Conan O’Brien made a joke about Anora that many easily guessed was a subtle dig at Donald Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Conan O'Brien, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky

Conan O’Brien took a subtle dig at the Donald Trump- Vladimir Putin relationship at the Oscars. While praising Anora for its wins at the Oscars night, O’Brien joked that the film earned the accolades because it stood up against “a powerful Russian”. The joke comes in the wake of the talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.

A still from The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
Conan O’Brien in The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien | Credits: NBC

At the time of O’Brien’s joke, Anora had already won two awards, with Sean Baker taking home the awards for Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay. The film went on to win Best Director for Baker, Best Actress for Mikey Madison, and Best Picture Oscar.

Conan O’Brien took a subtle dig at U.S.-Russia relations at the Oscar

Mikey Madison as the titular character in Anora
Mikey Madison as the titular character in Anora | Credits: Neon

As the host of the 97th Academy Awards, Conan O’Brien brought his comedic prowess to the event, firing off some of the best jokes. In between the awards, he took a moment to speak about the big winners of the night. In particular, he mentioned Anora, the film that had already won two Oscars at the time.

He made a subtle dig at Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin’s relationship when mentioning Anora. In the film, the protagonist Ani gets entangled with a wealthy Russian oligarch. By the end of the film, Ani stands up to the oligarch, a moment that O’Brien refers to at the Oscars. He shared:

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

The joke immediately got applause and laughter from the audience. O’Brien’s joke suggested that Trump was cozying up to his Russian counterpart. It should be noted that O’Brien’s comments come a couple of days after a collapsed talk between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Some believed that O’Brien’s comments also showed the film fraternity’s support for Ukraine in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The political implications of the joke aside, O’Brien was spot-on about Anora having a great night. The film won five awards at the 97th Academy Awards.

Another voice of support for Ukraine was more clear and direct at the 97th Academy Awards

Daryl Hannah in Kill Bill
Daryl Hannah in Kill Bill | Credits: Miramax

When actress Daryl Hannah took the stage to present the award for Best Editor, she opened her Oscars speech with a slogan in support of Ukraine. She proclaimed, “Slava Ukraine”. While received a huge round of applause from the celebrity audience at the Dolby Theatre, fans on X weren’t exactly thrilled.

Some critics suggested that the Oscars shouldn’t be a platform for political discussions. Others criticized her pro-Ukraine stance, especially after the failed US- Ukraine talks. Some fans also mocked the Academy’s alleged attempt to push the support for Ukraine. Some fan reactions read:

On Friday, Zelensky was on the receiving end of some strong words from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance when he arrived at the White House. The two demanded that Zelensky show more gratitude for all the support that the US had given him. They forced Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin.