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Hugh Jackman will host the 81st annual Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Friday.

The
40-year-old Australian actor, recently named People magazine’s “Sexiest
Man Alive,” won an Emmy in 2005 for hosting the 59th annual Tony Awards
in 2004. He was also nominated as host of the 2005 Tonys.

Jackman,
who first claimed fame as Wolverine in the X-Men movie franchise,
recently starred in Baz Luhrmann‘s romantic adventure film Australia
with Nicole Kidman. He was out of the country Friday for a world
promotional tour for the film and was not immediately available for
comment, his representative Alan Nierob said.