The 98th Academy Awards were presented on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to recognize all of the best films of the year. For the evening, Conan O’Brien served as host, while the presenters and nominee announcements yielded many emotional moments, historic wins for some of the films, and some surprises!
The most prominent headline from this award show will undoubtedly be shared by “One Battle After Another”, which received several Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson). In total, the film received six Oscars, which will certainly go down as one of the Academy Awards’ defining films this season.
Another major player during the awards show was “Sinners”, which received 16 total nominations, the highest number of any film this year. It was during the ceremony that Michael B. Jordan received his first Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in this film. The film “Sinners” also received technical and writing Oscars.
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley received Best Actress for “Hamnet”. Both Sean Penn and Amy Madigan received Oscars for Best Supporting Actor for their performances in “One Battle After Another” and “Weapons”, respectively.
The ceremony didn’t just focus on the big winners; it also showcased the diversity of cinema with films from many genres and countries finding recognition. The animated fantasy KPop Demon Hunters was awarded both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, and Norway’s Sentimental Value received the Best International Feature Film award.
In addition, there was a very rare occurrence in Oscar history on this evening that marks both winners receiving the same score in this category, further demonstrating that the Academy Awards will always offer something unexpected!
Oscars 2026 – Key Winners
Best Picture: One Battle After Another
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
Best International Feature Film: Sentimental Value
Best Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Original Song: “Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
Best Cinematography: Sinners
Best Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Meanwhile, Indian actress Priyanka Chopra added a new element of desi glamour as she returned to the stage to present at the Oscars. She walked the red carpet with husband Nick Jonas in a stunning white Dior and then presented the Best International Feature Film award with actor Javier Bardem. The award went to the Norwegian film Sentimental Value and was one of the highlights of the night.
As Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans took to the stage during the ceremony to present awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay, they did so with an immense amount of nostalgic energy behind them, as both actors portrayed Iron Man and Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, respectfully. The two shared some good-natured jabbing and reminiscing about their shared experience from The Avengers, which was 14 years ago; this created tons of nostalgia for Marvel superheroes and became one of the biggest highlights of the night at the Oscars awards show.
As the curtains fell on the 98th Academy Awards, it illustrated precisely how the Oscars are still the world’s greatest celebration of cinema. Some memorable moments from this year’s ceremony included a long-awaited trophy for Paul Thomas Anderson and two remarkable wins for longtime performers Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley (both of which could be viewed as defining moments in their respective careers). The Oscars this year reminded us that great films will continue to find an audience worldwide with their ability to tell stories that are both compelling and unique, as well as provide a combination of expected success and surprise.
