Hollywood's biggest celebration of cinema delivered a night of historic wins, emotional speeches and unforgettable moments as the 98th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026.
Hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien, the ceremony honoured the year's best films and featured major surprises, milestone victories, and powerful performances. The event began on Sunday evening in the United States (early Monday morning in India) and streamed live for Indian viewers on JioHotstar.
The biggest winner of the night was Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, which took home six Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture. Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler's Sinners — the most nominated film with 16 nominations — delivered several standout victories, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.
Biggest Wins Of The Night
The evening's top award, Best Picture, went to One Battle After Another, marking a major career milestone for director Paul Thomas Anderson, who also won Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Accepting the directing award, Anderson joked about the long road to the win.
“You make a guy work hard for one of these. I appreciate it.” He also reflected on filmmaking as a collaborative effort, adding, “I'm here because of people's faith in me. They give you their time and belief — that's the best part of being on a film crew.”
The film also won Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn), Best Film Editing, and the newly introduced Best Casting award, making it the night's most decorated film.
Michael B. Jordan Wins His First Oscar
One of the most emotional moments of the night came when Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for Sinners, where he played twin brothers facing both supernatural and historical dangers.
Jordan used his acceptance speech to honour the actors who inspired him. “I stand here because of the people who came before me — Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith.”
He added with emotion, “I'm going to keep stepping up and being the best version of myself I can be.” The award marked Jordan's first Oscar win and nomination.
ALSO READ: Who Is Michael B Jordan? Check Oscars 2026 Best Actor's Movie List, Net Worth And More
Jessie Buckley Wins Best Actress
The Best Actress Oscar went to Jessie Buckley for her powerful role in Hamnet. Buckley dedicated her award to mothers during her speech. “It's Mother's Day in the UK today, so I want to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother's heart.”
Her performance as a grieving mother in the Shakespeare-inspired drama had long been considered one of the strongest of the year.
Historic And First-Time Moments
The ceremony also delivered several historic milestones.
The biggest came when Autumn Durald Arkapaw won Best Cinematography for Sinners, becoming the first woman ever to win the Oscar in this category. In a powerful moment on stage, she asked women in the audience to stand up. “I don't get here without you guys,” she said.
Another first for the Oscars came with the introduction of the Best Casting category, which was won by Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another.
Meanwhile, the Live-Action Short Film category produced a rare tie, with both “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva” winning the Oscar — a moment that surprised even the presenter.
Memorable And Fun Moments On Stage
Host Conan O'Brien set the tone for the night with a high-energy opening monologue filled with jokes about the nominated films.
One of the most talked-about segments was a humorous opening montage where O'Brien appeared inside scenes from nominated movies, racing through a track in F1, riding alongside characters from One Battle After Another, and briefly appearing in Sinners.
Another highlight was the performance of “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters. The energetic stage show had celebrities in the audience waving light sticks like fans at a K-pop concert. The song later won Best Original Song.
The ceremony also featured a touching In Memoriam segment, which paid tribute to legendary film figures including Robert Redford and Robert Duvall, leaving many attendees visibly emotional.
Indian actor Priyanka Chopra also made an appearance at the ceremony in a white Dior gown, presenting an award alongside Javier Bardem, while several global stars, including Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor attended the event.
Technical Triumphs
Several films dominated the technical categories.
Frankenstein emerged as the technical powerhouse of the night, winning Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hairstyling, and Best Production Design.
Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash took home Best Visual Effects, while racing drama F1 won Best Sound.
Full List Of Oscar Winners 2026
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
Sinners — Ryan Coogler
Best Adapted Screenplay
One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson
Best Cinematography
Sinners
Best Film Editing
One Battle After Another
Best Production Design
Frankenstein
Best Costume Design
Frankenstein
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Frankenstein
Best Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Sound
F1
Best Original Score
Ludwig Göransson — Sinners
Best Original Song
“Golden” — KPop Demon Hunters
Best Animated Feature
KPop Demon Hunters
Best Animated Short Film
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Live-Action Short Film
TIE: The Singers
TIE: Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best International Feature Film
Sentimental Value (Norway)
Best Documentary Feature
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Documentary Short
All the Empty Rooms
Best Casting
One Battle After Another
ALSO READ: And The Oscar Goes To..: 98th Academy Awards 2026 Full Winners List
Concluding The Night Of Big Wins
The 98th Academy Awards, one of the most-awaited nights in cinema, came to an end, with several deserving artists taking home the coveted golden statuette.
The ceremony aired live in India at 4:30 AM IST, and viewers who missed the early morning broadcast can catch the repeat telecast at 9:00 PM IST on Star Movies and Colors Infinity, while it is also available to stream on JioHotstar and Star Movies, including the red carpet coverage.
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