Oscars host Conan O'Brien says 'we will find the right tone' for ceremony amid Iran war

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The big question surrounding last year’s Academy Awards was whether the show would address the L.A.wildfires, which had rattled the city mere months prior.

This year, the elephant in the room is the ongoing Iran war, which like last year’s wildfires, puts a celebration like the Oscars in sharp relief.But for Conan O’Brien, balancing gravity and levity is part of his job description as host.

“My job is to always try and hit this very, very thin line between entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities,” O’Brien said during a Wednesday news conference with the Oscars creative team.Awards The 2026 Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Pacific.Conan O’Brien will return as the show’s host.“It’s a dance that goes on up until the show begins,” the former talk show host said, adding that he and his team of writers are still revising material ahead of the show to ensure their content is as relevant as possible.

“Between us,” he said, referencing Oscars telecast executive producers Katy Mullan and Raj Kapoor, “we will find the right tone.”O’Brien also during the news conference recalled Johnny Carson’s turn hosting the Oscars during the Iran hostage crisis, when 52 Americans, including diplomats and other personnel, were held hostage at the U.S.embassy in Tehran from 1979 to 1981.

The comedian remembered the television host parodying ABC’s “Nightline” with his joke, “It’s day 444 of the Oscars.” “It was such a funny, topical joke that touched on something everyone was thinking about, and at the same time, got a big laugh and was unifying,” O’Brien said.“That was meaningful to me.” Awards Timothée or Michael? Teyana or Amy? ‘Sinners’ or ‘One Battle After Another’? With plenty of categories coming down to the wire, our awards columnist makes his final Oscar predictions.Kapoor said durin...