The Oscars are struggling to keep audiences glued to the screen. The 98th Academy Awards drew just 17.9 million viewers on ABC and Hulu. That’s down 9% from last year and marks the lowest audience since 2022.

Even host Conan O’Brien could not save the night. The late-night comic returned for his second year, bringing jokes, banter and the occasional awkward moment. Best Picture went to One Battle After Another.

The spectacle on stage did not translate into action on the remote. Fans seemed more interested in their phones than in the stars.