Viewership Numbers for the 2026 Oscars: What Happened After a 4-Year Low?
The 2026 Oscars experienced a notable drop in viewership, hitting a four-year ratings low. Following the live broadcast on Sunday, March 15, the ceremony attracted 17.86 million viewers on ABC and Hulu, representing a nine percent decrease from last year’s 19.69 million viewers.
Despite this decline, the Oscars remained the most-watched entertainment telecast of the 2025-26 TV season, surpassing the Grammys, which garnered 14.41 million viewers, and the Golden Globes, which reached 8.66 million.
Hosted by Conan O’Brien, this year’s awards saw One Battle After Another take home the coveted Best Picture award, while Paul Thomas Anderson was honored with Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, Sinners won accolades for Michael B. Jordan as Best Actor and Ryan Coogler for Best Original Screenplay.
Following the event, executives commented on its overall success, including plans to bring O’Brien back as host. “Oh, that is no joke, Conan is host for life, yes,” stated Rob Mills, executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television, in an interview with Variety on March 16. “He hasn’t even accepted yet. He’s just being told. We’re assuming that was not a comedy bit. We’re going to treat that as if that was fact.”
Mills also addressed backlash regarding the In Memoriam segment, which notably omitted some prominent figures. “That’s the Academy’s call on who ends up on the telecast, but it is hard. I think it’s the hardest thing they possibly do,” he acknowledged. “It always is hard when they are villainized for this. Yes, there’s always people who are left out.” He continued, “Unfortunately, we’re losing more and more people, especially legendary figures every year, so it is probably the hardest needle to thread. I do think what they did last night might have been the best In Memoriam in the history of the Oscars.”
During the ceremony, several film industry icons including Rob Reiner, his wife Michele Singer Reiner, Robert Redford, and Diane Keaton were honored with lengthy tributes from their former co-stars. An emotional moment occurred on stage when Catherine O’Hara was remembered alongside others who passed away over the past year at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
Nevertheless, some notable figures, such as Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek, were excluded from the In Memoriam segment, prompting fans to express their disappointment on social media. Film critic Mara Reinstein came to their defense, stating, “Friends, I am a certified In Memoriam Oscars expert — I wrote a big story about it for [The Hollywood Reporter] last year — and I’m telling you that James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane were never going to make the cut. They’re too associated with TV and only a limited number of actor slots are allowed.”
The coverage of the In Memoriam segment on ABC was subsequently expanded on The Academy’s website, featuring additional tributes to Julian McMahon, James Ransone, Danielle Spencer, Loretta Swit, George Wendt, Demond Wilson, and more.
