Hugh and Cry: Scratch Jackman as Oscar host

Variety‘s Michael Fleming has the news:

While speculation is running high on who’ll host the Oscars, one name that can be crossed off the list is Hugh Jackman… The thesp, who’s starring on Broadway with Daniel Craig in the drama “A Steady Rain,” quietly turned down the job within the past few weeks, sources said.

Jackman drew praise for his first Oscar hosting gig in February under producer Laurence Mark and exec producer Bill Condon. He may take on hosting duties again in the future, but it’s understood that he didn’t want to do the show two years in a row.

I’m glad. The Globes orchestrated a well-played cock-block by announcing Ricky Gervais as next year’s host. The HFPA are coming on strong with newness and coolness — and increasingly impeccable rosters of nominees. To maintain their preeminent Big Event prestige, the Oscars need to do more give us a repeat. They can’t recycle last year’s tricks. I don’t know who AMPAS will come up with, but if they’re forced to try to find someone hipper than Gervais and more suave than Jackman, then I’m happy the bar has been raised to make them jump higher.