AceShowbiz - Conan O'Brien enlisted Jim Downey, known for his work in Oscar sketches, to reprise his role as Sandy Irvine from One Battle After Another in a prerecorded segment closing the recent Academy Awards ceremony.

Following the announcement of Paul Thomas Anderson’s film as Best Picture, the broadcast cut to a scene where Downey ceremoniously named Conan O'Brien “Host for Life” and showed him his new office. This moment recreated the iconic ending featuring Sean Penn's Colonel Lockjaw from One Battle After Another. However, the sequence then showed Conan O'Brien being gassed to death on screen, and his office plaque was replaced with one bearing the name MrBeast, signaling the future transition of the Oscars hosting duties to the YouTube star, planned for 2029.

This theatrical “death” of Conan O'Brien raises questions about whether he will return to host next year’s ceremony. After two highly praised consecutive hosting stints, his comeback would seem a logical choice. Yet, if Conan O'Brien opts to step away from the role, this scripted farewell alongside his longtime mentor Jim Downey feels like a fitting send-off.

The reunion between Conan O'Brien and Jim Downey builds on their notable recent collaboration, including Downey’s viral podcast appearance on Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend in 2023, where Conan O'Brien had to break the news to him about "Jeff Epstein, the New York financier." Downey’s remarkable 2025 also featured appearances in the Best Picture winner, HBO’s The Chair Company, the film Happy Gilmore 2, and the Peacock documentary Downey Wrote That, highlighting his legendary career writing for Saturday Night Live.

Closing the Oscars with this playful sketch not only celebrated their enduring partnership but also marked a finale as the audience began to leave the theater. Whether Conan O'Brien will be resurrected to host again remains to be seen, but his impact on the ceremony’s recent success is undeniable.