Sunday, February 22, 2009

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Hugh Jackman, and a host of presentors

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Hugh Jackman will host the 81st Academy Awards® telecast, producer Laurence Mark and executive producer Bill Condon announced. This will be Jackman's first time center stage at the Oscar show, although he has previously been a presenter.

"Hugh Jackman is a consummate entertainer and an internationally renowned movie star," said Mark and Condon in a joint statement. "He also has style, elegance and a sense of occasion. Hugh is the ideal choice to host a celebration of the year's movies -- and to have fun doing it."

Jackman stars in the current release Australia, directed by Baz Luhrmann. He will next be seen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, having portrayed the title character in the previous three smash-hit X-Men movies. His other film credits include The Prestige, Flushed Away, The Fountain, Happy Feet, Van Helsing, Kate & Leopold and Swordfish.

A native of Australia, Jackman won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in The Boy from Oz. He has served as host of the Tony Awards ceremony and won a 2005 Emmy for that assignment. Jackman's other stage credits include Carousel, Oklahoma!, Sunset Boulevard and Beauty and the Beast.