The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026, delivered a ceremony packed with major victories, emotional speeches, historic milestones, and a few genuine surprises. Hosted by producer and comedian Conan O'Brien, the event celebrated the year’s biggest achievements in cinema while also producing several headline-making moments that quickly became the talk of the film world.

The biggest winner of the night was One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and confirmed its dominance after a strong run throughout awards season. In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her acclaimed performance in Hamnet, while Michael B. Jordan claimed Best Actor for his widely praised role in Sinners. Together, those victories helped define the overall narrative of the 2026 Oscars.

Beyond the top categories, the evening also featured major firsts, emotional acceptance speeches, notable absences, and political statements. From Autumn Durald Arkapaw making Oscar history in cinematography to EJAE breaking down in tears after a groundbreaking music win, the ceremony offered a mix of prestige, emotion, and cultural significance.

“One Battle After Another” Dominates the 2026 Oscar Race

The central story of the night was the overwhelming success of One Battle After Another. The film had already built strong momentum during the awards season, winning recognition at several major ceremonies. By the time the Oscars arrived, it was widely seen as one of the strongest contenders, and it fully lived up to those expectations.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. Its performance on Oscar night confirmed its position as the most celebrated film of the season and gave Paul Thomas Anderson one of the most significant professional triumphs of his career.

Although the filmmaker had long been regarded as one of the most respected directors of his generation, he had previously gone without a Best Director Oscar despite multiple nominations. Earlier films such as There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, and Licorice Pizza had all brought him recognition, but this was the first time he finally walked away with the award.

“You really make a person work hard to win this. I’m truly grateful.”Paul Thomas Anderson

During his acceptance speech, Paul Thomas Anderson also acknowledged his fellow nominees and underlined how strong the competition had been. He mentioned Chloé Zhao, Ryan Coogler, Joachim Trier, and Josh Safdie, describing it as an honor to be in the same lineup with them. His speech carried both relief and satisfaction, reflecting the long road that had brought him to that moment.

Jessie Buckley Makes History with Best Actress Win for “Hamnet”

One of the most memorable victories of the evening came in the Best Actress category, where Jessie Buckley won for her performance in Hamnet. The role had already made her one of the biggest names of the awards season, and the Oscar win completed a remarkable sweep after earlier victories at the Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics Choice Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

With this win, Jessie Buckley became the first Irish woman in Oscar history to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. That gave her victory a historic dimension beyond the individual performance itself. Her work in Hamnet had been praised for its emotional range, intensity, and depth, and the Academy’s recognition confirmed her place at the center of the year’s awards conversation.

The film itself, directed by Chloé Zhao and adapted from the novel by Maggie O'Farrell, had received eight Oscar nominations. Despite that impressive showing, Best Actress turned out to be its only win of the night. Even so, Jessie Buckley’s performance ensured that Hamnet still left a strong mark on the ceremony.

“I love you, Fred. You’re an incredible father, my best friend. I want to have 20,000 more children with you.”Jessie Buckley

Her acceptance speech was one of the emotional highlights of the night. After thanking her family in Ireland, she turned to her husband with a deeply personal and affectionate message. She also addressed her eight-month-old daughter, saying that she was incredibly happy to be her mother and could not wait to continue discovering life together. The mixture of humor, intimacy, and sincerity made her speech one of the ceremony’s most talked-about moments.

Michael B. Jordan Wins Best Actor for “Sinners”

The Best Actor race had been closely followed in the weeks leading up to the Oscars. Much of the attention centered on the competition between Timothee Chalamet for Marty Supreme and Michael B. Jordan for Sinners. In the end, it was Michael B. Jordan who took home the award, thanks to his performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in the film.

His victory was widely seen as one of the defining moments of the night. The role demanded not only technical skill but also emotional distinction, as he portrayed two separate yet closely connected characters in the same narrative. The Academy’s decision reflected the strength of that performance and the broader momentum behind Sinners during the season.

The win also had major historical significance. With this result, Michael B. Jordan became the sixth Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. That gave his speech additional weight, and he used the moment to reflect on the performers who had opened the door for later generations.

“The reason I’m here is because of the people who came before me.”Michael B. Jordan

In an emotional speech, Michael B. Jordan paid tribute to Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith. He also mentioned Halle Berry, still the only Black woman to have won Best Actress, placing his own achievement within a broader history of representation in Hollywood. Jordan went on to thank the people who had supported him throughout his career and praised director Ryan Coogler, calling him an extraordinary person.

Sean Penn Wins Supporting Actor but Skips the Ceremony

The Best Supporting Actor category produced another headline when Sean Penn won for One Battle After Another. The award marked the third Oscar of his career and added another major chapter to a filmography that had already earned him Academy recognition for Mystic River and Milk.

Yet the story around his win quickly became about more than the award itself. Sean Penn did not attend the ceremony. According to the article, he had traveled to Europe several days before the Oscars and was reportedly planning to spend time in Ukraine instead of attending the event.

His award was accepted by Kieran Culkin, who had won in the same category the previous year. Culkin remarked from the stage that Penn could not be there, or perhaps did not want to be there, adding humor to one of the evening’s stranger moments.

The absence also drew attention because of Penn’s activism and outspoken support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Over the years, he has repeatedly voiced strong opinions about the conflict and publicized his support for Vladimir Zelenskyy. The article also recalled an earlier controversial statement in which he criticized the Academy for not giving the Ukrainian president a speaking opportunity at a previous ceremony.

Autumn Durald Arkapaw Makes Oscar History in Cinematography

One of the most important milestones of the evening came in the Best Cinematography category. Autumn Durald Arkapaw won the Oscar for her work on Sinners, becoming the first woman and the first Black woman ever to win in that category.

Her victory represented a historic breakthrough in one of the Academy’s most traditionally male-dominated fields. According to the article, only three women had previously even been nominated in the category: Rachel Morrison for Mudbound, Ari Wegner for The Power of the Dog, and Mandy Walker for Elvis. That context made Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s win especially significant.

“Thank you for believing in me and trusting me. This is exactly the kind of people I’m happy to make films with.”Autumn Durald Arkapaw

After accepting the award, she thanked Ryan Coogler for his trust and support. Her win became one of the clearest examples of how the 2026 Oscars reflected a changing industry in which long-standing barriers were finally being broken.

Joachim Trier Delivers a Historic First for Norway

Another landmark moment came in the Best International Feature Film category, where Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value won the Oscar. The result marked a first for Norway, giving the country its first Academy Award in the category and turning the victory into a major national achievement.

The film prevailed in a competitive field and gave one of the evening’s biggest international stories to a project that had steadily built acclaim throughout the season. The win was especially notable because international categories often serve as a measure of how widely a film’s emotional and artistic appeal travels across borders. In that regard, Sentimental Value clearly succeeded.

Maggie Kang, Michelle LM Wong, and EJAE Help “KPop Demon Hunters” Make History

The animation and music categories were also among the most memorable parts of the night. KPop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature, giving directors and producers a major platform at the ceremony. The win carried special significance for Maggie Kang and Michelle LM Wong, who became the first Asian women to win in that category.

That alone would have made the film one of the evening’s major success stories, but its impact extended even further in the Best Original Song category. The film’s song “Golden” won the Oscar, becoming the first K-pop song ever to receive an Academy Award.

The moment became even more powerful because of the emotional response from star EJAE, who broke down in tears during her acceptance speech. Her comments quickly resonated with audiences because they touched on both personal experience and wider cultural recognition.

“When I was growing up, people made fun of me for loving K-pop. Now everyone is singing our song and all of its Korean lyrics. I’m so proud. This award is not about success. It is about perseverance, and I am deeply grateful to our team.”EJAE

That speech became one of the emotional peaks of the 2026 Oscars. It transformed the win into more than a music prize, turning it into a statement about cultural change, persistence, and the growing global influence of Korean pop culture.

“Marty Supreme” Becomes One of the Night’s Biggest Disappointments

While some films exceeded expectations, others left the ceremony empty-handed. One of the biggest disappointments of the night was Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie. Despite receiving nine Oscar nominations, the film failed to win a single award.

The result was particularly striking because Timothee Chalamet had entered the Best Actor race with considerable momentum after wins at major precursor ceremonies, including the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. Many observers believed he had a real chance of winning the Oscar. Instead, the Academy ultimately favored Michael B. Jordan, leaving Marty Supreme without a victory in any category.

The film, which tells the story of professional table tennis player Marty Reisman, had been viewed as one of the more serious awards contenders of the year. Its complete shutout therefore stood out as one of the clearest surprises of the ceremony.

A Rare Tie in Best Live Action Short

The 2026 ceremony also featured an unusual outcome in the Best Live Action Short Film category. The Oscar was shared by The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, producing a tie. According to the article, it was the seventh time in Oscar history that two productions had shared an award in this way.

That rare result added another element of unpredictability to a ceremony that already featured several surprising turns. Ties at the Oscars remain highly unusual, so the split victory quickly became one of the night’s more distinctive trivia points.

Javier Bardem Brings Politics to the Red Carpet and the Stage

The ceremony was not limited to film alone. As often happens at the Oscars, the event also served as a stage for political messaging. One of the clearest examples came from Javier Bardem, who appeared wearing badges with the Spanish phrases for “No to War” and “Palestine.”

The actor later took the stage with Priyanka Chopra to present the award for Best International Feature Film. He reportedly continued his anti-war message by saying “No to war” and “Free Palestine,” drawing attention not only to the current political moment but also to his own long history of public protest.

On the red carpet, Javier Bardem linked his position to the anti-war message he had expressed during the Iraq War in 2003. He argued that, 23 years later, the world was once again confronting another illegal war built on falsehoods, and he explicitly mentioned Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu in his remarks. His intervention served as a reminder that the Oscars often function as both a film ceremony and a platform for public political expression.

Other Major Winners Across the Night

Although One Battle After Another, Sinners, Hamnet, and KPop Demon Hunters dominated much of the discussion, the ceremony also honored a wide range of other films and artists across the technical and documentary categories.

Frankenstein had a strong showing in craft categories, winning Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Kate Hawley received the Oscar for costume design, while Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, and Cliona Furey were recognized for makeup and hairstyling.

Avatar: Fire and Ash won Best Visual Effects, confirming its status as a technical showcase. In the documentary field, Mr. Nobody Against Putin won Best Documentary Feature, while All the Empty Rooms took Best Documentary Short. In animation, The Girl Who Cried Pearls won Best Animated Short.

The Best Original Score award went to Sinners, with Ludwig Göransson once again receiving recognition for his work. Best Original Screenplay also went to Sinners, adding to the film’s overall success and reinforcing its place as the strongest challenger to One Battle After Another.

Complete List of Major 2026 Oscar Winners

Best Picture: One Battle After Another
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay: Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Best Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
Best Cinematography: Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Best Film Editing: One Battle After Another – Andy Jurgensen
Best International Feature Film: Sentimental Value
Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
Best Animated Short Film: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Documentary Short: All the Empty Rooms
Best Live Action Short Film: The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Costume Design: Frankenstein – Kate Hawley
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Frankenstein – Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, and Cliona Furey
Best Original Score: Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
Best Original Song: “Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
Best Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Production Design: Frankenstein
Best Sound: F1

A Ceremony Shaped by Achievement, Emotion, and Cultural Change

In the end, the 2026 Oscars will be remembered as a ceremony that combined major artistic recognition with broader symbolic importance. Paul Thomas Anderson finally received his long-awaited directing Oscar. Jessie Buckley made history for Ireland. Michael B. Jordan delivered one of the strongest speeches of the night while joining a very exclusive group of Best Actor winners. Autumn Durald Arkapaw broke new ground in cinematography, and EJAE helped bring K-pop to one of the biggest stages in global entertainment.

At the same time, the night also offered disappointment, controversy, and activism. Marty Supreme failed to convert nominations into wins, Sean Penn’s absence sparked discussion, and Javier Bardem used the global spotlight to make a political statement. All of those elements made the 98th Academy Awards feel like more than a routine awards show.

It was a ceremony that reflected not only the year in film, but also the evolving relationship between cinema, identity, politics, and culture. For that reason, the 2026 Oscars may ultimately be remembered as one of the most eventful and symbolically loaded Academy Awards ceremonies in recent years.