Conan O’Brien’s Oscars Joke About ‘Standing Up To A Russian’ Sparks Applause After Zelensky’s Oval Office Smakdown

Hyoju AnMarch 4, 2025, 2:19 pmNews >

Oscars host Conan O’Brien received roaring applause Sunday night for a pointed joke that many saw as a jab at Donald Trump’s ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

As he introduced another award at the 97th Academy Awards, O’Brien turned his attention to Anora, Sean Baker’s film that had already picked up multiple wins.

“Anora is having a good night,” O’Brien said. “That’s great news. Two wins already. I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian.”

The remark drew laughter and cheers from the audience inside the Dolby Theatre. Many online praised O’Brien for what they called “the line of the night.”

“Conan still the absolute best,” one X user wrote. Another added, “Perfect. #MAGA’s about to have a meltdown.”

Anora, which stars Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, follows her fight to maintain her newfound fortune after his powerful parents arrive in New York to annul the marriage.

While O’Brien’s joke referenced the film’s plot, many interpreted it as a veiled critique of Trump’s past statements about Putin, as well as his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance were widely criticized for what some called an “ambush” of Zelensky during their meeting Friday, where they demanded the Ukrainian leader express more gratitude for U.S. military aid in the war against Russia.

Trump later claimed he and Putin had both been victims of political persecution.

“Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,” Trump said. “He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia, Russia.”