Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis came close to hosting the Oscars in 2012.
The pair were keen to assume hosting responsibilities following the withdrawal of comedian Eddie Murphy, but their plans ultimately failed to convince producers of the show.
Of his idea, Ferrell said: "We will host the Oscars if you do a campaign that you can’t find an Oscars host up until the last second.
"It’s going to be a surprise and we’ll walk out on stage. The whole premise of our hosting was that we were asked at the last second. So we’re always flustered. We don’t know the jokes. We don’t know where the cameras are. We do the entire show as if it’s unrehearsed."
Although producers liked the proposal, they said it wouldn’t work due to marketing reasons.
Ferrell told The Huffington Post: "They said, ‘Ha ha ha, we think it’s so funny, but no, we have to do promos.’"
"We said, ‘Why do you have to do additional things?’ We gave them gold and … they’ve got to be willing to be unconventional."
The pair did, however, appear on stage together at the event to present the Best Original Song award.
Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis nearly hosted Academy Awards
