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Conan O'Brien takes aim at Donald Trump with risky comment that references Putin

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Conan O'Brien takes aim at Donald Trump with risky comment that references Putin

The Oscars presenter received a colossal round of applause from members of the audience

The Academy Awards have long been famed for their strict rules on what presenters, winners and hosts can and cannot say whilst live.

Naturally, therefore, millions of spectators watching from home were utterly blindsided by a remark that the show's frontman Conan O'Brien made about the ongoing tensions between Europe and the US.

The comment comes just days after the bombshell interview between American president Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy went viral.

The politics leaders went head-to-head in the White House this week (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The politics leaders went head-to-head in the White House this week (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

On Friday night, the two world leaders butted heads over Vladimir Putin's invasion of the Eastern European country, with many subsequently slamming both Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, for their treatment of the Ukrainian leader, and their apparent favour of Putin.

The sensitivity of the subject matter at hand meant that film and TV buffs were utterly thrown off when Conan O'Brien alluded to the fiery row - as well as 78-year-old Trump's controversial stance - during tonight's Oscars (2 Mar).

Speaking on the show, the 61-year-old comedian's thinly veiled joke discussed the importance of 'standing up to powerful a powerful Russian'.

Discussing the success of gritty Oscar-nominated blockbuster Anora - which tells the story of a Brooklyn sex worker who meets and marries the son of an Russian oligarch - O'Brien began by stating: "Anora is having a good night."

The comic continued: "That's great news. Two wins already.

"I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian."

Seconds later, the live studio audience erupted into cheers and applause, seemingly indicating the predominant support of O'Brien's statement, and his poking fun at the Republican leader.

The presenter also received mass support online.

Taking to social media, one gushed: "That Trump-Russia Anora joke was amazing. That's comedic timing!"

Another wrote: "Conan still the absolute best."

"Perfect #maga's about to have a meltdown," a third continued.


Oscars 2025 results: the nominees and winners announced so far

Best supporting actor

Yura Borisov - Anora

Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain - WINNER

Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown

Guy Pearce - The Brutalist

Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice

Best animated feature

Flow - WINNER

Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

Best costume design

Wicked - WINNER

Nosferatu

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Gladiator II

Best original screenplay

Anora - Sean Baker - WINNER

The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg

September 5 - Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David

The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Best adapted screenplay

A Complete Unknown - Jay Cocks and James Mangold

Conclave - Peter Straughan - WINNER

Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard

Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes

Sing Sing - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Best make-up and hairstyling

A Different Man

Emilia Pérez

Nosferatu

The Substance - WINNER

Wicked

Best film editing

Anora - WINNER

The Brutalist

Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

Best supporting actress

Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown

Ariana Grande - Wicked

Felicity Jones - The Brutalist

Isabella Rossellini - Conclave

Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez - WINNER

Best production design

Wicked - WINNER

The Brutalist

Dune: Part Two

Nosferatu

Conclave

Best original song

'Never Too Late' - Elton John: Never Too Late

'El Mal' - Emilia Pérez - WINNER

'Mi Camino' - Emilia Pérez

'Like A Bird' - Sing Sing

'The Journey' - The Six Triple Eight

Best sound

A Complete Unknown

Dune: Part Two - WINNER

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

The Wild Robot

Best visual effects

Alien: Romulus

Better Man

Dune: Part Two - WINNER

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wicked

Best cinematography

The Brutalist - WINNER

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

Maria

Nosferatu

Best original score

The Brutalist - WINNER

Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

The Wild Robot

Best international feature

I'm Still Here - Brazil - WINNER

The Girl with the Needle - Denmark

Emilia Pérez - France

The Seed of the Sacred Fig - Germany

Flow - Latvia

Best actor

Adrien Brody - The Brutalist - WINNER

Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown

Colman Domingo - Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes - Conclave

Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice

Best director

Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker - Anora - WINNER

Brady Corbet - The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

James Mangold - A Complete Unknown

Best actress

Cynthia Erivo - Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón - Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison - Anora - WINNER

Demi Moore - The Substance

Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here

Best picture

Anora

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

I'm Still Here

Nickel Boys

The Substance

Wicked

Featured Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images/Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Topics: Celebrity, US News, Oscars, Politics, Donald Trump, World News, TV And Film