Hugh Jackman hosted the Oscars. What’s his verdict on Jimmy Kimmel? He tells us exclusively

FORMER Academy Awards host Hugh Jackman has delivered his verdict on this year’s master of ceremonies, Jimmy Kimmel. Is he impressed?

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FORMER Oscars host Hugh Jackman has given this year’s master of ceremonies Jimmy Kimmel his stamp of approval.

The Aussie actor, who is currently on tour in Taiwan ahead of his final film as Wolverine, Logan, found some time in his busy promotion schedule to watch the chat show host and comedian’s opening remarks and was impressed.

“I did manage to see the opening of the ceremony and Jimmy did an awesome job,” Jackman told News Corp Australia exclusively.

“I loved the opening — he seemed very relaxed and cool and is doing a great job.”

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel glares at his ‘enemy’ Matt Damon after he tripped him. Picture: AP

Jackman knows first-hand what a tough gig it is after hosting Hollywood’s big night in 2009, earning mostly positive reviews for his song and dance style.

Since the Oscars have been hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, James Franco and Anne Hathaway, Billy Crystal, Seth Macfarlane, Neil Patrick Harris and Chris Rock last year — with very mixed results.

Hugh Jackman hosted the Academy Awards in 2009 and has given this year’s MC Jimmy Kimmel his tick of approval.

Kimmel poked fun at the short-lived nature of the hosting gig in his opening monologue saying: “I’m so excited to be here — I have never been to the Oscars before and the way you people go through hosts it’s probably my last time here.”

Jimmy Kimmel tweets President Donald Trump #Merylsayshi during the Oscars. Picture: AP

Early reviews for Kimmel’s turn have been also mostly positive, nailing the opening monologue with a mix of political humour and sly jabs at this Hollywood colleagues. DeGeneres tweeted that his opening monologue was “so brilliant it’s already overrated”, a dig at Donald Trump’s attack on Meryl Streep, and that “you’ve got this job for life”.

Host Jimmy Kimmel backstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards. Picture: Getty Images

Some of Kimmel’s best lines of the night:

— “Some of you will come up onto this stage and give a speech that the president of the United States will tweet about in all caps during his 5am bowel movement tomorrow morning.”

— “Black people saved NASA and white people saved jazz. That’s what you call progress”

— “We have no tolerance for fake news. Fake tan, we love.”

He also made great mileage of his long-running supposed “feud” with Matt Damon, devoting a whole segment to mocking the Bourne star’s drama We Bought a Zoo, which ended with the line: “He has almost no discernible talent — but he works.”

Jimmy Kimmel poking fun at his ‘enemy’ Matt Damon. Picture: Instagram

Damon was then introduced alongside his old mate Ben Affleck as “guest” to introduce Best Original Screenplay — and was played off by the orchestra as he tried to read out the nominees.

He also hosted a special Oscars edition of Mean Tweets with stars including Natalie Portman, Ryan Gosling, Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Casey Affleck, Emma Stone, Miles Teller, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Bridges and Robert De Niro reading hilarious insults about themselves.

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Originally published as Hugh Jackman hosted the Oscars. What’s his verdict on Jimmy Kimmel? He tells us exclusively