Former late-night TV host and comedian Conan O’Brien will emcee the Oscars for the first time, replacing fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel, the awards’ organisers announced Friday.
Next March, O’Brien, 61, will host Hollywood’s most important night with the hopes of sustaining and possibly even surpassing an increase in viewership that was observed earlier this year.
“America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars,” O’Brien quipped in a statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang called O’Brien “the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies and his live TV expertise.”
“His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best — honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year,” they said in the statement.
Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan hailed O’Brien as “incredibly witty, charismatic and funny.”
Five-time Emmy winner O’Brien has hosted a number of late-night talk shows, such as “The Tonight Show,” and he is presently the host of the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.” When he was younger, he wrote for “Saturday Night Live.”
In 2017 and 2018, Kimmel hosted the Oscars for the first time. Following the controversial on-stage slap of Chris Rock by actor Will Smith at the previous year’s event, he was then reinstated in 2023. This previous March, Kimmel hosted the gala as well.
Nearly 20 million people watched the most recent Oscars, which is a positive trend for live awards show organisers who have been losing audiences as they battle with social media highlight videos and streamers.
The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood will host the 97th Academy Awards on March 2, 2025.
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