The 2026 Oscars delivered a night packed with historic wins, emotional speeches and standout moments, but one film clearly dominated Hollywood’s biggest stage. Paul Thomas Anderson’s action-thriller One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner of the 98th Academy Awards, taking home six Oscars including the prestigious Best Picture award.
The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, celebrated a year of ambitious filmmaking and unforgettable performances. Alongside the Best Picture victory, Michael B. Jordan won his first Oscar for Best Actor for Sinners, while Jessie Buckley earned Best Actress for her powerful role in Hamnet. From historic cinematography wins to memorable performances and rare ties, the 2026 Oscars recap delivered plenty of headline-making moments.
‘One Battle After Another’ dominates the 98th Academy Awards
The night belonged to One Battle After Another, which walked away with six awards and confirmed its position as the year’s most celebrated film. The movie won Best Picture, while director Paul Thomas Anderson also secured the Best Director Oscar after years of critical acclaim and multiple nominations throughout his career.
The film also collected awards for Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and the Academy’s newly introduced category for Best Casting. During his acceptance speech, Anderson joked about his long journey to finally winning an Oscar, saying the Academy made him “work hard for one of these.”
The film’s sweep capped a strong awards season and cemented Anderson’s reputation as one of the most respected filmmakers in Hollywood.
Michael B. Jordan wins first Oscar for ‘Sinners’
One of the loudest cheers of the evening came when Michael B. Jordan was announced as the winner of the Best Actor award for his performance in Sinners. Jordan portrayed twins Smoke and Stack in the film, a demanding role that critics praised throughout the awards season.
In his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked his parents, including his father who traveled from Ghana to attend the ceremony. He also paid tribute to the Black actors who paved the way for his success.
“I stand here because of the people who came before me,” Jordan said, naming legends such as Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker and Will Smith.
Jordan’s victory marked the first Academy Award of his career and one of the emotional highlights of the night.
Jessie Buckley wins Best Actress for ‘Hamnet’
Jessie Buckley won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Hamnet, delivering one of the ceremony’s most heartfelt speeches. The Irish actress celebrated the moment with her entire family, explaining that Ireland helped bring them all to the ceremony.
During her emotional acceptance speech, Buckley dedicated the award to motherhood and her young daughter.
“I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart,” she said, referencing the fact that the ceremony fell on Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom.
Buckley’s win was particularly notable because she became the first Irish woman to win the Best Actress Oscar.
‘Sinners’ makes history with cinematography win
Although One Battle After Another won the night’s biggest prize, Sinners still had a strong presence at the ceremony. In addition to Jordan’s Best Actor win, the film also took home several awards including Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score.
The film also made Oscars history when cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. She became the first woman ever to win the award, receiving a standing ovation inside the Dolby Theatre.
In the press room after her victory, Arkapaw reflected on the significance of the moment.
“A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight because they’ll want to become cinematographers,” she said.
Other major winners from the 2026 Oscars
Several other films also had memorable nights at the ceremony. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein collected three awards including Production Design, Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling, highlighting the film’s impressive technical achievements.
Meanwhile, the animated film KPop Demon Hunters earned two Oscars, winning Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for the hit track “Golden.” The song was also performed live during the ceremony by artists Rei Ami, EJAE and Audrey Nuna, with audience members waving glowing lightsticks during the performance.
Another major milestone came when the Norwegian film Sentimental Value won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, marking the first time a Norwegian film has received that honor.
A rare tie and memorable ceremony moments
The 2026 Oscars also featured a rare moment in Academy Awards history when two films tied for the Best Live Action Short Film category. Both The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva were declared winners, marking one of the few ties ever recorded in Oscars history.
The ceremony also included several memorable live moments. Actor Javier Bardem made a political statement during the broadcast by saying “No to war” and calling for peace. Host Conan O’Brien drew laughter from the audience with jokes aimed at several nominees, including Timothée Chalamet.
One humorous moment came when Chalamet was seen enthusiastically cheering and standing to applaud Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win.
Emotional tributes and memorable performances
Beyond the awards themselves, the ceremony also included a powerful In Memoriam segment honoring several film legends who passed away in 2025. Actor Billy Crystal delivered a moving tribute to director and actor Rob Reiner, reflecting on his influence on cinema.
Barbra Streisand also took the stage to honor Robert Redford and performed the iconic song “The Way We Were,” giving the ceremony one of its most emotional moments.
Other highlights included a reunion of the Bridesmaids cast — Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne and Ellie Kemper — who appeared together onstage to present awards and celebrate the film’s 15th anniversary.
Why the 2026 Oscars stood out
The 98th Academy Awards will be remembered for its historic wins, emotional speeches and the dominant performance of One Battle After Another. With six Oscars, the film became the clear centerpiece of the evening while still leaving room for major achievements from films like Sinners, Frankenstein and KPop Demon Hunters.
From Michael B. Jordan’s career-defining victory to Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s history-making cinematography win, the 2026 Oscars delivered a celebration of both established stars and groundbreaking achievements in filmmaking.
For a full list of official winners and ceremony details, readers can visit the Academy’s official Oscars page or review the complete awards recap from Associated Press coverage.
