Jordan Peele Wants Whoopi Goldberg to Host the Oscars After Kevin Hart Steps Down

Jordan Peele has one person in mind to host the Oscars and it’s none other than Whoopi Goldberg.

The Get Out director, 39, tweeted out the suggestion on Thursday when he wrote, “I remember when @WhoopiGoldberg got her Oscar for “Ghost.” It inspired me and set in motion a series of events resulting in my receiving the honor last year. #Whoopi4oscars.”

Peele’s suggestion comes a week after Kevin Hart stepped down from hosting duties after previous homophobic tweets resurfaced online. Goldberg, 63, hosted the Oscars in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2002.

The Toy Story 4 actor won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Get Out earlier this year and thanked Goldberg for inspiring him with her own Oscar win in 1991.

“Whoopi Goldberg, in her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress for Ghost, was a huge inspiration to me,” Peele told reporters backstage at the Academy Awards. “And when I got nominated, one of the first things I did was reach out and call her and thank her for telling young people who maybe doubted themselves that they could do it. So I hope that this does the same and inspires more people to use their voices.”

Peele tweeted a thank you to the actress on Twitter the morning after his win, as well.

Peele talked to PEOPLE about his post-nomination phone call with Goldberg shortly before the Oscars and admitted it was a touching moment for both of them.

“It was an emotional call for me,” Peele said. “She said that my call made her happy, because she sometimes put things out into the world and don’t know where they land. It was a full circle moment for me. It was one for her as well.”

Earlier this week, Goldberg suggested she might be interested in taking on the hosting gig while on The View.

“If you want to go host-less, that’s your prerogative,” she said, referring to rumors the Oscars might not have a host next year. “I think it’s a dumb idea because people need somebody to take them through things and to take care of things when they happen. Now I realize I may not be anybody’s first choice, but….”

The audience broke out into applause.

“I’m also problematic,” she added. “Half of the country sometimes is really mad at me, the other half is okay until tomorrow, and then they’re pissed at me.”

On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Goldberg endorsed a different person for the role.

“I want Ken to do it. Ken Jeong,” she said. “He would be brilliant, and it would also constitute the first Asian American to host the Oscars. It would be a whole series of firsts.”

“And he also loves film, and I think that’s what you need in a host,” she continued. “You need somebody who actually gets why films are great and can tell you the ins and outs and the silliness of movies.”