Conan O'Brien, Oscars producers promise global celebration
by Fred Topel · UPILOS ANGELES, March 13 (UPI) -- Host Conan O'Brien, executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan and choreographer Mandy Moore said the 98th Academy Awards, airing live Sunday at 7 p.m. EDT on ABC and Hulu, will emphasize the global nature of nominees.
O'Brien returns for the second year in a row. At a recent Zoom press conference, the 62-year-old said knowing he was hosting again focused his attention on films year round.
"All the movies are so different," O'Brien said. "So many different voices went into them and I think it's one of the best years that we've had in memory so it's really cool to be a part of it."
Kapoor, who is also the showrunner of the event, pointed out that Best Animated Film nominee KPop Demon Hunters is "celebrated for being an animated feature but also a global phenomenon. You have this lovely story celebrating Korean culture with authentic Korean drummers and singers, even choreography."
Moore is preparing Korean-inspired choreography for the performance of the Oscar-nominated song "Golden" from the animated film.
"I talked to Raj about these beautiful gold flags," Moore said. "My job is to create this visual that happens that's in conjunction with everything else everybody else is doing so we're going to see how it all comes together on camera."
The American film Sinners represents another milestone with 16 nominations. Mullan teased a special moment planned to honor its achievement.
"Throughout the show, they're going to be really well represented through our nomination packages," Mullan said. "There's going to be a really special moment that pays tribute to how important that film has been this year, how beloved it is with audiences and how it's just resonated globally."
O'Brien's co-star in the film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Rose Byrne, is also nominated for Best Actress. O'Brien joked about the importance of his role as her partner in a psychotherapy practice.
"I think I elevated Rose's performance," O'Brien joked. "If she is to win, I think half that Oscar is mine. I really do believe that and I'm not deluded."
When it comes to joking about world events for the international audience watching, O'Brien is working with writers Mike Sweeney and Jeff Ross to decide what will be relevant on Sunday.
"It's a dance that goes on up until the show begins," O'Brien said. "It's still evolving because we live in a very fast-paced world. Jokes we thought of two months ago are irrelevant right now. There might be things that happen this week that will find their way into the show."
O'Brien remembered a moment Johnny Carson improvised while hosting the 1980 Oscars. The show was running long and Carson referenced the Iran hostage crisis. At the time, Nightline was known for marking the length of the ordeal by announcing the day count - "It's day 300, day 310."
"Johnny said, 'Well, it is day 444 of this Oscars,'" O'Brien said. "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. That was meaningful to me."
Still, O'Brien noted that his job consists of more than just joke-telling. O'Brien said he is also there to keep the show moving and prepare enough, but be spontaneous.
"It's not that different from making a room full of people laugh when I'm a guest at a wedding or working on the Groundlings stage when I was starting out," O'Brien said. "You just gotta let it go and go out there and let my natural low self-esteem take over."
Conan O'Brien rolls out the red carpet for Oscars
Conan O'Brien strikes a pose during the Academy Awards red carpet roll out at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles on March 11, 2026. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo