The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled Jimmy Kimmel as the host for the upcoming Oscars 2024 in a whimsical Barbie-themed video released on Tuesday. This comes on the heels of last month’s controversy surrounding the Academy's decision to snub Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig in the Best Actress and Best Director categories at Oscars 2024.
The almost five-minute-long video kicks off with Jimmy Kimmel lost in Barbieland, desperately seeking directions to Hollywood aka Oscarland. His encounter with Kate McKinnon, in her Weird Barbie avatar, adds a hilarious twist to the promo. Kimmel fails to follow McKinnon’s direction as the latter attempts to draw a map for him, leading to the exchange of some banter between them.
Weird Barbie then offers to drop Kimmel off at the venue, all the while delivering witty jibes at men, this year's Oscar nominees and even throwing shade at Matt Damon. The unique and humorous approach to the host announcement sets the tone for what promises to be an entertaining Oscars night.
As they land in Oscarland, America Ferrera graces the red carpet, delivering a monologue reminiscent of her viral Barbie monologue. However, an offhand comment from Kimmel about hosting the Oscars being harder than being a woman creates an awkward moment, leaving Ferrera visibly displeased.
The unexpected saviour arrives in the form of Ryan Gosling, who lightens the mood by diverting the conversation to the Oscars tradition of having In-N-Out burgers. In a comical mix-up, Gosling assumes the social media trend calls for having the burgers before the ceremony, only to be corrected by Kimmel that it’s a post-Oscars tradition reserved for the winners.
Gosling, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Barbie, playfully discards the bag and jokes about his potential defeat. The banter takes a surprising turn when he mentions Greta Gerwig, believing she has the award “in the bag”, only to be informed of her snub. This prompts both Gosling and Kimmel to engage in a spontaneous scream fest, adding a touch of hilarity to the promo.
The video concludes with a thought-provoking message from the narrator, stating, “Girls grow into women, but not all boys grow into men. Some remain hopelessly stuck in a loop of infantile foolishness. One of them will host the Oscars.”
