What to expect from the 2026 Oscars on YouTube: Trends and creators to watch
Mar 11, 2026 [[read-time]] minute read
As any film, fashion, or pop culture fan knows, the Oscars might represent the culmination of Awards Season, but the show itself is far from a single-night event. Instead, it is a part of a multi-month conversation full of online analysis, hype-building, and community interaction. In fact, over the past 12 months, there were more than 3 billion views and 250,000 uploads of videos related to the Oscars.* We analyzed top viewed videos and Shorts from the Oscars 2025 and the lead-up to this year’s event to help you know what to expect before, during and after March 15.
Over the past 12 months, there were more than 3 billion views and 250,000 uploads of videos related to the Oscars.
Creators to watch
Creators in the film, fashion, and pop culture commentary communities all take interest in the event and play a role in determining which instances from the movies, red carpet, and ceremony turn into even bigger moments online. Their conversations across verticals offer fans multiple ways to become invested in the event. Here’s a look at some of the key parts they take on:
The interviewer: Known for her hilariously awkward and offbeat energy, Chicken Shop Date host Amelia Dimoldenberg will return to the awards show as its official Red Carpet Correspondent and Social Media Ambassador, where she brings out often unseen sides of the year’s nominees. Maybe this year will bring another Timothee Chalamet chat.
The fashion reviewer: KC Artis brings her sharp eye to best-of looks across the awards season, breaking down a crowded red carpet for style fans.
The analysts: For those who want to dive deep, channels such as The Awards Contender, Let Me Explain, and Impression Blend give their expert takes on the nominees, while also offering greater insight into the themes behind different films.
The reactors: Bridging the gap between expert and fan, The Oscars Expert gives their predictions for what’s ahead and reacts to awards shows throughout the season, turning them into a conversation among friends.
The lead-up to 2026
Creators serve as trusted experts for fans, making the case for who can and should win in the lead up to awards night. On YouTube, the live-streamed Oscars nomination announcement at the end of January helps creators know where to direct their focus ahead of the 2026 event, resulting in an influx of views and uploads of reaction, prediction, and analysis videos. This year, we’re seeing conversations centered on the historic nominations earned by Sinners, the lack of nominations for Wicked: For Good, and speculation about a “Golden” performance for “KPop Demon Hunters”. It's notable that each of these films have also seen expanded reach and relevance because they tap into larger, very active fan communities on YouTube: horror fans, musical theater, and of course KPop.
Takeaways from 2025
If 2025’s Oscars are any indication, expect highlights and breakdowns of broadcast moments that evoke heightened emotion to resonate with YouTube viewers in the show’s aftermath. Last year, Conan O’Brien’s humorous interaction with a dressed-down Adam Sandler and Morgan Freeman’s in memoriam dedication to Gene Hackman were among the most viewed. Meanwhile, top viewed Shorts are primarily used to zoom in on fashion choices, notable celebrity interactions (for example, those between Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo), and candid, caught on camera behavior.
Different formats meet different needs, helping viewers both catch up on and relive moments from the broadcast, while also honing in on instances that meet specific fan interests.
Check back after March 15 for our takeaways on how creators engaged with this year’s show.
*YT Internal Data, Global, February 1, 2025 - February 28, 2026.