The Academy Awards are upon us, and many in Hollywood are waiting with bated breath to see how things shake out for the 2026 Oscar nominees. There is all the glitz and glamour of the evening, from the gowns to the parties; it’s truly a big night for the industry. While I’m obviously excited to see what wins best picture and the other awards during the evening, I’m most excited to see Conan O’Brien make his return as the host of the Oscars, and according to leaders of The Academy, there is a lot to be excited about.
In a recent interview with Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor and CEO Bill Kramer for THR, the head honchos teased what we can expect from the 98th Oscars celebration. One thing that they were both excited to share is that O’Brien would once again be hosting the Oscars after doing so for the first time last year. Even though he is hosting a second time, the executives promised there would be a ton of new material for the comedian to work with. Taylor said:
The greatest thing about Conan is that he is just a well of great ideas, and that’s why everybody loves him, and why audiences are excited to see him come back. He comes from a joyful, celebratory place, that’s just sort of innately who he is as a human. We’ve been fortunate to hear the full gamut of his ideas, and there are so many that there’s just not enough space to put all of them in the show.
Last year, O’Brien’s monologue was full of timely jokes about last year's nominees. He made jokes about the controversial tweets of Karla Sofía Gascón, who was nominated for Emilia Pérez, the length of The Brutalist, and the lack of nominations for Baby Girl.
The material will be different this year, with beloved movies like One Battle After Another and Sinners being the talk of the town right now. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with, and where he’s able to find humor in the most serious titles like Hamnet and Train Dreams. Taylor was also confident in the different movies giving O’Brien a lot to talk about, saying:
This year will feel fresh and new because the movies are different, and he really knows how to play off of that. Also, the structure of the show is a little different this year than it was last year, even just how we open it. It has to do with leaning into the movies of the moment, and he knows how to do that in a really great way.
O’Brien brings an incredible balance to the ceremony. Even though he is making fun of the actors in the room and the movies they are a part of, there is still a real reverence there for all the great work they were able to put out. You can tell he did his homework and saw the movies that he could, and respects the artistry at the center. The jokes are all made out of love, and nothing seems out of malice, which is a tough line to walk.
This, combined with O’Brien’s enduring showmanship, is why he is the perfect host for the Oscars, and I’m so glad he’s back. Jimmy Kimmel did an incredible job for a number of years before him, and the fellow talk show host felt like a natural successor. It’s no surprise that a professional host would be a great host for the Oscars ceremony, but O’Brien’s unique brand of silly and smart humor is why people were so hyped to see him take on the challenging role again.
You can see Conan O’Brien host the Oscars on Sunday, March 15th at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
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