Ariana DeBose made headlines this week for her hilarious and spirited rap during the BAFTA’s ceremony opening. While many considered it cringe-worthy, others celebrated it as a campy approach to celebrating the women nominated in the acting categories. her energy and charm on stage are undeniable.
Like DeBose, many other actors are also incredible award show hosts. Entertaining an audience for over three hours is no easy task, and these performers deserve all the credit in the world for doing such an exemplary job, keeping things light and moving.
1 Ariana DeBose
Oscar-winning actress Ariana DeBose has a blossoming movie career ahead, already being cast in Sony’s Kraven the Hunter movie and about to lead a psychological thriller. Furthermore, she showed her talents as a host with her stint as MC for the 2022 Tony Awards. Blending music and dance with levity and overall showmanship, DeBose delivered a breezy and highly entertaining show.
DeBose might not be rolling-on-the-floor funny, but she doesn’t need to be. Her hosting abilities center more on her charisma and energy; be it singing or dancing, DeBose is a born entertainer, dominating the stage like few others can.
2 Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman began on the stage before transitioning to movies; thus, he has experience performing in front of a live audience. Moreover, the Oscar nominee is a born entertainer; Jackman has charisma for days, dominating the screen – and the stage – with ease, making it look effortless.
Despite his massive film career, Jackman still enjoys performing. The Tony winner has hosted the show four times and made a huge impression on audiences when he acted as the Oscar’s MC for the 2009 ceremony. A music man at heart, Jackman fills his hosting with Plenty of music and dancing, confirming that he is one of the most versatile performers in the industry.
3 Aubrey Plaza
Audiences might know and love Aubrey Plaza for her gift with black comedy. The actor shined in projects like Parks and Recreation, Ingrid Goes Westand, most recently, The White Lotusthanks to her dry and biting humor that borders the macabre.
Plaza’s unique humor lends itself perfectly to hosting an awards show; however, it has to be the right show, as she might be too niche for a wide audience. Enter the Indie Spirit Awards, a show whose lowkey vibe allows Plaza to go all- out. She has hosted the ceremony twice, singing, dancing, and always bringing her singular shtick for a great and awkward time.
4 Neil Patrick Harris
Conquering television and the stage is not an easy task. However, Neil Patrick Harris is a Tony and Emmy winner with copious charisma. Harris is basically a one-man show with a gifted voice, excellent comedy timing, and enough energy to light an entire Broadway theater.
Harris has hosted the Emmys, the Tonys, and the Oscars. His song-and-dance numbers are usually incredible – from listing the numerous advantages of television to proclaiming how Broadway “is not just for gays any more,” Harris can do no wrong . His Oscar stint wasn’t his best night, but he’s confirmed his hosting talents more than enough times already.
5 Kumail Nanjiani
Oscar nominee Kumail Nanjiani is a gifted comedian. Quick, clever, and ridiculously likable, Najiani is an expert in bonding with the audience, making them feel like they’re in on the joke. Najiani has made a name for himself on the silver screen thanks to films like The Big Sick and Eternalsbut he is electrifying on stage.
Like Plaza, Najiani is the perfect host for a show like the Indie Spirits. Paired with the equally talented Kate McKinnonNajiani delivered an uproarious show that embraced all the classic hosting elements. He performed sketches, delivered a hilarious monologue, and confirmed what everyone already knew: he’s one of the best comedians working today.
6 Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson‘s rise to stardom was quick and unsurprising. Indeed, anyone who has seen Pitch Perfect or How To Be Single knows how irreverent Wilson is. The actor is an expert in physical comedy, using her excellent comedy timing to make the best out of her jokes, elevating them even if they’re not always the best.
The comedy is one-of-a-kind, using deadpan humor to deliver her meaning jokes and elicit the best reactions from her audience. Her outlandish style might not seem like the best fit to host a show like the BAFTAs, but it’s precisely that Clash of styles that makes it such a genius choice. Wilson made jokes about the Royal Family to Prince William’s face, for crying out loud. It takes guts and talent to get away with that; luckily, Wilson has both in spades.
7 Stephen Fry
English treasure Stephen Fry is already an icon. With a prolific career in movies and television, Fry is a remarkably adaptable performer capable of stealing nearly every scene he’s in with nothing more than a few words – sometimes, he doesn’t even need to talk; .
Fry has hosted the BAFTAs a whopping twelve times. However, he succeeds in making every ceremony unique, as if it was his first time on stage. Reliably funny yet willing to step out of his comfort zone, Fry is the ideal host, a charming and engaging entertainer who can make the audience forget about their troubles and enjoy the moment.
8 Whoopi Goldberg
EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg is a Hollywood icon. The Oscar-winning actor is famous for her irreverent, self-deprecating humor. Goldberg can be provocative and boundary-pushing as easily as she can don a silly costume and bring out light-hearted laughter from her audience.
Her stints hosting the Oscars are among the best in the ceremony’s 95-year history. Whether she’s delivering a scathing monologue mocking American politics or she’s descending from a swing dressed like a Moulin Rouge dancer, no one does it like Whoopi is. missed nowadays, especially as the Oscar hosts become increasingly boring.
9 Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Few performers are as witty, personable, and ingenious as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The duo rose to prominence as two of the all-time best Saturday Night Live cast members before leaving the show to pursue solo and highly successful television careers. The Emmy-winning dup is among the funniest comedians in the business, thanks to their excellent comedy timing, energetic personalities, and direct yet inoffensive style.
Unlike other comedians, Fey and Poehler can be funny and biting without being insulting. Their jokes about George Clooney at the 2014 and 2015 Golden Globes show their willingness to be daring without getting overly mean. The pair chooses their targets intelligently, delivering hilarious jokes that never cross the line to become inappropriate, uncomfortable, or cruel. their act seems effortless, charming even, despite incorporating more than their fair share of riské jokes.