Kevin Hart who was to have hosted the 91st Academy Awards to be held on February 25th 2019 has stepped down after refusing to apologize for homophobic statements he made earlier. He has stated "I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again."

Hart added "“This is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past. Years earlier he had joked " My biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay.Keep in mind, I'm not homophobic... Be happy. Do what you want to do. But me, as a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will,"

Kevin Hart after the blockbuster hit 'Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungles" will soon be seen in a voice role in 'The Secret Life of Pets 2" releasing in 2019.