Kevin Hart has stepped down as the Oscars host just two days after it was announced that he would emcee the glitzy event. The abrupt departure from Hollywood’s biggest night came amid escalating controversy over the actor’s old anti-gay and homophobic tweets, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s….this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists,” Hart wrote, noted the Hollywood Reporter. “I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.”
The “Central Intelligence” star added, “I’m sorry that I hurt people. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.”
That remains to be seen. Earlier, the Academy, which had struggled to find a host for the celebration of movie’s best, had reportedly given Hart an ultimatum: Apologize for the old tweets or step down. He chose the latter.
“I passed. The reason I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times. This is not the first time this has come up,” he said, the Reporter noted. “Regardless, to the Academy, I’m thankful for the opportunity, if it goes away, no harm, no foul.”
And now, for the Academy, once again, no host.
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