In the latest edition of "Emma Stone is a relatable queen," the acclaimed Poor Things star recently revealed that she has harbored lifelong dreams of competing on Jeopardy! No, not the admittedly inferior Celebrity Jeopardy!—the OG show, alongside the brainiac civilians who know their way around a history book and a clue board. The 2024 Golden Globe winner admitted as such during the promo tour for Yorgos Lanthimos' genre-bending drama, proclaiming that she's actually applied to be on the iconic quiz show every year, with no success so far at being selected to compete. However, it looks like Stone's luck might finally be changing, if Ken Jennings has anything to say about it.
During a recent appearance on Live with Kelly & Mark, which was shared on YouTube, the former Jeopardy! champ and current show host revealed he heard about Emma's game-show goals. And, in a lovely turn of events, he said that he would welcome her onto the quiz competition "in a heartbeat":
She wants to be on real, original-recipe Jeopardy, and that's a hard show! We would take her in a heartbeat.
However, just because the Oscar winner is one of the most high-profile actors in Hollywood, that doesn't mean she can just "fast-track" her way onto the program. As Ken Jennings further explained:
No, I think she would have to go through the same tests. You know, now our viewers, if they want to be on the show, they can try out from home. You can take a test online and then do a Zoom audition. We no longer make people go to the mall or to a hotel to audition for the show.
The TV host did jokingly add that the Oscar winner—who might just nab her second Academy Award for her role as the brazen Bella Baxter—would likely have "a leg up" on her fellow competitors in one regard:
I think she might a leg-up, though. She's probably pretty good on camera.
And Emma Stone is certainly well-studied when it comes to Jeopardy!'s rules and customs, which include competitors phrasing their responses in the form of a question ("What is Easy A?" and so on). There's also the moments in which they strategically declare their wagers after coming upon those coveted "Daily Double" clues. On a January episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Stone said:
I watch it every single night and I mark down how many answers I get right. I swear, I could go on Jeopardy!
However, the Jeopardy! that the leading lady and the rest of its loyal fans grew up watching has seen some changes as of late. Following the passing of beloved longtime host Alex Trebek in November 2020, Ken Jennings and The Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bialik traded off hosting duties for the game show, with fans wondering which one of them would ultimately become the permanent host.
Since it was announced that Mayim Bialik would not be returning to the show following her early exit from Season 39, Ken Jennings has maintained his spot behind the famous lectern. (Though, weirdly, Buzzy Cohen will host a few audio-only games.)
Now, all we need is to see Emma Stone take her rightful place at one of the three contestant podiums. One can only hope that the show's current host is being serious and that Stone does indeed get the opportunity to compete at some point in the future. We'll be keeping a close eye on that 2024 TV schedule so we don't miss any potential Jeopardy! appearance she might make. Fingers crossed!
