Oscars 2026: Conan O’Brien turns Leonardo DiCaprio into meme during opening monologue

Leonardo DiCaprio meme goes viral at Oscars 2026

• Conan O'Brien opened the Oscars with humor and celebrity jokes
• Leonardo DiCaprio meme steals the spotlight
• Conan praised films, joked about Chalamet and Byrne

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Conan O’Brien kicked off the 98th Academy Awards with the kind of humour and easy charm audiences have come to expect from him, but one moment in particular quickly caught viewers’ attention, a playful meme involving Leonardo DiCaprio that had the entire theatre laughing.

Returning to host Hollywood’s biggest night, the 62-year-old comedian opened the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, 15 March, with a lively monologue packed with jokes, celebrity roasts and a few unexpected moments.

As he walked on stage, Conan O’Brien introduced himself with a self-aware line that immediately set the tone for the night. "I'm Conan O'Brien and I'm honored to be the last human Oscars host."

The joke drew loud laughter from the audience and hinted at the playful mood that would shape the rest of his opening remarks.

One of the most talked-about moments came when Leonardo DiCaprio suddenly became part of the joke. During the monologue, the camera cut to the actor as a caption appeared on screen beneath him reading, "TFW [that feeling when] You Didn't Agree to This."

Leonardo DiCaprio appeared momentarily puzzled before leaning into the joke, making a confused expression that only made the audience laugh even harder. The light-hearted meme-style moment quickly became one of the highlights of the opening segment.

Conan O’Brien continued the monologue by turning his attention to one of the recent talking points in entertainment circles — Timothée Chalamet’s comments suggesting that “no one cares about” ballet or opera. With his trademark timing, the host joked about security at the ceremony, saying, "Security is extremely tight tonight... I’m told there’s concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities," as cameras showed Timothée Chalamet laughing along in the audience.

Reflecting on the past year in cinema, Conan O’Brien also praised the films that made it to the Oscars while keeping the humour flowing. "What an incredible year for film," he said. "F1 — a popcorn movie, F1 was great... It’s the story of a race car driver who finally wins after deciding to go faster."

He also joked about Sinners, one of the most nominated films of the year, referencing director Ryan Coogler’s decision not to join the Academy. "But the rest of you pricks seem to love it," Conan O’Brien quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Another playful moment came when Conan O’Brien mentioned his nominated co-star Rose Byrne from If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, joking, "It’s hard to act in a scene with someone you’ve always had a massive crush on. But Rose, you did a fantastic job."

Before the monologue began, the show also featured a humorous pre-recorded sketch. In the segment, Conan O’Brien appeared dressed as Amy Madigan’s Aunt Gladys from Weapons and was chased by angry children while appearing in scenes from several nominated films, including KPop Demon Hunters, Sentimental Value and One Battle After Another. The chaotic chase ended with Conan O’Brien emerging live on stage to a standing ovation.

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He closed his opening remarks on a more reflective note, reminding the audience about the larger meaning behind the awards. "We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today, optimism," he said.

The night marked Conan O’Brien’s second consecutive year hosting the Academy Awards, following the positive response he received for his performance at the 2025 ceremony.