The Oscars 2026: Of reunions, firsts, and a celebration of creativity on film

The 98th Academy Awards was not only Hollywood's biggest night, but also one that celebrated storied careers, made historical firsts, and also made way for some surprising reunions. The show streamed live locally on Disney+, but has been said to be moving to YouTube come 2027.

Conan O' Brien returned for his second go-around hosting the Oscars with a rapid fire run thru of this year's nominees, making a grand entrance mimicking a scene straight out of Best Picture nominee Weapons. With his trademark wit, he jumped right in with his take on the great Timothée Chalamet debate, saying that "security for the event is extremely tight, as there were concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities," as the camera panned over to a grinning Chalamet seated in the audience. "They're just mad you left out jazz." After a few more lighthearted jokes, he closed out his monologue with a brief demonstration of how to properly accept an Academy Award, with matching velvet cape, crown, and a song by Josh Groban.

A Winning Streak

As expected, One Battle After Another and Sinners continued their winning streak through this awards season, taking home some of the night's biggest awards.

Paul Thomas Anderson's comedy - drama One Battle... picked up six trophies, including Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Casting, Supporting Actor (for Sean Penn who was a no-show), Best Director, and Best Picture. "I want to thank the Academy for finding my work worthy of this highest honor," said Anderson. "I’m here because of people’s faith in me, that give me their faith and their time...the best part about being on a film crew is being with people."

On the other hand, Ryan Coogler's vampire Western Sinners took home trophies for Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography, and made a Best Actor winner out of Michael B. Jordan. In his speech, he honored the Black actors who came before him, and those whose support has led him to this moment, "I know you guys want me to do well... thank you for keeping betting on me and I'm gonna keep stepping up."

It was also actress Amy Madigan's awards season, as won her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Aunt Gladys in Weapons, bringing her trophy count for the role to five, including the Critics' Choice Award and The Actor Award.

The same can be said for Netflix's massive hit KPop Demon Hunters, which picked up trophies for Best Song and Best Animated Feature, adding to the film's massive trophy haul.

A Season Of Firsts

The 98th Academy Awards also marked a season of huge firsts.

Oscar Best Actress Jessie Buckley, whose portrayal of a grief-stricken mother in Hamnet has garnered critical acclaim, and a handful of trophies is the first actress of Irish descent to win the award. “I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart," said the actress in her speech. "We all come from a lineage of women who continued to create against all odds. This is the greatest honor."

 “Hopefully this award will inspire all the little girls to be in cinematography as well," is what Filipino-American Autumn Durald-Arkapaw hopes her win will open doors to. She is not only the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography, but also the first woman of color and the first Filipina to have accomplished such a feat. "Always believe you have to be yourself to be seen,” she says further in her speech.

A Time For Reunions

This year's award ceremony also proved to be the perfect time for a few reunions. There were Avengers alums Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Evans, who are both returning in Avengers Doomsday, with their witty repartee about Magic Mike's briefs. Then Moulin Rouge stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor, who reminisced about working on the film before presenting Best Director.

Perhaps the most surprising sort-of a reunion was having The Devil Wears Prada's Anne Hathaway presenting Best Costume Design, and Makeup &b Hairstyling with Vogue Editorial Director Anna Wintour, who played up a short bit inspired by the film.

In Memoriam

This year's Oscars stepped away from tradition as they paid heartfelt tributes to the creatives, actors, and cinematic greats who passed away in the past year.

Comedian and actor Billy Crystal waxed nostalgic as he described director Rob Reiner's work, saying "Rob’s movies will last for lifetimes because they were about what makes us laugh and cry and what we aspire to be...far kinder, far funnier and far more human." He was joined onstage Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Annette Bening, Demi Moore, Jerry O' Connell, Wil Wheaton, John Cusack, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, among others - all of whom had starred in films by the late director.

Rachel McAdams paid tribute to her mentor and friend Diane Keaton, saying that "There isn't an actress of my generation who was not inspired by and enthralled with her absolute singularity," The actress also honored"fellow Canadian," the beloved comedian Catherine O' Hara, saying "She made us laugh until we cried."

Actress and singer Barbra Streisand described the late Robert Redford as an "...intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail," and lauded him for his political courage. She closed her tribute by dedicating and singing a few lines from the theme song from their 1973 film, The Way We Were.

O' Brien did take the opportunity to highlight diversity and representation at the Academy Awards, saying that there were 31 countries across six continents represented in the awards - a fitting homage not only to the craft, but also to global artistry, optimism, and resilience.

Here is the complete list of winners for the 98th Academy Awards:

Best Supporting Actress

Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan, Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Best Animated Feature Film

Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters 
Little Amélie or The Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

Best Animated Short Film

Butterfly
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters

Best costume design

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein - Kate Hawley
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister

Best Casting

Hamnet (Nina Gold)
Marty Supreme (Jennifer Venditti)
One Battle After Another (Cassandra Kulukundis)
The Secret Agent (Gabriel Domingues)
Sinners (Francine Maisler)

Best Live Action Short Film

Butcher’s Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
The Singers
Two People Exchanging Saliva

Best Supporting Actor

Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo, Sinners
Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

Best Adapted Screenplay

Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another  - Paul Thomas Anderson  
Train Dreams

Best Original Screenplay

Blue Moon
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners - Ryan Coogler

Best Production Design

 Frankenstein

Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners

 Best Visual Effects

Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners

Best Documentary Short Film

All the Empty Rooms 
Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Children No More: Were and Are Gone
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly a Strangeness

Best Documentary Feature Film

The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin 
The Perfect Neighbor

Best Original Score

Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners - Ludwig Göransson

Best Sound 

F1

Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirât 

Best Film Editing

F1
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

Best Cinematography

Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Train Dreams

Best International Feature Film

The Secret Agent
It Was Just an Accident
Sentimental Value
Sirât
The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best original song

Dear Me (Diane Warren: Relentless)
Golden (KPop Demon Hunters)
I Lied To You (Sinners)
Sweet Dreams of Joy (Viva Verdi!)
Train Dreams (Train Dreams)

Best Directing

Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)
Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
Ryan Coogler (Sinners)

Best Actor

Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
Michael B Jordan  (Sinners)
Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)

Best Actress

Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)
Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)
Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
Emma Stone (Bugonia)

Best Picture

Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams