Will Smith to present Oscar
2006-02-15 09:25
Los Angeles - Hollywood actor Will Smith will join legends Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood in handing out golden statuettes at next month's Oscars show, organisers announced on Tuesday.
Also named to the line-up of presenters of the coveted awards on March 5 are screen heartthrob Keanu Reeves and best actor nominee Terrence Howard from the movie Hustle and Flow, the show's producer Gil Cates announced.
Smith, 37, won an Academy Award nomination for his leading role in 2001's boxing drama Ali and was seen in such hits as the Men in Black films, Independence Day and last year's comedy Hitch.
The 56-year-old double-Oscar winner Streep is the most nominated actor in Oscars history with 13 Academy Award nods under her belt.
She won a best supporting actress statuette for 1979's Kramer vs. Kramer and a best actress award for 1982's Sophie's Choice.
The actress famed for her accents will be seen next in A Prairie Home Companion and recently appeared on screens in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Manchurian Candidate, The Hours and Adaptation.
Hollywood heavyweights to present Oscars
Eastwood, 75, is as famed as director as he is as an actor after winning the best director and best picture statuettes last year for his boxing tale Million Dollar Baby.
He has won a total of four Oscars - including directing and best picture Oscars for 1992's Unforgiven - as well as a prestigious Irving Thalberg Memorial Award, a lifetime award for producers.
His next directing stint will be for Flags of Our Fathers, which he is also producing.
Matrix actor Reeves, 41, has also starred in such films as Speed, (1994) The Devil's Advocate, (1997) Bram Stoker's Dracula, (1992), Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and 2003's Something's Gotta Give. He will next be seen in The Lake House and A Scanner Darkly.
Reeves is joined as a presenter by newcomer Howard, who also starred in the Oscar-nominated drama Crash as well as in last year's Oscar-winner Ray.
Star-studded line-up
The four form part of an already star-studded line-up of presenters at this year's Academy Awards show, including double Oscar-winner Tom Hanks, last year's best actress and best actor winners Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx.
Also announced as presenters are Crash, Speed and Miss Congeniality actress Sandra Bullock and the 2005 best supporting actor, Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman.
Hollywood darling Jennifer Aniston, star of the hit US television show Friends and the ex-wife of screen heartthrob Brad Pitt, and actress Jessica Alba are also confirmed as presenters.
Nominations for the 78th annual Academy Awards were announced on January 31 and the glittering Oscars ceremony will take place in three weeks at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.