Neil Patrick Harris will host the 87th Oscars ceremony on February 22.
Hosting the Academy Awards is seen as one of the toughest jobs in live television. The star of the long running American television comedy show How I Met Your Mother has a proven track record presenting big awards ceremonies. Harris hosted the Tony awards for theatre last year and took charge of the Emmy television awards twice in 2009 and 2013.
He will follow last year’s host Ellen DeGegeneres who was reluctant to return for another stint, reports Variety. Harris has won five Emmy awards and this year won a Tony award for his lead role in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. His ability to sing, dance and crack jokes casts him in the mould of classic comperes such as Bob Hope and Billy Crystal. Seen as a safe choice, he’s the complete opposite to James Franco who was criticised for his lacklustre performance co-hosting the 2011 ceremony with Anne Hathaway.
Harris is currently appearing on the big screen opposite Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl. He plays a creepy former stalker in the film based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn. The David Fincher-directed thriller is in cinemas now.
Harris found fame as a teenager in the title role of kids TV show Doogie Howser M.D which aired between 1989 and 1993.
Watch the video below to see Harris appearing in the opening musical number at the 2010 Oscars ceremony.