Originally posted onMarch 17, 2025 @ 12:06 pm
Conan O’Brien to Host 2026 Academy Awards
For a second consecutive year, Emmy® Award-winning television host, writer, producer and comedian Conan O’Brienwill return to host “The Oscars®” broadcast, and Emmy Award-winning live television event producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan return as the show’s executive producers for the third consecutive year; Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang announced today. Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will return as producers for a second time, and Sweeney will also serve as a writer. The 98th Oscars will air live on ABC Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT.
“We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!” said Kramer and Yang. “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 only reason I’m hosting ‘The Oscars’ next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” said O’Brien.
“Conan delivered an unforgettable performance at ‘The Oscars,’ and we’re honored to have him and the producing team back next year,” said Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group. “Conan’s unique comedic style perfectly captured the moment, and I’m excited to have his talents back onstage next year to helm another indelible performance.”
“We are both so honored to be returning in our roles for the 98th Oscars,” said Kapoor and Mullan. “We can’t wait to work with Conan and his entire team as we continue to explore even more special and heartfelt opportunities to celebrate next year’s nominees and the impact of film around the world.”
Hosted by O’Brien, the 97th Oscars, held earlier this month on March 2, delivered a five-year high in both Total Viewers (19.69 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.54 rating) and ranked as the No. 1 primetime entertainment telecast in both Total Viewers and Adults for the 2024-2025 season. The 97th Oscars earned 104.2 million total social interactions, ranking as the No. 1 most social TV program season to date, outperforming both “The GRAMMY® Awards” (102.2 million interactions) and “The Super Bowl” (62.4 million) this season for the first time on record.
O’Brien is best known for hosting the late-night talk shows “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” and “Conan.” Before his more than two-decade hosting career, he served as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons.” Currently, O’Brien hosts the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast, MAX travel show “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” and has a supporting role in the feature film “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” He has won five Primetime Emmys® and earned 31 nominations for his work.
Kapoor has earned eight Emmy Award nominations and won Emmys for his work on the 96th Oscars and for executive producing the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) “Adele: One Night Only.” In addition to several Oscars shows, Kapoor’s credits include “The GRAMMY Awards,” “ACM Awards,” “Latin Grammys,” “The Emmy Awards,” “Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas,” “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration,” “Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter” and “The Paris Olympics LA28 Handover Closing Ceremony.”
Mullan is an executive producer, showrunner and partner of the global live event production company Done+Dusted. Her work in live entertainment ranges from producing the London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies to “The Little Mermaid Live!” She won an Emmy for the 96th Oscars, and her other credits include “Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas,” “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration,” “Step Into…The Movies,” several Christmas and New Year’s Eve television specials and the “Disney Family Singalong” franchise.
Ross is a producer whose credits include “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” “Conan Without Borders,” “Conan,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Kids in the Hall.” He has won a Primetime Emmy and earned 15 nominations for his work.
Sweeney is a producer, writer and director whose credits include “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” “Conan,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” He has won three Primetime Emmys and earned 22 nominations for his work.
The 98th Oscars will be held Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
About The Academy
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is home to a global membership of more than 10,500 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. The Academy recognizes and celebrates all aspects of the arts and sciences of moviemaking through renowned awards for cinematic achievement, including the Oscars®. With the largest film-related collection in the world, the Academy is a leader in the fields of conservation, preservation and exhibition of film-related objects and materials. Through its Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Academy presents powerful exhibitions, screenings and programs about cinema’s past, present, and future. The Academy also inspires young artists and creates opportunities for underrepresented communities to engage with the film world. Across all initiatives, the Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films
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