The 98th Academy Awards delivered a night of major victories and notable milestones, taking place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre. Hosted by Conan O’Brien and broadcast live on ABC and Hulu, the ceremony celebrated a wide mix of blockbuster hits and artistic achievements.
The biggest winner of the night was One Battle After Another, which captured Best Picture and six total awards. Director Paul Thomas Anderson earned both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, while the film also picked up Oscars for Film Editing and the Academy’s first-ever award recognizing casting. Cast member Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor—his third Oscar—but was not present to accept the honor.
The other standout of the night was Sinners, with star Michael B. Jordan winning Best Actor for his performance, and director Ryan Coogler received Best Original Screenplay. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman—and the first woman of color—to win Best Cinematography for her work on the film, which also took home the award for Best Score.
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley secured Best Actress for her role in Hamnet, completing a sweep of major awards throughout the season. Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Weapons.
Animation also had a strong moment with KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature. Its breakout anthem, “Golden,” claimed Best Original Song—marking the first time a K-pop track has won the category. The film also energized the ceremony with a lively performance of the song.
Elsewhere, Frankenstein dominated the craft categories, earning Oscars for Costume Design, Hair and Makeup, and Production Design. Sentimental Value was named Best International Feature, while Mr. Nobody Against Putin won Best Documentary.
One of the ceremony’s rarest outcomes also occurred: for only the seventh time in Oscar history, a category ended in a tie, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the award for Best Live-Action Short.
For the complete list of 2026 Oscar winners, head HERE.
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