Kevin Hart has confirmed he is “evaluating” hosting the Oscars again.
The Night School star initially refused to say sorry for past jokes made on his Twitter account because he had done so years ago and decided to step down from his role hosting the Academy Awards in February — but it is said that he could be brought back for the role.
A source told PEOPLE magazine: “There has been a steady stream of buzz that things might work out between Kevin and the Academy.
“The Academy never really axed him — they wanted him to apologize — he wouldn’t, and then he was the one to drop out.”
Hart’s decision to publicly say sorry for his comments came after he chose to step down from hosting duties, a decision which was said to have puzzled some Academy members.
The insider added: “A lot of people at the Academy scratching their heads because he did what they wanted him to do so really he didn’t need to quit in that case.
“Everyone has noticed that it’s not like the Academy just pivoted to someone else; Kevin is clearly well aware that the job is still wide open. But meanwhile, he has needed to do his own clean-up work in terms of his image after all of this.”
Hart appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show to discuss the controversy and backlash.
She said on a show: “I called the Academy today because I really want you to host the Oscars.
“The Academy is saying what can we do to make this happen.”
Degeneres recalled the Academy told her: “We want him to host, whatever we can do, we’d be thrilled.”
She tweeted on Thursday night, Jan. 3, 2019: “I had an incredible and honest conversation with @KevinHart4real about hosting the #Oscars. It was supposed to air on Monday. I don’t want you to have to wait, so now it’s gonna air tomorrow. (sic)”
The 39-year-old comedian added: “[It is] the most raw/honest & authentic interview that I have ever done. (sic)”
During his appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Hart revealed he is going to think over their conversation and will let the talk show’s host — who previously hosted the prestigious ceremony in 2014 — know what he decides to do.
During a clip from Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, episode, Hart said: “You have put a lot of things on my mind.
“Leaving here, I’m promising you I’m evaluating this conversation. This is a conversation I needed to have.
“I’m glad that I had it here. And I’m glad that it was as authentic and real as I could have hoped that it would be.
“Let me assess, just to sit in the space and really think, and you and I will talk before anything else. That’s my plan.”
The 39-year-old star — who has 13-month-old Kenzo with wife Eniko Parrish and Hendrix, 13, and 11-year-old Heaven with ex-wife Torrei Hart — accepts that his previous homophobic tweets were “wrong” and says he wants to do the right thing by his children.
He said: “I’m wrong for my past words. I said it, I understand that. I know that. My kids know when their dad messes up, I’m in front of it because I want to be an example so they know what to do.”
Check out Degeneres’ tweet, which includes a partial clip from her conversation with Hart, below:
‘”I had an incredible and honest conversation with @KevinHart4real about hosting the #Oscars. It was supposed to air on Monday. I don’t want you to have to wait, so now it’s gonna air tomorrow. (sic)”
The 39-year-old comedian added: “[It is] the most raw/honest & authentic interview that I have ever done. (sic)”
I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 4, 2019
