God has a voice, and at the 2026 Oscars, it belongs to Matt Berry.
The prolific English actor and musician will serve as the official announcer at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. Held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Oscars XCVIII is set to gather some of the biggest names in entertainment, from established legends like Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, to rising stars like Chase Infiniti and Jacob Elordi.
Conan O’Brien will return as the evening’s host after making his debut in 2025. But Nick Offerman, his announcer sidekick, won’t be joining him. Berry was announced on Wednesday as the ceremony’s new announcer, and if this year is anything like the last, he and O’Brien have plenty of planned gags in store for the audience at home and in Hollywood.
Berry’s name and face may not be as familiar to American audiences as Offerman’s, who became so well known as the curmudgeonly Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation. But even if you haven’t seen Berry before, it’s likely you’ve heard his instantly recognizable voice.
Berry is best known for his role as Leslie “Laszlo” Cravensworth on the FX supernatural mockumentary series What We Do in the Shadows from executive producers Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement and based on their cult comedy film of the same name. Laszlo is the youngest of the series’ core group of vampires at a spry 310 years old. He’s known for his dapper and debonair bearing, his free-wheeling pansexuality, and because he’s played by Berry, his hilarious voice.
The actor was nominated for a BAFTA, a Critics Choice Award, and an Emmy for the role, which he played across its full, six-season run from 2019 to 2024.
Before What We Do in the Shadows, Berry was best known for his role on the British sitcom The IT Crowd. He took no prisoners entering the series in the second season as the louche, contemptible Douglas Reynholm, a CEO with a history of sexual harassment allegations so long that he is required to wear “electric sex pants” that shock him whenever he transgresses at work.
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Berry was an inescapable fixture of British TV before What We Do in the Shadows won him crossover success in America, thanks to roles on series like The Mighty Boosh, Snuff Box, and Toast of London.
Since he became a globally sought-after star, he has appeared on series like The Book of Boba Fett, The Simpsons, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as films like The Wild Robot and A Minecraft Movie.
If you still don’t recognize any of Berry’s credits, but you somehow recognize that voice, it may be due to his viral pronunciation of “New York City” in one What We Do in the Shadows scene.
Matt Berry on ‘What We Do in the Shadows’
Credit: Russ Martin/FX
Because of his inimitable vocal stylings, Berry has established himself as a go-to talent for voice roles, from Aqua Teen Hunger Force to The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, to providing announcements at games for his hometown football club, the Luton Town FC.
Berry is also an accomplished musician. He has written and composed music for a wide variety of projects, like Toast of London and the Jesus Christ Superstar parody AD/BC: A Rock Opera, which he co-wrote with Richard Ayoade.
As a solo musician, Berry has released 11 studio albums since 1995. He has collaborated with artists like Gorillaz and Josh Homme, toured with bands like Jonas 3 and the Maypoles, and even starred in the music video for the Super Furry Animals song “Run-Away.”
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