The 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, delivered a night full of surprises and historic wins. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another led the evening with six Oscars, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners earned four, including two historic firsts. Jessie Buckley, Michael B. Jordan, and Sean Penn captured the acting trophies. Films from Norway, South Korea, and Russia also made their mark, showcasing the global reach of the Oscars.
Conan O’Brien returned as host for the second consecutive year, keeping the ceremony lively at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Top awards highlight major milestones
-
Best picture: One Battle After Another claimed the top prize. Director Paul Thomas Anderson and producer Sara Murphy accepted alongside the cast. The film, adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, follows a washed-up revolutionary protecting his daughter. This was Anderson’s first Oscar after 14 nominations.
-
Best director: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another. Anderson had previously accepted best adapted screenplay and received a standing ovation upon returning to the stage.
-
Best actor: Michael B. Jordan won for his role as twin brothers in Sinners. His first Oscar honored a lineage of Black actors and included recognition of his father traveling from Ghana.
-
Best actress: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet. Buckley became the first Irish woman to win this category, dedicating the award to her 8-month-old daughter on Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom.
-
Best supporting actor: Sean Penn for One Battle After Another. Penn’s third career Oscar was accepted by Kieran Culkin on his behalf.
-
Best supporting actress: Amy Madigan for Weapons. Her win came 40 years after her first nomination for Twice in a Lifetime.
Screenplay, cinematography, and technical wins
-
Best adapted screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another, credited Thomas Pynchon’s novel and described it as an apology to his children.
-
Best original screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Sinners, became the second Black filmmaker to win in this category.
-
Best cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners, made history as the first woman of color to win.
-
Best film editing: Andy Jurgensen, One Battle After Another.
-
Best original score: Ludwig Göransson, Sinners.
-
Best sound: F1.
-
Best visual effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash.
-
Best production design: Frankenstein.
-
Best costume design: Kate Hawley, Frankenstein.
-
Best makeup and hairstyling: Frankenstein.
-
Best casting: Cassandra Kulukundis, One Battle After Another, the first year casting was recognized officially.
Animation and international features shine
-
Best animated feature: KPop Demon Hunters, a Netflix film about an all-girl K-pop group battling demons.
-
Best animated short: The Girl Who Cried Pearls.
-
Best original song: Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, marking the first K-pop song to win.
-
Best international feature film: Sentimental Value, Norway, the first Norwegian film to win.
-
Best documentary feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin.
-
Best documentary short: All the Empty Rooms, documenting bedrooms of children killed in U.S. school shootings.
-
Best live action short: Tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
Oscars 2026 highlights
The 98th Oscars celebrated global filmmaking and groundbreaking achievements, from historic wins to technical brilliance. One Battle After Another and Sinners dominated, while animated and international films expanded the scope of recognition. The evening honored pioneers across acting, directing, and production, reinforcing why the Oscars remain a benchmark of cinematic excellence.
