In a surprise move, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that beloved television host and comedian Conan O’Brien will take the reins as the host of the 97th Academy Awards ceremony next year.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” said Academy Chief Executive Officer Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang in a joint statement on Friday. “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.”
O’Brien, who is best known for hosting late-night talk shows like “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” and his current program “Conan,” couldn’t resist putting his own comedic spin on the announcement. “America demanded it, and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme,” he joked. “In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.”
The Emmy-winning comedian and writer has served as the host of other high-profile awards shows in the past, including the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2006, as well as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 1995 and 2013. However, this will mark his first time as the master of ceremonies for the prestigious Academy Awards.
“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,” said Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan.
The decision to bring in O’Brien comes after two consecutive years of hosting duties handled by another familiar late-night face, Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars in 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024, announced in August that he would be stepping down from the role, at least for a year.
This change-up is part of the Academy’s ongoing effort to reinvigorate the Oscars telecast and appeal to a wider audience. After enduring a period of declining viewership in recent years, the organization has experimented with various hosting formats, from enlisting multiple hosts in 2022 to going hostless entirely from 2019 to 2021.
The return to a single host in 2023 and 2024 with Kimmel helped restore some luster to the event, with this year’s broadcast drawing 19.5 million viewers—the highest in four years. However, the academy is clearly hoping that bringing in a fresh face like O’Brien will further boost interest and engagement.
“Conan is the perfect choice to take the Oscars into a new era,” said Craig Erwich, president of the Disney Television Group. “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.”
Since departing late-night television in 2021, O’Brien has focused his efforts on his popular podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” and a spinoff travel show for the Max streaming service called “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” Now, he’ll add hosting the 97th Academy Awards to his impressive resume. ABC will broadcast live coverage of the 97th Oscars ceremony from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.