Jimmy Kimmel joins Top Gun: Maverick stars Jon Hamm and Charles Parnell in the first trailer for the 2023 Oscars ceremony.
Ahead of the 95th Academy Awards, airing live on ABC on March 12, Kimmel, who is back to host the event for the third time, debuted the awards ceremony’s first promotional spot during Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday. The footage parodies Maverick, which is nominated for six Oscars, with Kimmel addressing film characters Beau “Cyclone” Simpson (Hamm) and Solomon “Warlock” Bates (Parnell) in a moment reminiscent of the movie’s exchange involving Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.
“I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to be asked to host again,” Kimmel says in the trailer. This leads Hamm to clarify, “We asked a lot of people before you.”
Hamm goes on to list celebrities who supposedly got the invite to host the Oscars before Kimmel landed the gig: “Steve Martin, Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Steve Austin, Steve Seagal, Steve Urkel, Steve from Blue’s Clues. That’s just the Steves.”
The video pokes fun at last year’s infamous moment involving Will Smith slapping presenter Chris Rock at the ceremony that was co-hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes.
“ABC has tasked us with finding a host who is unflappable and unslappable,” Parnell explains. Kimmel responds, “That’s good because I can’t get slapped — I cry a lot.”
In explaining his plan for the evening, Kimmel appears to reference the 2017 ceremony that he hosted, which is known for ending with La La Land erroneously getting named best picture before the Moonlight team received their rightful prize.
“Then I’ll lead a standing ovation for someone old, and if I make it out, there’s only four or five hours left until we give best picture to, hopefully, the right movie,” Kimmel quips in the spot. The footage also features an appearance from nine-time Oscars host Billy Crystal.
The 2023 Oscars ceremony airs live Sunday, March 12, on ABC.
