Conan O'Brien Returning to Host 2026 Oscars, Jokes 'Only Reason' Is to Hear Adrien Brody Finish His Speech
Conan O'Brien did so well hosting the 97th annual Oscars that he'll be back to do it again in 2026!
On Monday March 17, it was announced that the 61-year-old comedian would be returning to host the 98th annual Academy Awards on ABC next year. The ceremony will take place in the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif.
'The only reason I'm hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,' O'Brien joked in a press release, referring to Brody's record-breaking acceptance speech that he delivered after winning Best Actor this year.
Related: Celebrities Who Have Hosted the Oscars the Most Times
The ceremony is also bringing back Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan as executive producers and Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney as producers. Sweeney will serve double duty as he will also be working on the writing team.
'We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!' Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement. 'This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way. Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.'
The 2025 ceremony brought in more than 19 million viewers, reaching a five-year high. It also marked the first year that O'Brien served as host.
Related: What You Didn't See During the 2025 Oscars: Timothée Chalamet Shares a Sweet Moment with Kylie Jenner and More
During his hosting duties, O'Brien made plenty of playful jokes, including referencing Drake and Kendrick Lamar's ongoing feud.
"It's a celebration of an entire industry and people from every walk of life who give their blood, sweat and tears for show business," O'Brien told PEOPLE ahead of hosting the iconic awards ceremony earlier this month.
While he noted that emceeing the event "can be tricky," O'Brien was ready to go. "I like to meet a challenge," he said.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Previous hosts of the awards ceremony include Jimmy Kimmel, Whoopi Goldberg and Steve Martin. Kimmel declined an offer to return to the show in 2025.
The late Bob Hope holds the record for the most times hosting Hollywood's biggest night, having taken the stage 19 times. Nine-time host Billy Crystal comes in second place on the list.
The 98th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Huey Lewis says he ‘can't hear music' after severe hearing loss
Huey Lewis has revealed that he can no longer hear music due to severe hearing loss. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, 74, was diagnosed with Ménière's disease in 2018. The inner ear disorder can cause severe dizziness, tinnitus and hearing loss. Speaking to People, Lewis said he had surgery to help deal with the condition. "I'm no spring chicken, so something's going to happen at some point and this is my cross to bear,' said Lewis. 'I have a cochlear implant in my head that now enables me to hear speech much better. I lost bilaterally, my hearing ... the intense vertigo — knock on wood — I have kind of outgrown. I'm mildly dizzy all the time, and my hearing just went to zero. 'And now I have a cochlear implant, so I'm much better that way, but I can't hear music.' Lewis lamented the loss of music in his life, saying: 'The worst part is that means it's bad enough not to be able to perform and sing and play, but it's really bad not to even be able to enjoy music.' He described performing and recording as 'the best feeling in the world' but added: 'I'm never going to get there. I mean, I might get to where I can try to, and I'm not going to give up. I'm going to try. But geez, that kind of fun, that kind of great ride. I doubt I'm ever going to see that ... feel that again.' Earlier this week, Lewis took part in an appeal by the cast of Back to the Future to track down the iconic Cherry Red Gibson ES-345 guitar used in the film. Lewis and his band Huey Lewis and the News performed the soundtrack's headline song 'The Power of Love'. As the movie commemorates its 40th anniversary, Gibson is producing a documentary, Lost to the Future, chronicling the search for the elusive guitar and the film's legacy. In the film, Michael J Fox's Marty McFly steps in for an injured band member at the 1955 school dance with the theme 'Enchantment under the Sea', playing the guitar as students slow dance to 'Earth Angel'. He then leads Marvin Berry and the Starlighters in a rendition of 'Johnny B. Goode', calling it an oldie where he comes was from even though the 1958 song doesn't exist yet for his audience. Fox said he wanted McFly to riff through his favorite guitarists' signature styles – Jimi Hendrix behind the head, Pete Townshend's windmill and the Eddie Van Halen hammer. After digging and dancing to 'Johnny B. Goode', the students at the dance fall into an awkward silence as McFly's riffs turn increasingly wild. 'I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet,' McFly says. 'But your kids are gonna love it.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dakota Johnson & Coldplay's Chris Martin Reportedly Breakup After 8 Years
Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin are back in the spotlight following reports of their latest breakup. Multiple sources have confirmed that the longtime couple, who began dating in 2017 and were reportedly engaged for years, have ended their relationship once again. The news comes just weeks after their last public appearance together in Malibu. Here's what sources revealed about the split, the couple's relationship timeline, and where things stand now. Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have ended their relationship, sources confirmed to People. The pair had been in an on-off relationship since 2017 and were reportedly engaged for several years. A source told the outlet, 'It feels final this time,' suggesting a definitive end to their nearly eight-year partnership. The couple was last seen publicly on May 16, 2025, in Malibu. They were also photographed holding hands in India in January during Martin's Coldplay tour. Speculation about their engagement first arose in 2020, but it wasn't until March 2024 that a source confirmed they had been engaged 'for years.' At the time, they were reportedly 'in no rush to get married.' In August 2024, breakup rumors surfaced but were dismissed by Johnson's rep, who said the two were 'happily together.' Johnson and Martin maintained a low-profile relationship. In June 2024, a source said they had experienced 'ups and downs, but now they're definitely back on.' Johnson has also publicly expressed affection for Martin's children with Gwyneth Paltrow, saying, 'I love those kids like my life depends on it,' referring to Apple, 21, and Moses, 19. She previously spoke about Martin's performances, telling Bustle, 'I love watching him. I could watch him every day… I'm watching my most favorite being do his most favorite thing.' Johnson attended a promotional event in New York on May 29, 2025, following her split, appearing solo just weeks before the release of Materialists, her upcoming film with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. The post Dakota Johnson & Coldplay's Chris Martin Reportedly Breakup After 8 Years appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Queen Camilla ‘stays out' of King Charles' ongoing rift with Prince Harry
Queen Camilla is choosing to maintain her distance from the ongoing drama between her husband, King Charles, and his estranged youngest son, Prince Harry. Palace sources say the queen, 77, 'stays out of it' as the feud between the two camps grows increasingly bitter. Insiders say that the Duke of Sussex's explosive BBC interview last month poured fuel on the fire — shattering what little trust remained between him and his cancer-stricken father. 'The king and William don't trust Harry and Meghan with any kind of confidential conversation,' royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People, adding that 'the underlying issue is trust.' 'It wasn't meant to be an attack, but it would be seen as one. It makes Charles reaching out even harder,' royal author Valentine Low told the outlet. Meanwhile, 'Charles: The Heart of a King' author Catherine Mayer told the outlet, 'If you have that level of breach in a family, and you are estranged, you run that risk every day of having something unfathomable to deal with.' The Post has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. Camilla, for her part, removed herself from the feud years ago since she was heavily criticized in Harry's protocol-shattering memoir, 'Spare.' The Invictus Games founder's feelings for Camilla were laid bare in the book, in which he sensationally branded her 'dangerous' and 'the villain.' The father of two also claimed that his stepmother leaked stories about the royal family to the media to maintain her image and boost her popularity. Now, insiders allege that the monarch, 76, lacks supportive voices of reason who would encourage him to make the first step toward reconciliation with Harry. What's more, sources added that Harry's estranged brother and future king, Prince William, has no interest in mending bridges. 'There is not a good angel in his ear to say, 'Be a good dad and make the first move,'' Low told the outlet. Last month, a royal commentator said that the duke needed to keep a 'dignified silence' if he ever wanted a chance at a reconciliation with his estranged family members. Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty magazine, has since weighed in on the discourse, calling the 'Spare' author's comments about his estranged father's health 'quite alarming.' 'From what Harry is saying, despite admitting that he has not spoken to his father for some time, I thought it sent out a bit of a mixed message, really,' Little said. 'Is Harry suggesting that the King isn't as well as we are led to believe?'
