Neil Patrick Harris Admits He's 'Nervous to Host' Oscars

Find out what the actor is doing to prepare for the big show.

ByABC News
February 11, 2015, 5:33 PM

— -- Neil Patrick Harris has a long history with the Oscars.

The 2015 host wrote in an op-ed for T, the New York Times Style Magazine that "When I used to watch the Oscars at home with my family, we would print out ballots, write down our predictions and see who won. As I got older, our viewing parties had more of a gambling slant: same ballot, different stakes."

The New Mexico native, 41, has tons of experience on stage -- Broadway in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and hosting the Tonys four times -- and the "How I Met Your Mother" star admits in his piece that he's comfortable up there will all the attention on him.

"I’ll admit that I’m nervous to host, but it’s much less pressure than being a nominee, having to go down a red carpet filled with prognosticators saying, 'I think it’s your night! I can smell it!'" he continued.

"Then you’re sitting in your chair, your heart’s pounding and you have 15 names that you pray to God you don’t forget — and your name’s not called. Or, even stranger, your name is called, and you’re blinded by adrenaline and panic."

He added, joking, "That’s much more nerve-racking to me than going out and saying, 'Our next two presenters are the stars of this movie, please welcome Brad and Angelina.'

Harris, who is an award-winner himself, with five Emmys, will host the Oscars Feb. 22.

As for preparations, Harris recently tweeted, he's making sure to take care of one thing.

"Looking over the preparations for the #Oscars set. After last night, we've installed a second layer of Kanye-proofing, just in case," he said, referring to how Kanye West went on stage during Sunday's Grammy Awards.