After a triumphant turn by Nikki Glaser as Golden Globes host and a Trevor Noah–fronted Grammy Awards that raised $7 million for Los Angeles fire rel
After a triumphant turn by Nikki Glaser as Golden Globes host and a Trevor Noah–fronted Grammy Awards that raised $7 million for Los Angeles fire relief, it may actually be frosty to host awards shows again.
For Kristen Bell, who will host the 2025 SAG Awards, airing on Netflix on Sunday, February 23, it always has been. “I don’t look at it as thankless,” she says. “I like hosting. I like bringing people together. I like making goofy jokes and making people laugh…. Being in a room full of my peers—there’s something very exciting about it. Plus, there’s a safety net because, as cutthroat as Hollywood can be, the SAG Awards have the best vibe because everyone’s excited to see each other, and they’re rooting for each other no matter who wins. So it was an easy yes.”
Bell, who became the awards show’s first official host in 2018, is also a first-time nominee for her performance in the hit Netflix comedy series Nobody Wants This. However, she’s much more focused on the awards hopes of her favorite film of the year. “I mean, I can’t really think of any project other than Wicked, and I haven’t been able to think of any project other than Wicked for months,” says Bell. “But that’s just because I’m a musical theater kid and such a fangirl.” She’ll have many chances to see her top movie win. With five nods from the actors guild, Wicked leads the 2025 SAG Award nominations, having earned recognition for best ensemble as well as for individual stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey.
Bell is also keeping her eye on the year’s best TV—even titles that will only be eligible next year. “I don’t know if you’re watching Severance right now, but holy smokes,” she says. “No shade to the movies—movies have always been great—but I am kind of thrilled that people are recognizing the art form that is television.”
Ahead, Bell tells Vanity Fair why it was vital that the SAG Awards go on after the devastating Los Angeles fires and shares her hopes for deploying Nobody Wants This leading man Adam Brody during the show.
Vanity Fair: Was there anything you learned from hosting the SAG Awards in 2018 that informed how you’ve approached the second time?
Kristen Bell: My style of comedy, if I were to explain it, is more goofy and self-deprecating. I don’t roast people. I’m not here to attack, and that’s generally a secure place to operate from. I just want it to be joyful and fun, and I feel like we tried to do that the first time around, and it was successful enough that they invited me back. I’m not a stand-up comedian because I’m not a good enough writer. This is as close as I’ll ever get, and it feels very fun to me.
The huge question this year is, how do you handle what’s going on in Los Angeles while having a night of celebration for film and TV? Initially, I thought it was so superfluous to have an award show when LA was literally on fire, but then as I thought deeper about it, I reminded myself these award shows are a primary force driving the economy here in Los Angeles. They employ hundreds, if not thousands, of workers who need to work—drivers, caterers, hair-and-makeup people, tech, musicians. It’s not just the actors. It takes hundreds and hundreds of people to put these shows on. It’s how Los Angeles thrives, and I think we have a responsibility to show up for people’s jobs in Los Angeles, and that’s why we’re going to do it.
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