The 98th Academy Awards delivered an evening full of memorable speeches, historic wins, and a celebration of bold filmmaking, as Hollywood gathered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026. Hosted for the second consecutive year by Conan O’Brien, the ceremony honored the best films of 2025 and featured a mix of emotional moments, comedic jabs, and several notable firsts.
O’Brien’s opening monologue set the tone for the night, mixing self-deprecating humor with playful digs at nominees and awards-season controversies. His comedic style, which had been praised during his hosting debut the previous year, again provided a lively throughline for the evening.
The night’s biggest prize went to “One Battle After Another,” which won Best Picture and ultimately emerged as the most awarded film of the evening. The film’s director, Paul Thomas Anderson, also won Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, helping cement the movie’s dominance.
Among the acting winners, Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his performance in the horror drama “Sinners,” delivering an emotional speech thanking longtime collaborator Ryan Coogler for believing in him and giving him the opportunity to shine.
Best Actress went to Jessie Buckley for her performance in “Hamnet,” while veteran performer Amy Madigan earned her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the horror film “Weapons.” Madigan’s victory was one of the evening’s most emotional moments, arriving more than four decades after her first nomination.
In the supporting actor category, Sean Penn won his third Oscar for his role in “One Battle After Another,” though he was not present to accept the award in person.
Music also took center stage during the ceremony. The song “Golden” from the animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” won Best Original Song, and its energetic live performance became one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
Another notable milestone was the introduction of the Best Casting category, a brand-new Oscar honoring the often-overlooked work of casting directors. The inaugural award went to Cassandra Kulukundis for “One Battle After Another.”
Here’s the fill list of winners:
Best Picture
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“One Battle After Another”
Best Director
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Paul Thomas Anderson — “One Battle After Another”
Best Actor
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Michael B. Jordan — “Sinners”
Best Actress
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Jessie Buckley — “Hamnet”
Best Supporting Actor
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Sean Penn — “One Battle After Another”
Best Supporting Actress
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Amy Madigan — “Weapons”
Best Original Screenplay
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Ryan Coogler — “Sinners”
Best Adapted Screenplay
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Paul Thomas Anderson — “One Battle After Another”
Best Animated Feature
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“KPop Demon Hunters”
Best International Feature Film
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(Winner not widely reported in early coverage)
Best Documentary Feature
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“Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
Best Documentary Short
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“All the Empty Rooms”
Best Animated Short Film
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“The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
Best Live-Action Short Film
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TIE: “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva”
Best Original Score
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Ludwig Göransson — “Sinners”
Best Original Song
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“Golden” — “KPop Demon Hunters”
Best Cinematography
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Autumn Durald Arkapaw — “Sinners”
Best Film Editing
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Andy Jurgensen — “One Battle After Another”
Best Production Design
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Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau — “Frankenstein”
Best Costume Design
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Kate Hawley — “Frankenstein”
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
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Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey — “Frankenstein”
Best Sound
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Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta — “F1”
Best Visual Effects
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Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett — “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
Best Casting
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Cassandra Kulukundis — “One Battle After Another”