Is MrBeast Taking Over as Host of the Oscars? Why Conan O'Brien Referenced the YouTuber in 2026 Academy Awards' Post-Credit Scene
Is MrBeast Taking Over as Host of the Oscars? Why Conan O'Brien Referenced the YouTuber in 2026 Academy Awards' Post-Credit Scene
Tabitha ParentTue, March 17, 2026 at 8:35 PM UTC
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MrBeast in Los Angeles on Jan. 6, 2026Credit: JC Olivera/Variety via Getty -
Conan O'Brien's post-credit sketch following the 2026 Oscars left viewers with a few unanswered questions
The bit parodied a scene from One Battle After Another, which saw the host of the awards show appointed "Oscars Host for Life" before ultimately being replaced by social media star MrBeast
While the scene was certainly funny, there's another reason why O'Brien may have chosen to spotlight MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson
After the 2026 Oscars aired on Sunday, March 15, viewers were left with a few questions about the future of the awards show, including who will host the ceremony moving forward as the Academy Awards prepares for big changes to its broadcast.In a sketch that closed out the 2026 ceremony, Conan O'Brien parodied a scene from One Battle After Another, which took home the Oscar for Best Picture at the end of the night.The late-night host, 62, recreated a pivot moment from the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed film, which sees Sean Penn (who notably skipped the ceremony despite winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor) as Steven J. Lockjaw get accepted into the Christmas Adventurers Club, the secret white supremacist society at the center of the movie, just before he is taken into his new office and gassed.In O'Brien's version of the scene, Jim Downey, who plays Christmas Adventurers Club member Sandy Irvin in the film, appears and appoints O'Brien the Oscars "Host for Life." However, upon subsequently being gassed, O'Brien's nameplate is replaced by the immensely popular YouTuber and social media creator Jimmy Donaldson (a.k.a. MrBeast).
Conan O'Brien's mock nameplateCredit: ABC
O'Brien's take on the scene was, like a good deal of his jokes throughout the night, uniquely focused around film in the digital ageand referenced everything from AI to TikTok and more.At one point, the two-time Oscar's host even joked that he was "honored to be the last human host of the Academy Awards" before quipping that the 2027 emcee would be a "Waymo in a tux."
But the sketch could also be seen as O'Brien's farewell to the awards show after hosting in 2026 and 2025.
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Conan O'Brien hosts the 98th Oscars on March 15, 2026Credit: Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty
However, there's another reason why MrBeast, in particular, was shouted out at the end of show, and it has to do with a surprising move that the nearly centuries old award show announced at the end of 2025.On Dec. 17, 2025, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced it had signed a deal with YouTube, giving the streaming platform the exclusive rights to the Oscars after airing on ABC since 1976. The partnership will go into effect beginning in 2029, which will also mark the Oscars' 101st ceremony. The deal will run through 2033, the Academy announced.
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At the time the partnership was announced, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said in a statement that the company's partnership with the Academy "will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
So, it makes sense that Donaldson — with his staggering 471 million subscribers on YouTube for his challenge videos which often feature large cash prizes— was tapped to take over as the fictional replacement for O'Brien. Donaldson, 27, also got in on the fun on social media, resposting a screenshot of his new "Host for Life" nameplate on Twitter.
MrBeast's mock nameplate
It remains unclear whether Donaldson will actually appear as one of the upcoming hosts of the Oscars as it prepares to partner with YouTube, but O'Brien does seem to have an open invitation to keep hosting the awards show while it's still on ABC.
Rob Mills, the Walt Disney Television executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment who handles the Oscars telecast, told Deadline he "can’t confirm" whether next year will have a human host. But, he did seem open to having the comedian back. "Well, let’s put it this way. Conan has, obviously, a standing offer to host as long as he wants," Mills said.
In an interview with Variety, Mills address O'Brien's joke about hosting for life, saying, “Oh, that is no joke, Conan is host for life.” The exec added, “He hasn’t even accepted yet. He’s just being told. We’re assuming that was not a comedy bit. We’re going to treat that as if that was fact.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
