Justin Timberlake is reportedly in talks to host the 2014 Academy Awards , replacing this year’s compere, Seth MacFarlane.
Timberlake is thought to be the leading contendor for the role after he impressed producers with his stint on Saturday Night Live and Jimmy Fallon’s late night show.
A source told The National Enquirer , “The Oscar honchos are in discussions with Mr. SexyBack already. Getting Justin to host would be a huge coup for the Oscars.”
The insider then added, “He’d been considered before, but they always thought he was too young and not seasoned enough. Now, he’s the frontrunner for the job after showing he know how to sing, dance, host, and improvise on the spot.”
Timberlake’s recent hosting performance on Saturday Night Live , which he did for the fifth time, was applauded by critics. It also earned the show its highest rating in over a year, after 8.4 million people tuned in.
MacFarlane hosted the awards ceremony last month , and proved to be a divisive figure. The Family Guy creator was criticised for several jokes and his song and dance numbers, especially his We Saw Your Boobs effort.
However other people were impressed with his work. “I don’t blame Seth. He basically did his stock and trade. Why hire the guy if you didn’t want his brand of humour? I actually thought, as a fan of Family Guy , that he was pretty restrained,” remarked an unnamed filmmaker.
It has also been confirmed that Timberlake’s latest album, 20/20 , is on its way to selling 1 million copies. This was his first album in seven years , after the former *Nsync star attempted to conquer Hollywood by starring in a series of movies.
Timberlake impressed in David Fincher’s, The Social Network , where he played Sean Parker, the inventor of Napster.
Do you think that Timberlake would make a perfect Oscar host?