Oscars host Conan O’Brien shocked Hollywood A-listers with a “paedophile” joke seemingly about Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his presentation of the 2026 ceremony.
The TV host and comedian didn’t name the duo directly, but he referenced the furore surrounding the Epstein files when he made a point about the absence of any British acting nominees.
“For the first time since 2011, there are no British actors nominated,” O’Brien said, adding: “But at least they arrest the paedophiles over there.”
The crowd didn’t seem to know how to react to the joke, with shock seeming to ripple across the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. However, applause then broke out.
Millions of files related to the case of Epstein were unveiled in January, linking the convicted paedophile to world figures, including Bill Gates and US president Donald Trump.
But it was disgraced royal former Prince Andrew – full name Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – who was arrested in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Investigators are trying to determine if Andrew sent sensitive government information to Epstein.
When the initial wave of emails was released in November 2025, the US president was mentioned and, in one email, Epstein claimed Trump “knew about the girls.”
Trump told reporters that he “knows nothing” about the emails. The president has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has characterised efforts to release the full files as a “hoax”. He has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing, and an appearance in the Epstein files does not suggest otherwise.
In January, comedian Nikki Glaser also made a joke about the Epstein files during the Golden Globes.
Directing her attention to the high-profile crowd, which included stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts, Glaser admitted that she couldn’t believe “the amount of star power we have in this room tonight.”
She continued: “It’s insane. There’s so many A-listers. And by A lists, I do mean people who are on A lists that have been heavily redacted.”
The 2026 Oscars saw One Battle After Another take home Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, who snubbed the ceremony.
Hamnet star Jessie Buckley won Best Actress while Michael B Jordan won Best Actor for Sinners. Meanwhile, Amy Madigan took home Best Supporting Actress for her role in horror film, Weapons.
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