Conan O'Brien 2026 Oscars monologue took shots at Timothée Chalamet and AI, praised 'Sinners' director Ryan Coogler, and featured Josh Groban.
on Sunday night, March 15, with a journey through this year’s top nominated films. In an extensive monologue that found him cosplaying as Amy Madigan’sSinners, Marty Supreme, F1, One Battle After Another, and Hamnetwhere he shed the wig and clown makeup and got right to work.
His first order of business was, of course, tearing into Best Actor nominee Timothée Chalamet for his discourse-bombing opinions about the ballet and opera. “They’re just mad you left out jazz,” O’Brien said. He brought his opening full circle by presenting himself with an imaginary Academy Award for Best Achievement. Naturally, he enlisted Josh Groban to perform an operatic anthem for his acceptance speech, which he delivered while standing atop a mountain set. “Security is pretty tight tonight. We've heard there could be attacks from both the opera and ballet communities."As usual, O’Brien struck a balance between politics and pop culture. “It’s the first time since 2012 that there are no British actors nominated for Best Actor or Best Actress,” he said. “A British spokesperson said, ‘Yeah, well, at least we arrest our pedophiles.'” In between jabs like these and bits about nominees Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio — and the notably not-nominated Amazon Studios — O’Brien celebrated the international efforts required to bring the movies being celebrated tonight, and every year, to life. “Tonight is an international event. If I can be serious for just a moment, everyone watching right now, around the world, is all too aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times,” O’Brien said. “It’s at moments like these that I believe that the Oscars are particularly resonant. Thirty-one countries across six continents are represented this evening. And every film we salute is the product of thousands of people speaking different languages, working hard to make something of beauty. We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today — optimism. So, let us please celebrate the days ahead — not because we think all is well, but because we work and hope for better.”for the first time in 2025. Asat the time, “O’Brien hosted for the first time, but damn, he simply did not care. That’s good news, since it’s a fact that a loose, DGAF Oscar night is more fun than an uptight, punch-the-clock Oscar night.”'SNL' Weekend Update: Tucker Carlson Gets Triggered by Oscars Nominees, O’Brien spoke spoke about his preparations for the show, saying he’d been testing out monologue material during surprise sets at comedy clubs. “The crowds really like it, because I’m a surprise, so they don’t know that I’m gonna show up,” O’Brien said, before quipping: “And some of these are very far-flung comedy clubs. They’re also a bowling alley. They’re also a car rental place.” He also shared his love for this year’s crop of nominees, calling them “spectacular” and “all quite different.” He continued: “I meanFinal Oscars Predictions: Who Will Win and Should Win in the Ultimate Showdown Between 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another'Conan O’Brien Opens the 2026 Oscars with a Little of This, a Little of That, and One Incredible Amazon Joke
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