Brian Grazer: 5 Things to Know About Brett Ratner’s Oscar Replacement

All eyes are on longtime producer Brian Grazer as he steps into the Oscars spotlight on the heels of Brett Ratner’s controversial exit.

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As The Hollywood Reporter first reported, Grazer will join Don Mischer for the 84th Academy Awards telecast. Grazer’s first order of business is to find a new host, as previously tapped comedian Eddie Murphy -- who has a professional history with both Ratner and Grazer -- opted to bow out.

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Here are five things to know about the J. Edgar producer and Ratner’s Oscar replacement.

1.     Grazer has been personally nominated for four Academy Awards, nabbing a Best Picture statue in 2002 for A Beautiful Mind. Throughout his career -- spanning from the late ‘70s -- his projects have been nominated for a total of 54 Oscars and 94 Emmys.

2.     Born in Los Angeles, Grazer graduated from the USC School of Cinema-Television in 1974.

3.     Grazer is the proud father of four children from two of his three marriages. His daughter and three sons span in age from 23 to 7-years-old.

4.     Following the announcement that Grazer would be replacing Ratner as producer of the 84th Academy Awards, TMZ reports that the duo dined at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica. The pals recently worked together on Tower Heist, starring Murphy, and according to Reuters, Grazer accepted the Oscars gig at Ratner’s request.

5.     Grazer got his start executive-producing TV pilots at Paramount before meeting his future friend and business partner Ron Howard on the 1982 film, Night Shift. The friends went on to co-found production company Imagine Entertainment in 1986.