Having garnered quite a few glowing reviews about his performance in 2017, Jimmy Kimmel will be returning for the 2018 Academy Awards. The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, another ABC production, will take to the stage of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to unwrap the industry’s biggest night. In a year filled with great strides in diverse filmmaking, including an Oscar nod to Get Out, and the “#MeToo” movement, such as the award-nominated last-minute replacement of Kevin Spacey in All the Money in the World, Kimmel seems like an appropriate choice.
Kimmel has become known for emotional monologues during his late night talk show, especially in the wake of tragedies like the Parkland, FL high school shooting. The talk show host also has no qualms about calling out President Donald Trump, which ensures the evening of celebration will be rife with jabs at Trump and Republicans.
When Kimmel hosted the 2017 Academy Awards, he claims he did so for $15,000 for the evening. According to CNBC, that’s about 1,000 times less than the $15 million per year salary he earns for Jimmy Kimmel Live! Whether or not that is the same amount he is receiving for the 2018 Academy Awards has yet to be confirmed.
The 2018 Academy Awards, like any award ceremony, is expected to run in a particular, planned manner. Being a live production, however, it’s also expected to be derailed, and Kimmel has admitted he hopes it doesn’t go “exactly as planned.” In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the talk show host explained: “There have to be surprises, there have to be notable moments. He took it to the extreme, stating: “If somebody runs naked across the stage, I’m not going to feel bad about it.”
For his second go at the Academy Awards, Kimmel will be joined on stage by massive star power. Award presenters for the evening include Nicole Kidman, Oscar Isaacs, Dave Chappelle, Mark Hamill, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Garner, and Sandra Bullock. Included in the evening’s nominations are Denzel Washington for Actor in a Leading Role, Frances McDormand for Actress in a Leading Role, Laurie Metcalf for Actress in a Supporting Role, and The Shape of Water for Best Picture.
The 2018 Academy Awards are scheduled for 5 pm PST and can be watched on ABC and ABC streaming services.
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