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Conan O’Brien’s Cheeky Reaction to Hosting the 2025 Oscars
Conan O’Brien’s 2025 Oscars routine was in the works right up until the last moment.
While the host’s emceeing act seemed effortless, it turns out his monologue—which took jabs at Emilia Pérez’s Karla Sofía Gascón and Timothee Chalamet—was meticulously curated.
"There's the agony of before—preparation, getting ready—and that goes on for months," he exclusively revealed to E! News at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars party. "Then we worked so hard that by the time we got to the point where it was time to go, I couldn't wait. And it was a really great crowd. They were laughers, thank God."
But even with the preparation there were some jokes that, in the moment, Conan opted to leave out.
"There are times where you think, 'We've got a good joke here, but I'm not gonna do it. It doesn't feel right,'" he revealed. "So we made a lot of changes backstage. You just decide, 'Oh this is a better joke,' or you think of something in the moment, and you just go with it, and those can be blessings." (For more from the Vanity Fair party, tune into E! News tonight, Mar. 3 at 11p.m.)
But, the 61-year-old is generally happy with his performance.
"I'm letting people compliment me," he joked. "I was really happy with how it went. It's an honor to be asked to do it, and I'm just happy that people seem very pleased. And now I'm really happy to sleep for two weeks."
Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images
Conan's hosting triumph comes as a bittersweet moment in his life, occurring just over two months after the deaths of both his parents: Thomas F. O’Brien, who passed away Dec. 9 at age 95, and his mom Ruth Reardon O’Brien, who died three days later at age 92.
“I think what my mother and father saw in each other was that they were kindred spirits,” he told the Boston Globe in December. “They were incredibly hard-working and disciplined.”
The late night veteran also highlighted what made his mom and dad unique as individuals.
“My dad was the dreamer,” he recalled. “My dad was the one who was saying, ‘I’m off to Peru with a change of clothes in my briefcase to try and launch this website for a hospital there high in the mountains.’”
While his mother was “doing all this mom stuff, and when that was done, rushing into a phone booth and becoming Ruth O’Brien, second woman partner at Ropes & Gray.”
Rich Fury/Getty Images
But amid his grief, Conan remained upbeat about hosting the Oscars, noting the pressure to deliver big laughs in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.
“There's no such thing as getting to a point professionally where there are no nerves if you’re working in comedy,” he told People. “I am very aware that it's an iconic show and can be tricky... I like to meet a challenge.”
For more highlights from the 2025 Oscars, keep reading.
--Reporting by Sharon Carpenter
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Wicked's Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Congratulate Each Other on a Job Well Done
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Host Conan O'Brien's Gift for the Real VIPs
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John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images
Meg Ryan and Best Actress Nominee Demi Moore Have an Emotional Moment
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John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images
Best Supporting Actor Winner Kieran Culkin Enjoys His Victory With Robert Downey Jr.
Noting in his Best Supporting Actor speech that the honor meant a particular lot coming from presenter Robert Downey Jr., A Real Pain star Kieran Culkin enjoyed his moment with last year's winner backstage.
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Samuel L. Jackson and Selena Gomez Snap a Selfie
Past nominee Samuel L. Jackson and Emilia Pérez star Selena Gomez, paired to present Oscars for Best Documentary Short and Documentary Feature, made sure to capture the moment for posterity.
John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images
Best Supporting Actress Winner Zoe Saldaña Tunes in Backstage
Emilia Pérez star Zoe Saldaña, waiting backstage to present the Oscar for cinematography, caught Sterling K. Brown and Ana de Armas presenting Best Live Action Short to I'm Not a Robot.
John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images
Lisa Steals a Quiet Moment Backstage
Before Lisa performed "Live and Let Die" as part of a tribute to the James Bond franchise and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the Blackpink artist and White Lotus star stopped to collect herself backstage.
John Shearer/97th Oscars/The Academy via Getty Images
Margaret Qualley, Elle Fanning Catch Up Backstage
The Substance's Margaret Qualley and A Complete Unknown's Elle Fanning weren't among the nominees but producers found meaty roles for both: Qualley made a slinks surprise appearance in the evening's James Bond tribute as a dancer, while Fanning helped present Best Costume Design to Wicked's Paul Tazewell.
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Past Winners Cillian Murphy and Emma Stone Meet Again
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Richard Harbaugh/The Academy via Getty Images
Adrien Brody Thinks Billy Crystal Looks Marvelous, Darling
Best Actor winner Brody had an affectionate greeting for revered nine-time Oscars host Billy Crystal, who reunited with When Harry Met Sally costar Meg Ryan to present Best Picture to Anora.
The 2025 Academy Awards air tonight, Mar. 2, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and Hulu.
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