Oscars Host Conan O'Brien Vows to 'Find the Right Tone' Amid Iran War

O'Brien says his job is about balancing entertainment and acknowledging current realities for the 2026 Academy Awards ceremony.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 10:53pm

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Oscars host Conan O'Brien said his job is about balancing 'entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities' of the time, including the ongoing Iran war. O'Brien recalled Johnny Carson's turn hosting the Oscars during the Iran hostage crisis and how he was able to strike a balance between humor and gravity. The Oscars production team also said they are putting systems in place to ensure the safety of attendees amid global tensions and reported threats.

Why it matters

The Oscars ceremony is a major televised event that celebrates the film industry, but it also takes place against the backdrop of real-world events. O'Brien and the production team must navigate striking the right tone between entertainment and acknowledging the gravity of the situation, similar to how past Oscars hosts have handled hosting duties during times of crisis.

The details

O'Brien said he and his team of writers are still revising material ahead of the show to make sure their content is as relevant as possible. Oscars telecast executive producers Katy Mullan and Raj Kapoor said the production team is putting systems in place to alleviate attendees' safety concerns amid the tense global situation and reported threats to California. The creative direction of the show will focus on 'human touch' and 'actual intelligence' as opposed to AI, with performances celebrating Korean culture and a 'Sinners' moment featuring various musical artists.

  • The 2026 Oscars will air live on Sunday.

The players

Conan O'Brien

The host of the 2026 Academy Awards ceremony.

Katy Mullan

An executive producer of the Oscars telecast.

Raj Kapoor

An executive producer of the Oscars telecast.

Johnny Carson

A former host of the Academy Awards during the Iran hostage crisis.

Michael Bearden

The music director for the Oscars ceremony.

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What they’re saying

“My job is to always try and hit this very, very thin line between entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities.”

— Conan O'Brien, Oscars Host (latimes.com)

“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.”

— Conan O'Brien, Oscars Host (latimes.com)

“Every year, we monitor what's going on in the world. This show has to run like clockwork.”

— Raj Kapoor, Oscars Telecast Executive Producer (latimes.com)

“We're celebrating human touch, human connection and what I like to call actual intelligence, as opposed to artificial.”

— Michael Bearden, Oscars Music Director (latimes.com)

What’s next

The Oscars ceremony will take place on Sunday, with various safety measures in place to ensure the event runs smoothly amid global tensions.

The takeaway

The Oscars production team must strike a delicate balance between entertaining the audience and acknowledging the serious realities of the time, drawing inspiration from past hosts who have navigated similar challenges during times of crisis.