Conan O’Brien to Host the Oscars Again in 2027
Conan O’Brien is heading back to Hollywood’s biggest stage, and it looks like the Academy is not ready to hand the microphone to anyone else just yet. He has officially…
Conan O'Brien is heading back to Hollywood's biggest stage, and it looks like the Academy is not ready to hand the microphone to anyone else just yet.
He has officially been tapped to host the 99th annual Oscars in 2027, marking his third consecutive year leading the iconic awards ceremony.
Academy welcomes O'Brien back
The announcement was made Tuesday, May 12, with praise for the longtime late-night host's impact on the show.
“Conan has created remarkable energy around ‘The Oscars,'” President of Disney Television Group Craig Erwich said in a statement. “His singular comedic voice makes Hollywood's biggest night one of the most entertaining celebrations of the year. We're proud to welcome him back and look forward to what he and the producing team deliver next.”
Also returning are producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, who will oversee the live broadcast for the fourth year in a row.
In a joint statement, Kapoor and Mullan called reuniting with O'Brien “really special.”
“He's a true creative partner, someone we trust completely, and someone who makes the whole process genuinely fun, both behind the scenes and on stage. We're incredibly grateful to keep building this together and can't wait to share what's next,” they said of the Late Night with Conan O'Brien star.
A joke about Adrien Brody, of course
O'Brien has already shown he is ready to bring the laughs back.
“The only reason I'm hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O'Brien previously said in a 2025 press release, referring to the movie star's record-breaking acceptance speech that he delivered after winning Best Actor that year.
His first time hosting in 2025 was a major success, with the ceremony drawing more than 19 million viewers, its highest audience in five years.
A meaningful connection to his father
Beyond the comedy, O'Brien has shared that hosting the Oscars holds personal meaning.
During a press conference before the 98th Academy Awards this past March, he reflected on how the ceremony connects him to memories of his father.
“When I was growing up, and this is probably true of a lot of kids, I'd look at my dad and I would think, what's my dad into? And is that a way to connect with my dad?” he said.
“His treat was he would watch Johnny Carson. So I would sometimes get to stay up and watch Johnny Carson with him. And I remember very clearly Johnny Carson hosting the Oscars and watching my father watch Johnny and laugh,” he continued.
O'Brien's father, Dr. Thomas O'Brien, died in December 2024.
“To think that maybe now I'm part of that equation somehow, and in a cosmic way links me to my dad, is pretty amazing,” O'Brien said of his personal connection to the ceremony.
When to watch
The Oscars will air live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 14, 2027, at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT on ABC and Hulu.
