Cinema’s Biggest Night Delivers History at the 98th Academy Awards
By Natalie McCarty
Hollywood gathered beneath the bright lights of the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night for the 98th Academy Awards, an evening celebrating a year defined by ambitious filmmaking, daring performances, and technical artistry. Hosted by Conan O'Brien, the ceremony balanced playful irreverence with genuine reverence for the craft as the industry honored the films and artists who shaped the past year in cinema.
By the end of the night, one film stood firmly above the rest: One Battle After Another. The sweeping drama from Paul Thomas Anderson emerged as the ceremony’s dominant force, taking home multiple awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, cementing Anderson’s latest epic as the Academy’s defining choice of the year.
However… Sinners, I will mourn you forever. Perhaps the biggest Oscars snub in history? I digress.
Credit: Getty Images
Because the most electric and widely celebrated moment of the night belonged to Michael B. Jordan. After years of delivering career-defining performances, Jordan finally claimed his first Academy Award for his magnetic dual performance as Smoke and Stack in Sinners. The win was a moment Hollywood had been building toward for years, and it simply couldn’t have been more deserved—and, frankly, we called it after the Timothée Chalamet drama put the final nail in the Marty Supreme campaign coffin. The standing ovation that followed Jordan’s win made one thing abundantly clear: this was a victory the entire room had been rooting for.
The ceremony also delivered a historic milestone behind the camera. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, earning the honor for her stunning work on Sinners. Her victory marked a landmark moment in one of the film industry’s most traditionally male-dominated categories.
Elsewhere, the Academy delivered one of its rarest results: a tie. The Best Live Action Short Film category ended in a shared victory between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, a reminder that sometimes even Oscar voters can’t separate two standout works.
Our full breakdown of the night’s most memorable speeches, surprises, and red-carpet moments is still to come. For now, we’re celebrating the films that walked away with Oscar gold.
2026 Oscars — Complete Winners
Best Picture
One Battle After Another
Best Actor
Michael B. Jordan — Sinners
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley — Hamnet
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay
Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Best Adapted Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actor
Sean Penn — One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Madigan — Weapons
Best International Feature Film
Sentimental Value
Best Documentary Feature
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Animated Feature
KPop Demon Hunters
Best Cinematography
Autumn Durald Arkapaw — Sinners(First woman to win the award in Academy history)
Best Film Editing
One Battle After Another
Best Production Design
Frankenstein
Best Costume Design
Frankenstein
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Frankenstein
Best Original Score
Ludwig Göransson — Sinners
Best Original Song
“Golden” — KPop Demon Hunters
Best Sound
F1
Best Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Live Action Short Film
The Singers
Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Animated Short Film
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Documentary Short Film
All the Empty Rooms
Courtesy of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences
The 2026 Oscars ultimately felt like a celebration of cinema’s full spectrum—from blockbuster spectacle to intimate storytelling, from historic craft achievements to career-defining performances. With Sinners’ acknowledgment for Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan finally earning his long-deserved Oscar, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw making history behind the camera, the night carried a sense of momentum for the industry.
If the Academy Awards are meant to capture the spirit of a cinematic moment in time, then the 2026 ceremony did just that—honoring both the legends of the craft and the milestones that continue to shape the future of film.
