The 98th Academy Awards took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, celebrating the best films released in 2025. The ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, delivered a night full of big victories, emotional speeches, and a few unexpected results.
The biggest story of the night was the sweeping success of “One Battle After Another,” which dominated the ceremony and confirmed the long-awaited Oscar breakthrough for director Paul Thomas Anderson.
Below is a clear breakdown of the winners, key highlights, and the biggest surprises from the Oscars 2026.
Biggest Winners of the Night
Best Picture
- Winner:One Battle After Another
The political satire won six awards overall, making it the most successful film of the ceremony. The movie also won Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and several technical awards.
This victory marked the first Oscar win for Paul Thomas Anderson, one of Hollywood’s most respected directors.
Best Director
- Winner:Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
For years, Anderson had been nominated but never won. His victory this year was widely seen as a career recognition moment.
Best Actor
- Winner:Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Jordan won for his role playing twin brothers in the film, delivering one of the most talked-about performances of the year. The film itself had 16 nominations, the highest of any movie.
Best Actress
- Winner:Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Buckley’s performance was already dominating the awards season, and her Oscar win completed a sweep of major awards, including BAFTA and the Golden Globes.
Her emotional speech dedicated the award to her daughter and to mothers everywhere.
Supporting Acting Awards
Best Supporting Actor
- Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
This became Penn’s third Oscar, placing him among a rare group of actors with three Academy Awards.
Best Supporting Actress
- Amy Madigan – Weapons
At age 75, Madigan won her first Oscar, decades after her previous nomination in 1985.
Other Major Category Winners
Several films shared the spotlight in technical and international categories.
Best Animated Feature
- KPop Demon Hunters
Best International Feature Film
- Sentimental Value (Norway)
Best Documentary Feature
- Nobody Against Putin
Best Visual Effects
- Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Production Design
- Frankenstein
Best Sound
- F1
These wins showed how the awards were spread across multiple genres—from animation and sci-fi to political documentaries.
Biggest Surprises of the Night
1. “Sinners” Lost Best Picture
Even though Sinners had 16 nominations, it did not win Best Picture. This was considered one of the biggest surprises.
Still, the film walked away with four Oscars, including Best Actor, Best Score, and Best Cinematography.
2. Horror Film Acting Win
Amy Madigan’s victory for Weapons was unusual because horror films rarely win acting Oscars.
This made her win one of the most talked-about moments of the ceremony.
3. Historic Cinematography Win
Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and first Black cinematographer to win the Oscar in that category for Sinners.
4. A Rare Oscar Tie
The category Best Live Action Short Film resulted in a rare tie, shared by:
- The Singers
- Two People Exchanging Saliva
Oscar ties are extremely uncommon.
A New Oscar Category
The 2026 ceremony also introduced a new category: Best Casting.
The first-ever winner was:
- One Battle After Another– Casting director Cassandra Kulukundis.
This change increased the total competitive categories to 24 awards.
Political and Cultural Moments
Beyond awards, the ceremony also included political commentary.
Speeches referenced topics such as global conflict, censorship, and immigration policies. Activists even projected protest messages near the venue during the ceremony.
These moments reflected how the Oscars often serve as a platform for social and political discussion.
Final Verdict
The 2026 Oscars will likely be remembered for three main reasons:
- The dominance of One Battle After Another
- Michael B. Jordan’s career-defining win
- Historic and unexpected victories across several categories
The ceremony also highlighted the growing diversity of modern cinema, with international films, animated movies, and documentaries sharing the spotlight.
In many ways, the 98th Academy Awards showed that Hollywood is evolving, with bold storytelling, new voices, and global cinema playing a larger role than ever before.
Satyakam is a seasoned professional content writer with over 15 years of experience in creating high-quality, research-driven content for digital platforms. He specialises in business, finance, banking, law, technology, and informational blogs.
