars.
An insider says an informal conversation took place with Davidson’s team — but that’s it. Numerous individuals familiar with the host search say it’s highly unlikely the “Saturday Night Live” star will be selected for the gig.
Davidson is a major talent and audience fan favorite, who is buzzy both on and off screen, and could certainly bring in the younger demographic that the Academy Awards are looking for. He recently proved his ratings’ power on NBC’s New Year’s Eve show, which he co-hosted with Miley Cyrus.
But Davidson is too closely associated with NBC and not part of the talent stable within ABC, which broadcasts the Oscars. In other words, having Davidson host would be free promotion for a competing network.
There has, however, been some momentum for an idea that would involve another millennial star: Selena Gomez, who could host with Steve Martin and Martin Short, her co-stars from “Only Murders in the Building,” creating a perfect moment of corporate Disney synergy for ABC and Hulu. Individuals involved with the Oscars telecast are intrigued by the idea of bringing together comedic legends (Martin has hosted the Oscars twice before) and one of the most popular young, multi-talented performers in Hollywood.
“I mean, they are an iconic trio,” Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich told Variety this week of Gomez, Martin and Short, touting the Hulu comedy. “They have mass appeal. Everybody loves them. They’d be a dream. That said, there’s a lot of incredible talent we’re considering. We’re having ongoing conversations with Will and the Academy about it.”
The ultimate decision will be made by Oscars producer Will Packer, the Academy and ABC brass.
While hosting the telecast can be a generally thankless job (with little pay, tons of pressure and an open invitation for bad reviews), it’s still a prestigious gig. Variety hears that this week the team behind the Oscars has had an influx of calls from talent agents and reps, pitching their clients to take on duties once held by Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Bob Hope and Whoopi Goldberg.
Earlier this week, the Academy’s official Twitter account put out a hypothetical message asking, “Who would you want to host the Oscars…?” The feeler generated tens of thousands of responses, with celebrities volunteering for the gig, even the legendary entertainer Dionne Warwick, who tweeted to the Academy, “Fine, I will do it.”
The Academy is well aware of the pressure to put on an exciting show after their 2021 train station ceremony failed to meet expectations, even by pandemic standards. With an abundance of potential A-list acting nominees in the running include Lady Gaga, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman, Will Smith, Kristen Stewart and Benedict Cumberbatch, the right host is just as vital for ratings, especially as viewership has been on a steep decline across all award shows for the past handful of years.
Sources tell Variety that no decision has been made, conversations remain ongoing and there is no frontrunner at this point.
Davidson’s team did not respond to Variety‘s request for comment. ABC and the Academy declined to comment.
Kanye West ‘Never Pretended He Was Happy’ About Kim Kardashian Moving on with Pete Davidson: Source
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“He doesn’t want Kim to date Pete. Or anyone else,” a source close to the rapper tells PEOPLE
Kanye West ‘Never Pretended He Was Happy’ About Kim Kardashian Moving on with Pete Davidson: Source
Kanye West is still reeling about his pending divorce from Kim Kardashian.
The 44-year-old rapper has “struggled” seeing his estranged wife dating Pete Davidson, a source close to West tells PEOPLE.
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“It’s very hard for him that Kim has moved on. This is something he has struggled with since Kim started dating Pete. He never pretended he was happy about it,” the insider says. “He doesn’t want Kim to date Pete. Or anyone else.”
Speaking to Jason Lee on an upcoming episode of Hollywood Unlocked, West asks the host, “How you gonna bring me to SNL and kiss the dude you dating right in front of me and everybody’s like, ‘Aw, that’s cool?’” (The rapper is referring to an Aladdin sketch Kardashian and Davidson kissed in when the reality star hosted Saturday Night Live in October.)
Reps for Kardashian and West did not respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
The reality star, 41, first sparked romance rumors with Davidson last October, when they were seen holding hands while riding a roller coaster at Knott’s Scary Farm in Buena Park, California, following her appearance on Saturday Night Live.
Regardless of her new romance, West believed the Keeping Up with Kardashians alum would reconsider their divorce.
“To Kanye, he and Kim are still married. He always thought Kim was gonna change her mind about the divorce. His whole life is in turmoil,” the source adds. “He is trying his best to stay busy with work and [new girlfriend] Julia [Fox].”
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West attend the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West | Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
The Grammy winner made his relationship with Fox public with a steamy photoshoot last week but a second insider previously told PEOPLE that he still wants to rekindle his romance with Kardashian.
“He’s still telling people that he wants to have Kim back and he is willing to make appropriate changes to do so,” the second source revealed.
The source adds that West “has no plans at this time to start a long-term relationship.”
Kris Jenner wants Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian to go on more flashy dates, report says
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — While Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian are content to keep their relationship on the down low, Kris Jenner wants the pair to zhoosh it up quite a bit, according to a report.
An inside source told The Sun the Kardashian matriarch finds the 28-year-old “Saturday Night Live” star a “great distraction” that gave her daughter “a new perspective, just when people had written Kim off it made her really interesting and relevant again, revealed a new side to her” — but thinks it’s time the couple kick it up a notch.
“Kris is getting really irritated by how low-key it all is,” said The Sun’s source. “She thinks Pete is too low-key. Sure, he’s got a great career but he’s got no potential to add value to Kim’s brand.”
Davidson and the SKIMS founder, 41, don’t seem to be put off by Kris’ reported dissatisfaction; they were recently spotted grabbing a couple pies at a Los Angeles pizzeria before getting ice cream from a Rite Aid pharmacy.
A source told People that Kardashian “thinks Pete has many great qualities. He makes her laugh. He treats her really well. He is very understanding that Kim’s first priority is her kids.”
Davidson and Kardashian have been linked since October, several months after Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West, 44. The former couple share four kids together.
If it seems like the widely beloved Davidson has been everywhere lately, well, he has. The comedian was recently spotted dining with Martha Stewart, has been seen multiple times around Staten Island accompanied by Kardashian, including dining at Campania and Angelina’s Ristorante, and catching “House of Gucci” at the Atrium in Eltingville — and is even a fashion model.
He is even rumored to be in talks to host the 94th annual Academy Awards, according to several reports.
Pete Davidson to star in horror-thriller from ‘The Purge’ director
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Pete Davidson is making headlines yet again—- but not for his BDE or Kardashian romance.
Now, the “Saturday Night Live” star is slated to act in a new horror-thriller movie, “The Home.”
The film, directed by James DeMonaco of “The Purge,” will be produced by Miramax’s Bill Block and Sébastien K. Lemercier. (DeMonaco and Adam Canto are the flick’s screenwriters.) Like Davidson, the filmmaker proudly hails from Staten Island.
“We’re excited to be backing DeMonaco’s brilliant vision,” Block told Deadline. “James’ ‘The Purge’ horror franchise has grossed over $450 million at the worldwide box office. With his masterful storytelling abilities and Pete’s versatility as an actor, this film will put audiences everywhere on the edge of their seats.”
Davidson, perhaps best known for his “SNL” skits and carefree attitude, already made headlines last year as his relationship with Kim Kardashian blossomed. Getty Images
The flick will follow Max, played by Davidson, who works at a retirement home filled with residents and caretakers who are hiding more than a few skeletons in their closets. Max, described as “troubled,” snoops through the forbidden fourth floor of the facility, uncovering secrets of his own past, including his childhood in foster care.
Production on “The Home” is supposed to begin this month, according to Deadline, and will be the newest horror film for Miramax, joining the company’s slew of spine-tingling movies including “Scream” and “Dracula.”
The heavily tattooed star will play the main character in the film, Max, who seeks to uncover secrets of a retirement home. NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
But this isn’t Davidson’s first stint at acting.
In addition to his sketches on “SNL” — where he is amongst the youngest cast members at 28 years old — he began starring in films two years ago, beginning with Judd Apatow’s “The King of Staten Island” and, later, Hulu’s “Big Time Adolescence.”
Davidson most recently appeared on Miley Cyrus’ “New Year’s Eve Party” after appearing together on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show. WireImage
The Staten Island native also made headlines in 2021 for being romantically linked to Kim Kardashian (which shocked fans, but not Martha Stewart, who thinks he’s “cute”).
Meanwhile, rumors circulated this month that he could be the 2022 Oscars host.
Pete Davidson will not host the Oscars, reports say
Pete Davidson will not be hosting this year’s Oscars ceremony, according to reports.
Variety claim that the Saturday Night Live star was approached by the producers of the broadcast but things never went any further.
Their report also adds that it is “highly unlikely” that Davidson will now be selected to host.
Davidson is a popular actor and comedian and recently hosted NBC’s New Year’s Eve show with Miley Cyrus - an event that drew big ratings for the network.
As well as for his work on Saturday Night Live, Davidson has also gained attention for his love life. He is currently dating Kim Kardashian and in the past has been in high profile relationships with Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale and Phoebe Dynevor.
While Davidson appears to have been ruled out, Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez have now been tipped to co-host the prestigious film awards.
The Only Murders in the Building co-stars are an “iconic trio” according to Hulu president Craig Erwich. Erwich later revealed that the Oscars were talking to the three actors about hosting: “They have mass appeal. Everybody loves them. They’d be a dream. That said, there’s a lot of incredible talent we’re considering. We’re having ongoing conversations with Will [Packer] and the Academy about it.”
Martin has already hosted the ceremony twice before while Short and Gomez have no major awards ceremony presenting experience.
Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ (Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu)
Names to have hosted the Oscars in the past include Billy Crystal, Chris Rock and Ellen DeGeneres. Read The Independent’s rundown of potential 2022 Oscars hosts here.