LOS ANGELES, March 3 (Reuters) - This year's Oscars

telecast that celebrated independent film "Anora" brought in

19.7 million U.S. viewers, the largest audience for Hollywood's

highest honors in five years, broadcaster ABC said on

Tuesday.

The tally was revised from Monday's estimate of 18.1 million

to add people who watched on computers and mobile devices.

Viewership grew 1% from the 2024 ceremony, when 19.5

million people tuned in to see blockbuster biopic "Oppenheimer"

take best picture.

Among adults under 50, this year's audience increased

19% from last year, ABC said.

"Anora," an unconventional fairy tale about a sex worker and

the son of a Russian oligarch, won this year's best picture

prize and four other honors at the ceremony. The movie has

brought in $40 million at global box offices, compared with

nearly $976 million for "Oppenheimer."

Comedian Conan O'Brien hosted the Oscars for the first time

and was generally applauded by TV critics. The show ran nearly

four hours and mostly avoided politics.

O'Brien "absolutely rocked his debut as a host, walking the

perfect line between acid and affection," wrote Owen Gleiberman

of Variety. "This was Conan at his acerbic best, giving Jimmy

Kimmel a run for his money."

The Academy Awards aired live on Walt Disney's ( DIS ) ABC and

streamed on Hulu. Some viewers reported glitches on Hulu and

said the stream ended just before best actress and best picture

were announced.

Viewership of Hollywood awards ceremonies has dropped in

recent years as audiences ditched traditional television for

streaming and social media.

Sunday's awards generated 104.2 million social interactions,

more than music's Grammy Awards and the National Football

League's Super Bowl, ABC said.

The highest-rated Academy Awards telecast aired in 1998, when

megahit "Titanic" swept the honors. More than 57 million people

tuned in that year.

In 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oscar

ratings hit their low point with 10.5 million viewers.