Courtesy of Team Coco.
The Oscars Host search has come to a close. The Academy announced this morning that beloved Emmy Award winning comedian, host & writer Conan O'Brien has been tapped to host the 97th Academy Awards on ABC March 2nd, 2025.
This marks the comedian's first time hosting the star-studded awards show and follows fellow comic & late night host Jimmy Kimmel hosting the show for the last two years.
What The Academy & Conan O'Brien are saying about this year's ceremony.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “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.”
In classic Conan fashion, O'Brien jokes in a statement: "“America demanded it, and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.”
The news comes as a pleasant surprise that Conan is hosting given that he hadn't been in the grander hosting conversation as of late. 800 Pound Gorilla News even gathered a list of potential hosts based on connection to the Disney umbrella, active hosting rumors & capability to host. The Academy previously reached out to both Jimmy Kimmel & John Mulaney to host this year's ceremony and they both declined the offer.
“Conan is a preeminent comedic voice whose decades-long success is marked by his distinctive humor and perspective,” said Craig Erwich, president, 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.”
“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. “We are so looking forward to working with him to deliver a fresh, exciting and celebratory show for Hollywood’s biggest night.”
Conan can currently be seen hosting the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast and recently starred in the 2024 travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go, which is currently in production for season 2 & won an Emmy this year for Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program. He's won five Primetime Emmys and earned 31 nominations for his work.
When are the 97th Academy Awards?
The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
