Conan O’Brien has been announced as the host of the 97th Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This marks O’Brien’s first stint as the Awards host, coming after two consecutive years of Jimmy Kimmel hosting. The ceremony is also coming off winning an Emmy for outstanding variety special (live), from a ceremony that yielded over 20 million viewers.
True to form, O’Brien responded with humour to the announcement. “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars,” he said.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said in a joint statement.
“He is 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.”
Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, highlighted O’Brien’s suitability for the gig. “Conan is a preeminent comedic voice, whose decades-long success is marked by his distinctive humor and perspective,” Erwich said. “He joins an iconic roster of comedy greats who have served in this role, and we are so lucky to have him center stage for the Oscars.”
The show’s executive producers, Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, also expressed enthusiasm about the choice, noting O’Brien’s proven skills in live television and his unique sense of humor.
“Conan has all the qualities of a great Oscars host — he is incredibly witty, charismatic and funny and has proven himself to be a master of live event television,” they said. “We are so looking forward to working with him to deliver a fresh, exciting and celebratory show for Hollywood’s biggest night.”
O’Brien is best known for his two-decade tenure as a late-night host, including shows such as “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” and “Conan.” Before his rise in late-night television, he built a career as a writer for NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and Fox’s “The Simpsons.”
He currently hosts the popular podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” and recently starred in the travel show “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” Over his career, O’Brien has been nominated for 31 Emmys, winning five.
The Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be broadcast live to more than 200 territories worldwide.
This year’s slate of films is expected to include a wide array of contenders including Sean Baker’s dramedy “Anora,” Jon M. Chu’s musical “Wicked” and Ridley Scott’s epic sequel “Gladiator II.”
