Conan O'Brien retains his throne as King of the Oscars with opening monologue

Security is choky astatine this year’s Oscar’s awards, and the large concerns came from the opera and ballet communities, Conan O’brien joked arsenic helium kicked disconnected the 98th Academy Awards.

“They’re conscionable huffy you near retired jazz,” O’Brien quips astatine Timothée Chalamet, who smiled from the crowd.

The “Marty Supreme” histrion faced backlash earlier this period implicit remarks helium made astir the arts during a Variety and CNN municipality hallway with Matthew McConaughey successful February.

Chalamet said helium appreciated those moving to support movie theaters alive, noting helium doesn’t “want to beryllium moving successful ballet oregon opera oregon things wherever it’s like, ‘Hey! Keep this happening alive.’ Even though it’s similar nary 1 cares astir this anymore.”

O’Brien acknowledged the “very chaotic, frightening times,” during Sunday’s awards, each the portion landing affable quips to the star-studded assemblage during his opening monologue.

The Oscars are “particularly resonant” during times of turmoil, helium said, noting that 31 countries crossed six continents were represented successful the show.

“Every movie we salute is simply a merchandise of thousands of radical speaking antithetic language, moving hard to marque thing of beauty,” O’Brien said. “We wage tribute tonight, not conscionable to film, but to the ideals of planetary artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today: optimism.”

The comedian joked that Sunday’s awards was the archetypal clip Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos was successful a theater. O’Brien besides warned the amusement mightiness get political, and said anyone who is uncomfortable tin drawback an alternate mentation of the amusement “hosted by Kid Rock astatine the Dave and Busters down the street” a jab astatine the MAGA-fueled Super Bowl halftime amusement earlier this year.

O’Brien acknowledged the large movies up for awards this year, with “Sinners” receiving a circular of applause from the audience. The movie broke records this twelvemonth with 16 nominations.

“I’m honored to beryllium the past quality big of the Academy Awards. Next twelvemonth it’s gonna beryllium a Waymo with a tux,” O’Brien said.

The comedian, who returned to the Oscars signifier Sunday aft emceeing past year, started the amusement with a pre-recorded country of him backstage, wherever helium was fixed airy constitution and a abbreviated orangish wig, resembling Gladys from the movie “Weapons.”

The montage features O’Brien moving done movie sets of assorted nominated movies arsenic a radical of children tally aft him, an homage to the movie’s infamous scene. O’Brien adjacent became animated arsenic helium appeared successful the Netflix movie “KPop Demon Hunters.”

O’Brien yet makes it to the Oscars stage, with the children inactive moving aft him.

O’Brien’s instrumentality was confirmed conscionable weeks aft past year’s awards show, overmuch earlier than the emblematic autumn announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. O’Brien’s show was well-received past twelvemonth and helped the telecast summation a flimsy bump successful assemblage ratings, marking a five-year high.

“Conan was the cleanable big — skillfully guiding america done the evening with humor, warmth and reverence,” academy Chief Executive Bill Kramer and erstwhile president Janet Yang said successful a connection announcing the instrumentality engagement.

After signing disconnected from late-night TV, O’Brien launched the Emmy-winning HBO Max question amusement “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” He received the Mark Twain Prize for beingness accomplishment successful drama successful aboriginal 2025. The 62-year-old besides hosts the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.”

O’Brien kept past year’s jokes light, directing affable jabs astatine immoderate of the attendees. The comedian stayed distant from politics, though helium did admit the devastating wildfires that struck the region, saying, “in a infinitesimal specified arsenic this, immoderate awards amusement tin look self-indulgent and superfluous.”

“Last twelvemonth erstwhile I hosted, Los Angeles was connected fire. But this year, everything is going great,” O’Brien said.