Kevin Spacey: ‘I Want To Host The Oscars,’ Says ‘House Of Cards’ Star

Kevin Spacey, star of the widely discussed Netflix series House of Cards and a two-time Oscar winner himself, now says he would like to add to his resumé by hosting the annual Academy Awards broadcast. Appearing on The Jimmy Kimmel Show, broadcast on ABC following the Oscar telecast, the American Beauty star said that he would “love” to host the show.

The Jimmy Kimmel post-Oscar show has become an annual event on ABC and the appearance by Kevin Spacey, who also unleashed a spot-on impression of late Tonight Show host Johnny Carson, pulled in not only the best ratings of any Kimmel post-Oscar show, but the highest rating for any Jimmy Kimmel episode, ever.

With 6,993,000 total viewers the episode drew more than even Jimmy Kimmel’s prime-time specials. In the country’s three major markets — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — the post-Oscar show grabbed more viewers than Jay Leno’s final Tonight Show broadcast on February 6, or Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight debut on February 17.

So the show was the perfect forum for Kevin Spacey to kick off his campaign to host the 2015 Oscar broadcast.

Kimmel asked Spacey if he was interested in hosting the show, and the L.A. Confidential star replied, “I think it would be great fun. I’d love it!”

Kimmel then noted that Spacey, who had just privileged Kimmel with an impression of another two-time Oscar winner, Jack Lemmon, also kept an impression of Carson in his repetoire — and the two were somewhat similar.

Jack Lemmon won Oscars for his role in 1960 film The Apartment the again in 1974 for his performance as a struggling businessman in Save The Tiger. He also hosted the Oscar telecast in 1985.

Carson hosted the show from 1979 to 1982, then again in 1984.

“He was one of the great hosts of all time,” enthused Spacey. “You want to see a little Johnny?”

Kevin Spacey then stood and embarked on an impersonation of the TV legend, who died in 2005 at age 79, as if Carson were commenting on the 2014 Oscars.

“The big picture tonight, I haven’t seen it, it’s called 12 Years a Slave,” said Spacey as Johnny. “I assume it was about my first marriage.”

Kevin Spacey won Oscars as Best Supporting Actor for his role as a serial killer in the 1995 film Seven, and for Best Actor in American Beauty which was released in 1999. Check out Spacey’s Carson impression below.