While Kenan ThompsonThe 74th Primetime Emmy Awards was almost hosted by Gears Up Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“It was just schedule,” the former wrestler, 50, told Entertainment Tonight Last month. “I was really, truly honored when they came to me and asked, but it was just a scheduling thing. That’s all. That’s really what it comes down to.”
After Johnson turned down the opportunity to present trophies on the live broadcast, producers finally asked Johnson, who was 44 years old. Saturday Night Live Star to assume hosting duties
“Y’all heard ya boy is hosting the #Emmys?!!! It’s gonna be a great night. See you there,” Thompson captioned an August Instagram post, confirming his role. “We goin up!!!!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 Can’t wait to celebrate the creatives that entertain us daily.”
The Mighty Ducks Later, actor teased that many of his fan-favorites were among them SNL During the ceremony, costars or characters could appear.
“SNL taught me to always be ready, always be thinking. Especially when you’re around those kinds of people,” Thompson told Entertainment Weekly earlier this month, noting he’d be interested in kicking off the show with a large-scale musical number. “That’s always where everything seems very grand and talent is definitely on display.”
While the All That alum presides over the awards ceremony, Johnson has a busy schedule of his own including multiple film projects, producing NBC’s Young Rock About his childhood and raising three daughters. (The Jungle Cruise Simone, 21, shares star with ex-wife Dany GarciaJasmine, 6; and Tiana, 4 with their wives Lauren Hashian.)
Johnson is also preparing to suit up as the titular character in DC’s Black AdamThe October release is scheduled for.
“When you pull Black Adam out of the pantheon of superheroes in the DC Universe, he is blessed with these incredible superpowers from the gods that rival Superman,” Johnson told Vanity Fair earlier in the month. “The difference is, well, a few things. Number one, Superman’s greatest weakness is magic, and one of Black Adam’s greatest superpowers is magic.”
He added at the time: “Superman won’t kill anybody. There’s a code that he lives by and he honors, “Black Adam has a unique code of ethics too. He will not hesitate — and I like to have a little fun when I’m explaining this — to rip somebody in half. Literally, he’ll grab someone by the neck and by the thigh and then rip them up, tear them apart.”
The Emmys will air live on NBC Monday September 12th at 8:00 p.m. ET. Peacock will also stream it.
