‘A Beautiful Mind’ Producer Brian Grazer Tapped To Helm Oscars

Brian Grazer, the Oscar-winning producer of “A Beautiful Mind,” is the new man lined up to produce the 2012 Academy Awards, Access Hollywood has confirmed.

“Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak said in a statement on Wednesday. “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.”

Grazer joins Don Mischer, who is already on board as a producer of the show, and Grazer said in a statement he is excited to work with the multi-Emmy Award winner.

“It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” Grazer’s statement read. “Don is a legend, and I am excited to work with him.”

The Grazer news comes just hours after Eddie Murphy resigned as the 2012 Oscars host. Eddie departed the telecast after Brett Ratner, his director in “Tower Heist,” withdrew as producer of the 2012 Oscars following a series of public outbursts by Ratner, one of which included the use of a gay slur during a Q&A last week following a screening of the comedy.

Late last month, when Ratner and Grazer an spoke to Access Hollywood at the junket for “Tower Heist,” Ratner said he turned to the producer for Oscar advice when he was seeking a host.

“I know when Brian one day produces the Oscars he’s gonna have a comedian do it because Bob Hope, Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal were the three best hosts, because that’s what works in the format,” Ratner told Access, at the time. “Brian’s been asked several times, but of course, Brian’s very busy and isn’t always available to do it. One day he will be.”

“That’s sweet,” Grazer replied.

“And he gave me some great advice, he said, ‘This is who I would get [as host].’ It wasn’t Eddie [Murphy], but it was in the vein of Eddie. I said, you know what? You’re right.”

Grazer actually was a producer on “Tower Heist,” as well as the Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford film “Cowboys & Aliens.”

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