It was announced this morning that Family Guy and Ted creator Seth MacFarlane will helm the 85th Annual Academy Awards this February.

Most recently, MacFarlane hosted Saturday Night Live and came off like a true natural. MacFarlane’s opening monologue, made up of impressions, was a resounding success – he seamlessly switched between real and fictional characters:

“It’s truly an overwhelming privilege to be asked to host the Oscars,” said MacFarlane in a press release. “My thoughts upon hearing the news were, one, I will do my utmost to live up to the high standards set forth by my predecessors; and two, I hope they don’t find out I hosted the Charlie Sheen Roast.”

“Seth is unbelievably talented,” added Academy President Hawk Koch. “We couldn’t be happier with the creative team we’ve assembled. With [producers] Craig [Zadan], Neil [Meron], and now Seth, we’re off to a great start.”

Update: Watch MacFarlane’s formal announcement which stars him and his dad – who can only talk about swimsuits.

Interestingly, this is the first time in recent years that the awards’ producers have not selected an easily recognizable face. MacFarlane largely works behind the scenes because of his animated television shows (Family Guy, American Dad), and only voices an animated bear in Ted. We can already imagine how MacFarlane will introduce himself to this entirely new audience using a song and dance.

The Oscars will be held live Sunday, February 24 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on ABC. We’ll continue to offer coverage of the awards as we approach the event.

This past year’s Oscars were helmed by Billy Crystal who won over viewers for his down-to-earth charm and prior hosting experience.