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Neil Patrick Harris’ Oscars opening musical number was perfect. Watch it here.

by Alex Abad-Santos
Alex Abad-Santos
Alex Abad-Santos is a senior correspondent who explains what society obsesses over, from Marvel and movies to fitness and skin care. He came to Vox in 2014. Prior to that, he worked at The Atlantic.

Neil Patrick Harris opened the 87th Annual Oscars Sunday night with an “ode” to moving pictures. Given Harris’ theater background, an “act” was expected, but Harris brought it to life with an interactive background, Stormtroopers, and some help from Anna Kendrick and Jack Black.

Back in October, there was a report that Harris wasn’t the Academy’s first choice to host the show. Ellen DeGeneres and Chris Rock were reportedly considered. But Harris’s exciting opening number was probably something only he could pull off and a testament to his strengths as a host.

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