The Best Memes & Viral Moments From The 2026 Oscars

The 2026 Oscars didn’t waste time getting the party started. Taking place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theater, Conan O’Brien hosted the 98th Academy Awards, where films like Sinners and One Battle After Another led the nominations. Here’s a recap of the best memes, tweets, and viral moments from the ceremony on March 15.

Conan O’Brien’s Chaotic Entrance

O’Brien began the show by dressing like Aunt Gladys from Weapons, inserting himself into several of this year’s nominated movies before being chased into the Dolby Theatre by a group of children. In his monologue, he poked fun at Timothée Chalamet’s recent comments about ballet and opera. (ICYMI, the Marty Supreme nominee suggested in a recent Variety interview that “no one cares about” those art forms anymore.)

O’Brien said security was “extremely tight” for the ceremony, explaining: “I’m told there’s concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.”

The camera swiftly cut to Chalamet and Kylie Jenner in the audience, but both were good sports, laughing at the dig before O’Brien continued, “They’re just mad you left out jazz.”

As one viewer at home wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “That was a spot-on roast by Conan! Timothée took it like a champ.”

Sinners Takes The Stage

A live performance of “I Lied to You” from Sinners earned a standing ovation and lots of love online. “IMMEDIATE GOOSEBUMPS,” one fan wrote of the song and its accompanying decade-hopping dance, which recreated one of the film’s most transfixing moments.

Another called the display “so beautiful and powerful,” adding that it left them crying in their living room.

“I need more of Miles Caton on my screen,” declared one viewer.

Anne Hathaway & Anna Wintour

With The Devil Wears Prada 2 only weeks away, Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour made a timely appearance to present the awards for Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling. “Anna, um, just curious... what do you think of my dress tonight?” Hathaway asked the Vogue icon, which Wintour completely ignored as she went on to name the nominees.

She also addressed Hathaway as Emily — much like Miranda Priestly, the character she inspired in The Devil Wears Prada.

Fans were delighted by Wintour playing along, with one remarking: “Proud of Anna Wintour for joining in on the fun.”

A Surprising Tie

While presenting the award for Live Action Short Film, Kumail Nanjiani opened the envelope to a twist: a tie! (It’s happened before, but it is extremely rare.)

Fortunately, Nanjiani knew exactly what to do. “Everyone, calm down. We’re gonna get through this,” he urged the audience, before presenting the awards — first to The Singers, then to Two People Exchanging Saliva.

“It’s really fun to learn they must brief them on what to do no matter what bc kumail knew IMMEDIATELY,” one viewer observed.

Impressed by how smoothly Nanjiani maneuvered the twist, another posited that he “should be hired to calm people during a maritime emergency.”

Supporting Actor Shade?

Kieran Culkin presented the Best Supporting Actor award to One Battle After Another’s Sean Penn. Although, as Culkin noted: “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening — or didn’t want to — so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf.”

Viewers at home were here for Culkin’s Roman Roy-esque shade. As one fan put it, “sean penn not even showing up and kieran just calling him out on it… yeah he ate that up.”

However, many were disappointed that Sinners’ Delroy Lindo didn’t take home the award. “Sean penn....over DELROY LINDO???” wrote one viewer, while another lamented: “Delroy Lindo deserved that.”

A Baby Yoda Shoutout

While presenting the Production Design and Visual Effects awards with her Mandalorian and Grogu co-star Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver blew a kiss to Baby Yoda in the audience and then told his seatmate Kate Hudson in an Alien-inspired call-out, “Get away from him, you b*tch.”

“Wow, good character recall! I peed myself a little,” Pascal said, to which Weaver responded: “It’s my soft, maternal instinct.”

Indeed, fans at home were here for the motherly moment. “Took photos of pedro pascal and sigourney weaver ft. GROGU presenting like it was a f*cking concert,” one viewer wrote, while another marveled that it was the adorable alien’s “first blow kiss & first time he heard a cuss word.” Big night for the little guy!

Bridesmaids Reunite

Fifteen years after debuting their hit comedy Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Ellie Kemper reunited on the Oscars stage. The group wasted no time rekindling their comedic chemistry, reading spoof messages from their fellow audience members — including Rudolph reciting: “First of all, you ladies look extremely beautiful tonight. You’re all aging well. Signed, Stellan Skarsgård.”

The reunion had viewers feeling nostalgic — and yearning for more. “Fine, let’s make BRIDESMAIDS 2. We deserve it. This bit is golden,” one fan wrote, while another shared an equally inspired suggestion: “they should give all the bridesmaids oscars just for fun.”

Sinners Makes History

Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners, and director Ryan Coogler was quick to show his support, running further back into the theater to carry Arkapaw’s son, Aidan, to the front as his mom gave him a shout-out.

Viewers were touched by the sweet gesture. “That’s a good human being right there!” one wrote.

“Watching Ryan Coogler carry Autumn’s son down the stairs to watch his mom give her acceptance speech was so beautiful,” said another.

During her speech, Arkapaw recognized fellow female cinematographers Ellen Kuras and Rachel Morrison, and invited all of the women in the room to stand up. “I don’t get here without you guys,” she said in her moving speech. “I really, really, truly mean that.”

A Big Win For “Golden”

Another historic moment? “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters brought home the award for Best Original Song — the first time a K-pop song has received the honor. However, viewers bemoaned the way EJAE and her team’s acceptance speech was cut short. “That was just unkind,” one fan said.

Moulin Rouge! Marks 25 Years

Moulin Rouge! stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor reunited to present the final award of the evening, Best Picture, to One Battle after Another.

The pair even took a moment to sing a little “All You Need is Love,” much to the thrill of viewers at home. As one fan put it: “The Oscars ceremony is running long but if Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor decide to perform the entire soundtrack to Moulin Rouge I will stay up all night for it.”