Whoopi Goldberg to host Oscars®

Jan 07, 2002 by Ian Evans

Oscar®-winner Whoopi Goldberg will be the first host of the Academy Awards® in its new Hollywood & Highland home.

Show producer Laura Ziskin said, “I am thrilled to have Whoopi Goldberg as the host for this year’s Academy Awards Show. Whoopi has great warmth, wit, humor, humanity and a social conscience, all qualities that I feel are essential for this year’s show. She is both an Oscar winner herself and an Oscar tradition, this being her fourth stint as host over the last ten years. I look forward to collaborating with Whoopi to put on a meaningful and entertaining evening for all the nominees, for the audience in the new Kodak Theatre and for the millions watching at home.”

Whoopi recently hosted the 71st telecast in 1998 and before that hosted the 66th and 68th kudofests.

Whoopi’s looking forward to her chores as host. “I’m delighted to have been asked to once again host the Academy Awards. It’ll be the first broadcast done from Oscar’s new home and I love a housewarming. And this broadcast, in my opinion, carries a different weight, because it says that we as filmmakers, actors and technicians worldwide will continue to do what we do best and celebrate it. And who wouldn’t want to front that?”

The 74th Annual Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 24th. Stick with Digital Hit for all your Oscar® coverage.