LOS ANGELES — Oscars host Conan O’Brien kicked off the 98th Oscars by channeling Oscar-nominated actress Amy Madigan’s performance in ‘Weapons,’ where he played the scary movie’s villain “Aunt Gladys” while poking fun of many nominated actors and movies in a pre-recorded sketch. He then delivered a monologue that touched on this year’s nominated movies and actors.
Live Updates: Latest from the 98th Academy Awards
After the opening sketch, O’Brien poked fun at artificial intelligence, calling himself “the last human host of the Academy Awards,” adding that next year’s host will be a Waymo in a tux.
O’Brien also poked fun at Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet — who is facing criticism for comments he made during a recent interview — joking that security is tight at the event because of “concerns over attacks from both the opera and ballet communies.”
“They’re just mad that you left out jazz,” O’Brien said.
MORE | Timothée Chalamet faces backlash over comments about opera and ballet in recent interview
Actor and Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet is facing criticism from members of the opera and ballet communities after comments he made during a recent interview.
O’Brien did not shy away from politics in his opening monologue.
The host joked that Kid Rock would be hosting a competing Oscars show, a nod to the Turning Point USA Super Bowl Halftime counterprogramming “All-American Halftime Show” that competed with Bad Bunny’s performance during the big game.
O’Brien went on to poke fun at all the nominated best picture films.
Joking about names of films “Hamnet” and “Bugonia,” he said it was a “big year for movies that sound like off-brand lunch meat.”
Oscars host Conan O’Brien kicked off the 98th Oscars with a monologue that touched on this year’s nominated movies and actors.
O’Brien joked about the new best casting category, saying that one casting director will win an Oscar, and “for the rest of you, we’ve decided to go in another direction.”
Making a nod to Michael B. Jordan’s performance as twins in “Sinners,” O’Brien joked that every seat filler during the award show will “be Michael B. Jordan” and the camera cut to a crowd shot of many of bodies looking identical to Jordan.
The lookalikes were so convincing, it sparked chatter online to whether they were lookalike actors, AI-generated or Hollywood movie magic.
O’Brien then finished his monologue with a comical musical number that showed how ungraciously he would accept an Oscar, if he were to ever win one at the Academy Awards.
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