Comedian and television host Conan O’Brien has been selected to host the 97th Oscars in the new year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced.
It will be O’Brien’s first time hosting the Oscars, which will be presented on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Fellow comedian and television host Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony for the last two years.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in a joint statement.
“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.”
O’Brien joins the list of Oscar hosts that includes Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, David Letterman, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris.
“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,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group.
O’Brien is most recognized as a late-night television host, starting in 1993, when he was chosen to replace David Letterman as the host of Late Night with Conan O’Brien. He briefly hosted The Tonight Show before launching a new late-night show, Conan, in 2010.
In 2021, after concluding Conan, O’Brien signed a deal with HBO Max (later rebranded as Max) to develop new content, including a travel documentary series called Conan Without Borders.
Throughout his career, O’Brien has been nominated for 31 Emmys, winning five.
With files from The Associated Press
