AceShowbiz - The 2026 Oscars began on a high note Sunday, March 15, with host Conan O'Brien delivering a memorable musical parody inspired by the iconic 1994 Beastie Boys track "Sabotage," from their chart-topping album Ill Communication.

In the creative spoof, O'Brien transformed into Aunt Gladys, a character from the film Weapons, which earned Amy Madigan the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Sporting bright orange hair and white face paint, he initially resists appearing on stage in full costume. Suddenly, instead of the original video’s detectives, a group of unruly children bursts into his makeup room, chasing him as the "Sabotage" beat kicks in.

The chase sequences take viewers through the streets of Los Angeles, with O'Brien darting to escape the kids while making stops alongside several prominent Oscar nominees. Notable moments include a ping pong rally with Timothée Chalamet from Marty Supreme, a ride with Benicio Del Toro from One Battle After Another, an animated segment featuring HUNTR/X (KPop Demon Hunters), a tea break with Stellan Skarsgaard in Sentimental Value, and a humorous plea to join Michael B. Jordan’s juke joint from Sinners, the night’s leading contender with 16 nominations.

This marks the second consecutive year that O'Brien has hosted the Academy Awards, which are broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Audiences can watch the ceremony on ABC and stream it via Hulu.

The inventive cold open set a lively tone for the evening, blending humor, nostalgia, and star power as the Oscars celebrated cinematic achievements in 2026. Fans can view the full cold open to experience the cleverly crafted homage to the Beastie Boys’ classic.