Conan O'Brien Hosts 2026 Oscars for Second Time
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- Conan O'Brien hosted the 2026 Academy Awards (the 98th) for the second time, delivering a humor‑filled ceremony that embraced Oscar traditions.
- Amy Madigan accepted her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Weapons” with a comedic speech thanking “all the dogs,” joking about shaving her legs, and refusing to “rattle off names.”
- The ceremony featured historic moments, including a tie in a category, Michael B. Jordan winning Best Actor, and the inaugural Casting Oscar awarded to Cassandra Kulukundis for “One Battle After Another.”
- The broadcast aired on ABC and streamed on Hulu, and included long speeches, tributes, a “Sinners” musical number, and a well‑paced In Memoriam segment.
- Conan O'Brien’s opening sketch had him portray Aunt Gladys, referencing Billy Crystal, and included jokes about Amazon, Netflix, Timothée Chalamet, a veiled jab at Trump, YouTube’s Oscars telecast, and vertical dramas.
- Fans and critics praised the show for its sincerity, inside jokes, and fan‑focused content, noting that a long but enjoyable telecast was well received.
Why it matters: Film fans and the Academy gain a ceremony that celebrates collaboration and fan culture, as the 2026 Oscars were praised for sincerity, inside jokes, and historic firsts, while the extended runtime—though lengthy—was welcomed by dedicated viewers, reinforcing the value of a fan‑focused broadcast.
