Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock Were First Choice to Host 2015 ACADEMY AWARDS

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris was not the first choice to host the upcoming 2015 ACADEMY AWARDS.

The site reports that returning Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron "begged" Ellen DeGeneres to make a return appearance as the host of the show. The comic's turn as last year's host generated an 8 percent increase in viewership from 2013's show. (Remember her all-star Selfie?) Unfortunately for the award-winning producing team, DeGeneres turned their offer down.

Funny man Chris Rock was the next choice to helm the show, but according to the report, negotiations for the gig fell through. 'Veep' star Julia Louis-Dreyfus also turned down an offer to host.

Yet viewers are in good hands for this year's live broadcast when Neil Patrick Harris takes to the podium to host the show. The recent star of Broadway's 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' hosted the TONY AWARDS in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and received an Emmy Award each time for his efforts. He also served as host of the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009 and 2013.

Are you excited to watch this year's show?

About Neil Patrick Harris:

A triple-threat performer, Neil Patrick Harris has enjoyed a successful career in entertainment. He can currently be seen starring opposite Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike in David Fincher's critically-acclaimed feature film, "Gone Girl." Harris garnered multiple Emmy® and Golden Globe award nominations for his role as Barney Stinson on the hit television series, "How I Met Your Mother," and he won an Emmy for his guest-starring role on "Glee" in 2010. He also recently starred in the title role of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" on Broadway, earning the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Harris served as host of the 61st and 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as the 63rd, 65th, 66th and 67th Tony Awards, for which he won four Emmys. Most recently, Harris added the title of author to his list of accomplishments with the release of his autobiography from Crown Publishing, Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography.

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