The host of the 98th Academy Awards, comedian Conan O'Brien, opened the ceremony with a call for 'optimism' in these 'dark times' and a nod to the importance of the Spanish language in the world. 'Tonight's event is international, but if I can be serious for a moment, the people watching us now all over the world are aware that we live in very chaotic and dark times,' he said. In his opinion, that is why these awards are particularly resonant. O'Brien noted that the ceremony has representation from 31 countries, and the nominated films feature people and peoples of different cultures and languages. He also joked that he wanted to greet the audience in their native languages. The host greeted viewers from Spain, Argentina, and Los Angeles (USA).
