See the new artwork highlighting the actor's absence at the awards show tonight.
A certain artist has decided to remind fans why Kevin Hart stepped down from his hosting gig at the 2019 Oscars.
A gold, life-sized statue resembling the comedian has appeared near the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, where the prestigious awards show will be held.
In the statue’s hand is a rainbow flag, seemingly nodding to Hart’s previous homophobic jokes which first ignited the controversy leading to his decision to skip hosting duties on Hollywood’s biggest night.
And if the artist’s message wasn’t made clear, the statue, which was made to resemble the gold statuettes awarded during the ceremony, says, “Hollow Apology” where the recipient’s name is usually displayed on the base.
The statue appears to be the work of L.A. street artist Plastic Jesus, who posted a number of videos and photos of his creation on Sunday morning.
In December, the 39-year-old actor revealed that he had accepted the job of playing emcee for the huge event and in a matter of hours, Twitter users posted some of his troubling remarks between 2009 and 2011, which included homophobic slurs and anti-gay insults.
At first, Hart refused to apologize, sharing his irritation in a video post. However, days later he announced his decision to turn down the hosting job -- as well as an apology.
"I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's," Hart wrote on Twitter. "This is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past."
"I'm sorry that I hurt people," he added in another tweet. "I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again."
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