Conan O’Brien to return as host of 2026 Oscars

LOS ANGELES — After earning rave reviews for his stint hosting the Oscars earlier this month, Conan O’Brien will return to host the 2026 ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC said Monday.

“The only reason I’m hosting ‘The Oscars’ next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O’Brien said in a statement.

The academy typically unveils its show emcee in late fall. By announcing O’Brien’s return to host the 98th Academy Awards nearly a year in advance, the academy and Walt Disney Co.’s ABC broadcast network are sending a vote of confidence for the quirky comedian.

O’Brien’s humor during this year’s show was well received, and compared with many comics, he’s not a political lightning rod. The 97th Academy Award telecast also saw a slight audience bump despite the lack of blockbuster box-office hits among the front-runner movies.

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The show averaged 19.7 million viewers for ABC and streaming service Hulu, an increase of about 200,000 audience members from the 2024 show.

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That marked the Oscar’s best performance in five years. The show also boasted a large audience among viewers aged 18 to 49, the preferred demographic of advertisers.

“Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence,” academy Chief Executive Bill Kramer and academy President Janet Yang said in a statement announcing the return engagement.

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The program ran long — 3 hours and 45 minutes — despite O’Brien’s cheeky assurances early in the show that he would not waste time. Brody, who won lead actor for “The Brutalist,” gave the longest acceptance speech in Oscar history, clocking in at 5 minutes and 36 seconds. By that time, the show was already running long.

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Television producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan will also return as executive producers for a third straight year. Producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will be back for a second time. Sweeney will also serve as a writer.

“This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way,” Kramer and Yang said of the team, including O’Brien.

The Emmy-winning host is a television variety show veteran, hosting the late-night talk shows “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” and “Conan.” Previously, he served as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons.” He currently hosts the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast.

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The 2026 Oscars will air on ABC on March 15 at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

The two sides did not say whether Hulu would again stream the Oscars.

The Disney-owned streamer’s inaugural attempt was marred by technical glitches that left thousands of Hulu subscribers missing key moments from the show.

ABC has televised the awards show for nearly a half-century and is entering the final phase of its deal to broadcast the Oscars. The current contract, which was struck in 2016, allows ABC to televise the Oscars through 2028 — the year of the show’s 100th anniversary.

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It’s unclear whether the academy and Disney will renew the pact to keep the Oscars on ABC.

The academy relies heavily on revenue from Disney. In 2023, the academy reported total revenue of nearly $158 million, according to tax filings. More than 90% of that came from its television contracts for the Oscars.

Colin Farrell ‘in talks to take lead role in Sgt. Rock’

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Colin Farrell is reportedly in talks to take the lead role in ‘Sgt. Rock’, a new adaptation of the DC Comics series directed by Luca Guadagnino.

The 47-year-old actor, currently best known among younger fans for playing the Penguin in ‘The Batman’, is being considered for the part after Daniel Craig, 56, dropped out of the project in February, according to Variety.

‘Sgt. Rock’ is expected to begin shooting this summer at DC Studios’ production base in England.

In the original comics, the titular Sgt. Rock is a World War II soldier and battlefield hero.

The character has been the subject of multiple failed film adaptations, with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger previously linked to the role.

This latest iteration is being developed under the guidance of DC Studios co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran.

Colin made his DC Universe debut in Matt Reeves’s 2022 blockbuster ‘The Batman’, starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader.

The Irishman’s transformation into crime lord Oz Cobb, known as the Penguin, required extensive prosthetics that left him almost unrecognisable.

He later reprised the role in the HBO series ‘The Penguin’, which follows Oz’s rise through Gotham’s criminal underworld.

The performance has earned Colin accolades including a SAG Award and Golden Globe gong.

Outside of his DC work, he has built a diverse filmography.

The actor starred in Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ and ‘In Bruges’, as well as Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’.

His other credits include ‘Total Recall’ and the HBO series ‘True Detective’.

The script for ‘Sgt. Rock’ is being written by Justin Kuritzkes, who previously worked with Luca Guadagnino on tennis love triangle drama ‘Challengers’, starring Zendaya, and ‘Queer’, featuring Daniel Craig as a homosexual hedonist.

Meanwhile, James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ is set for release in July, marking a new era for the Warner Bros. comic book franchise.

FIGHT! New ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Images Reveal Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage, Kitana, and Shao Khan

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

2021’s Mortal Kombat may have disappointed fans with the lack of one significant character, but that isn’t the case with the newest addition to the franchise. Entertainment Weekly has released exclusive set photos featuring Karl Urban in the highly anticipated role of Johnny Cage. Co-creator of the IP, Ed Boon, addresses the big elephant in the room, the famous character of the video game franchise.

“You finally get to see Johnny Cage. His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores. He’s a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing. Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than our games in some ways. He’s adding his own flare to it, but I think it’ll feel fresh. There’s like a novelty factor in there.”

Fans were delighted at the news of The Boys’ Urban cinching the role of Cage. Up until now, there was only a single poster that winked at the audience. The image was of the Mortal Kombat in-world movie entitled Citizen Cage, made complete with Urban decked in sunglasses in front of action sequences typical of such fare. This was the perfect way to introduce the Hollywood actor character viewers have been waiting for for years.

See the new images below.

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Conan O’Brien Will Return to Host the 2026 Oscars

The comedian and late-night great was confirmed as host for the 98th Oscars — airing March 15, 2026 — just weeks after emceeing this year’s ceremony. “The only reason I’m hosting The Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O’Brien cracked in a statement (referring to Brody’s extremely long Best Actor speech after winning for The Brutalist).

O’Brien will also reunite with this year’s producers, Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan, Jeff Ross, and Mike Sweeney. The team earned rave reviews from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang.

“This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way,” the pair said. “Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”

This year marked O’Brien’s first time hosting the Oscars, and first awards show hosting gig since he helmed the Emmys in 2002 and 2006. The comedian earned plenty of rave reviews for his unhinged monologue and expertly goofy bits (like honoring Los Angeles firefighters by having them roast the producers of Joker 2).

“O’Brien hosted for the first time, but damn, he simply did not care, Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield wrote of this year’s ceremony. “That’s good news, since it’s a fact that a loose, DGAF Oscar night is more fun than an uptight, punch-the-clock Oscar night.”

Patrick Schwarzenegger’s ‘White Lotus’ costars worried he was going…

Spoilers ahead for the fifth episode of “The White Lotus” Season 3.

Patrick Schwarzenegger’s “White Lotus” incest kissing scene almost brought up more than just anxiety, according to his costars.

In episode 5 of “The White Lotus’” Season 3, the incestuous relationship between brothers Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola), hinted at in episode 1, becomes very real. Lochlan kisses his older brother during a drug-fueled party with two girls whom the boys are trying to impress (and bed): Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon).

Chloe, the girlfriend of Greg Hunt, aka Tanya McQuoid’s (Jennifer Coolidge) widower, Gary (Jon Gries), has borrowed her boyfriend’s yacht to host the bacchanal.

The model instigates the kiss after she and Chelsea share a smooch, first egging the brothers on before demanding a more passionate embrace when Lochlan (aka Lochy) first gives Saxon just a peck. After Lochy plants a more fiery kiss, a stunned Saxon shakes his head, seemingly unable to process the moment.

Le Bon, 38, spoke about filming the scene in a new interview with Vulture.

“Well obviously they’re not brothers by blood, so that made it easier,” she said. “I think for Patrick it was really difficult. For Sam, he was kind of like, ‘It’s whatever, let’s just do it well one time and it will be over.’ You know? Because if you don’t do it well the first time, then you have to do it over and over again.”

“But Patrick’s reaction in the episode is his genuine reaction,” she revealed.

Le Bon continued, “We all thought he was going to throw up. And Sam was like, ‘It’s fine, it’s just a kiss, calm down!’”

Of her character, the Canadian actress and director said, “I think Chloe is deeply, deeply bored. There’s a void inside of her. She fills that void with partying, sex and chaos. This kiss between the two brothers for her is just pure entertainment, which is obviously really evil when you think about it.”

“She’s not attached to life — I don’t know how to say it. She’s just there. She’s just incarnated in this body to live the experience of life and she doesn’t really care about the rest,” Le Bon went on, adding that the scene was scripted as having two kisses.

Schwarzenegger, 31, spoke to Today about creator Mike White’s intent in writing the incest kissing scene.

“He wants to leave that up to the interpretation of the audience of what is happening,” the Hollywood scion said. “Was a power shift happening? Is there a different power dynamic between him and Lochy? Is Lochy coming on to him? Is it the drugs? Is it the girls pressuring him? What is it? So, I think he leaves that open-ended for the audience to try to decipher.

“One of the themes really is you enter the White Lotus as one person and you leave as another,” he explained. “Who are you when everything that you thought you were is taken away?

“And I think that’s something that’s really relevant and prevalent for Saxon. Him walking into the White Lotus as the most confident and sure person of who he is, and everything gets completely questioned in his experience there.”

Schwarzenegger also took to social media to weigh in on fans’ reactions to the show. On Monday, he reposted a photo shared on X of his and Nivola’s characters captioned “Call Me By Our Same Last Name,” an allusion to the book and movie “Call Me By Your Name.” In his repost, the star wrote three “Rolling On The Floor Laughing” emojis.

For his part, Nivola, 21, has said that he believes Lochlan’s “an incredibly insecure guy” and “a real people pleaser who needs something from the people.”

“He’s not very self-sufficient, he needs love and support from the people around him in his life, and I think he’s willing to go to all the lengths to find the people he loves,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

“There’s a push and pull between sex, and then Piper trying to control his future. But for me? I don’t think Lochlan really gives a s-t which path he goes down. I think it’s more that he’s going to choose whichever path feels like it’s with the person who loves him the most.”

The actor also revealed to GQ that the scene was shot “a few different ways,” adding “we talked about it a lot.”

“I think at the end of the day, it was supposed to just be like they’re all really f — ed up, and, of course, kissing your brother is incredibly wrong and weird and gross.”

“The White Lotus” executive producer David Bernad spoke to The Post about whether there was any behind-the-scenes discussion about whether an incest plot was going too far.

“No, in terms of that — that’s all [creator Mike White]. Mike is brilliant, and I think those big story turns are not just for shock,” he exclusively told The Post.

Bernad added, “There’s a specific reason in terms of the narrative storytelling, and the larger thematic idea Mike is trying to get across.”

He explained, “as the season wraps up, you’ll see the purpose of that story turn. The show goes there for a larger thematic idea. I love that family storyline, especially the brother story — and, it culminates in a very satisfying way.”

Colin Farrell Looking To Join James Gunn’s DC Universe In The Movie Role Daniel Craig Exited (Not As The Penguin)

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

The Penguin star Colin Farrell is reportedly in talks to star in Sgt. Rock, replacing Daniel Craig after the latter dropped out of the DCU movie. Daniel Craig was initially going to play the titular hero in Luca Guadagnino’s Sgt. Rock movie, but the Queer star exited the project only a couple of months after joining it. Since then, speculation about who could replace Craig put foward many relevant movie and TV stars, including The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White. Now, DC Comics’ Franklin John Rock may have found its live-action actor.

As reported by Deadline, The Penguin’s Colin Farrell is interested in playing Franklin John Rock in DC Studios’ Sgt. Rock. Farrell recently won the Golden Globe for his performance as Oz Cobb in DC’s The Penguin miniseries. Farrell will reprise his Penguin role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman – Part II, and there’s a chance The Penguin season 2 could materialize due to the first season’s massive success.

Source: Deadline

Rachel Zegler Pays Homage to Original Snow White Actress and Fans Have 1 Major Complaint

Disney Princesses are universally beloved and every actress who plays the characters knows the scrutiny and pressure the roles come with. Disney is set to release Snow White, a live-action version of the beloved film, starring Rachel Zegler.

The West Side Story star has received criticism over the casting, as she’s a Latina and the character is described as fair-skinned. However, with the premiere getting closer, the public’s reaction to her version of Snow White is changing, and the early reviews have been encouraging. In a new Instagram post, Zegler has paid homage to the original Snow White actress and the reaction to her post highlighted a major grievance from the film.

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Rachel Zegler Corrects Social Media Detractor as Casting Backlash Continues

Snow White remake star Rachel Zegler continues to face criticism over her casting in the lead role on social media.

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Some of the film’s criticism, all ahead of the Mar. 21 release, was about Zegler’s Snow White hairstyle. While the character was famous for her dark-colored locks, Disney’s option for Zegler’s character wasn’t a hit with the fans, even though the actress cut her own hair to fit the role. Now, Zegler fixed that in the new images.

The new post features a photo of the actress paying homage to Adriana Caselotti, who was the voice of the original Snow White in 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated film, which was also Walt Disney’s first animated feature. In 1994, three years ahead of her death, she was named a Disney legend.

“Just had to pay homage to the original snow white, miss Adriana Caselotti, to whom i owe everything,” Zegler wrote in the caption.

The set of pictures includes a photo of Zegler wearing a red bow in her bob curls, and a sharp eyeliner with nude lips. She also included a photo paying homage to Caselotti, and a black and white video of her wearing a similar hairstyle and bow.

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‘We Need to Get This Thing Over With’: Why Disney Changed Its Plans for Rachel Zegler’s Snow White

Details about Disney’s curious marketing strategy regarding the Snow White remake emerge amid the controversies surrounding its main stars.

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“This should have been the look in the movieeeeeeeeeee!!” reads one of the most-liked comments. A different person added, “Disney robbed you of this hair,” adding two heartbroken emojis. “Ok but THIS hair in the movie would have been iconic,” added another. “and why couldn’t we have had this hair in the actual movie????” asked a different fan.

A different popular comment noted, “the way they could’ve done your hair like this. disney hates to see a gorgeous girl with sharp features winning.”

Another fan had a more practical approach to Zegler’s Snow White’s hair. “This hair woulda been so good in the movie but also tbf you’re like running for your life through a forest you don’t got time for a blowout.”

Snow White Received Exciting Early Reviews

The embargo for the upcoming Disney film was lifted on Mar. 16. Immediately after, the lucky audience members who got a chance to watch the film ahead of its official premiere shared their thoughts online.

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Disney’s Snow White was hit with a series of controversies, which led to people believing the upcoming film, which has a budget of around $250 million and also stars Gal Gadot, would be a disappointment. However, the early reactions call the film “pure Disney magic” and call Zegler a “shining supernova.” The Rotten Tomatoes score is not available yet but Zegler is off to a great start.

Disney’s Snow White premieres on Mar. 21.

Source: Instagram

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Snow White

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Release Date May 22, 2024

Director Marc Webb

Writers Greta Gerwig, Erin Cressida Wilson

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Gal Gadot

Rachel Zegler

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iHeartRadio Music Awards 2025 Winners: Complete List (Live Updates)

Watch: 2024 iHeartRadio Music Festival: Halsey, Dua Lipa & More Can’t-Miss Interviews!

The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards kicked off on March 17 at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theater, where some of the biggest names in entertainment stepped out to honor this year’s movers and shakers in every genre. And while the categories are certainly stacked, only a handful will come out winners at the ceremony, which is being hosted by LL Cool J.

Don’t believe the competition is steep this year? Take a look at the Artist of the Year category, where Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Taylor Swift and Teddy Swims earned recognition.

Meanwhile, Taylor — who leads this year’s contenders alongside Morgan with a whopping 10 nods each — faces off against Billie, Sabrina, Chappell Roan and Tate McRae for the Pop Artist of the Year. Plus, SZA is going into the night with the potential to make history if she wins for the third time in the R&B Artist of the Year category, where Muni Long, Usher, Chris Brown and Victoria Monét are also nominated.

Blake Lively’s Justin Baldoni Legal Battle Becomes Subject of Documentary Titled “He Said, She Said

He Said, She Said: Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni, a 90-minute “fast-turnaround special” is set to air in the U.K. on Monday, March 17, according to a press release from ITN Productions.

A shorter 60-minute version, which will be titled In Dispute: Lively v Baldoni, will air in the U.S. on Investigation Discovery Monday, March 31. It will also be available to stream on Max and discovery+.

According to the release, “The special will examine the legal complaint brought against Justin Baldoni by Blake Lively, alleging he engaged in sexual misconduct on the set of his film It Ends With Us and hired a PR firm to engage in an online smear campaign against her to keep her quiet. Baldoni denies the allegations and has responded with a $400 million countersuit, accusing her of defamation.”

“With the trial set for March 2026, the special will examine the evidence on both sides and the response to the dispute on social media.”

Related: A Complete Timeline of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Feud (Including the Latest in their Legal Battle)

Ian Russell, head of international at ITN Productions, calls the special “a timely and in-depth telling of the Hollywood story which has captured the global zeitgeist.”

Lively, 37, first filed a complaint against her It Ends With Us director and costar Baldoni, 41 — whose production company Wayfarer Studios, developed the hit movie — as well as two of his colleagues and two publicists, with the California Civil Rights Department on Dec. 20. She formally sued 11 days later in federal court in New York.

As the press release for the special notes, Baldoni countersued in January. In his suit, Baldoni named Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds and Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane and Sloane’s PR firm Vision PR, claiming civil extortion, defamation and more. Lively’s legal team has called the suit “meritless.”

Related: Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Clarifies Why He Called Blake Lively a ‘Victim’: ‘A Lot of People Are Victims Here’

Baldoni is also suing The New York Times, which first published Lively’s complaint on Dec. 21, for libel.

In a recent development on Thursday, March 13, the judge in the case, Lewis J. Liman, partially granted Lively’s request for a modified protective order, which she sought in order to prevent private details from leaking to the media.

Liman ruled that while certain confidential materials will remain protected, an “Attorneys’ Eyes Only” designation can only be applied if their disclosure is “highly likely to cause a significant business, commercial, financial or privacy injury.”

Where to watch iHeartRadio Music Awards: Live stream the 2025 show from anywhere

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The iHeartRadio Music Awards are back for a 12th year. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about the show, including where to watch the iHeartRadio Music Awards and when they’re scheduled to begin.

Each year, the iHeartRadio Music Awards honor the artists and songs most played on iHeartRadio in the prior year. The awards show, which will be hosted by LL Cool J at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles this year, is routinely chock-full of memorable performances. Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams, Kenny Chesney, Muni Long, and Nelly are among the confirmed 2025 performers.

Lady Gaga (Innovator Award) and Mariah Carey (Icon Award) are some of the most notable, already-confirmed recipients this year. Other top nominees include Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift. Although it hasn’t been confirmed whether Swift will make an in-person appearance, she’s slated to receive the Tour of the Century Award for her work on the Eras Tour.

Below, we’ve outlined some of the best ways to live stream the iHeartRadio Music Awards. All of the options we recommend rank among the best live TV streaming services we’ve tested.

The iHeartRadio Music Awards are broadcast on FOX in the US. The awards show will kick off at 8 p.m. ET and last about two hours. Cord-cutters can live stream FOX through a live TV streaming package. Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, and Fubo are some of our favorite live TV streaming services we’ve tested.

Sling TV is the absolute cheapest way to live stream FOX. You’ll need to sign up for the Sling Blue plan to access FOX and other local channels. However, local channel coverage varies by region, so you should make sure it’s available in your region before subscribing. Subscriptions start at $46/month and include access to 40+ live channels, such as Bravo, USA, and E! New users can get 50% off their first month of service.

If you can’t get FOX through Sling TV, it might be time to try DirecTV Stream or Fubo. These live TV streaming services carry broad FOX coverage and anywhere from 90 to 200+ other popular cable channels. DirecTV Stream Entertainment subscriptions start at $87/month and come with a five-day free trial, while Fubo Pro subscriptions start at $85/month and come with a seven-day free trial. Fubo will also knock $30 off your first month of service.

If you’re traveling outside the US and still hoping to watch the awards, you can do so with the help of a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs are cybersecurity tools that enable you to change your electronic device’s virtual location to access your usual websites and apps from anywhere. Since the apps we’ve highlighted require US methods of payment, this will work best for Americans who are just abroad at the moment.

Our go-to recommendation is ExpressVPN. It’s an easy-to-use app with a handy 30-day money-back guarantee. You can find more info in our ExpressVPN review and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.