The 98th Academy Awards delivered a night of historic wins, breakout performances and major industry milestones as One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner, taking home Best Picture and several other top honors.
The ceremony, held in Hollywood, also saw standout acting victories for Michael B. Jordan, who won Best Actor for Sinners, and Jessie Buckley, who made history as the first Irish performer to win Best Actress for Hamnet.
Another notable moment came when cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners, marking a major milestone in the Academy’s nearly century-long history.
A big night for ‘One Battle After Another’
The political drama One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, dominated the awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, and Best Film Editing.
The film also secured acting recognition with Sean Penn winning Best Supporting Actor.
The sweeping victory solidified Anderson’s place among the most celebrated filmmakers in modern cinema, marking his first-ever Academy Award.
Major acting honours
The acting categories featured fierce competition but produced memorable victories.
Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his performance in Sinners, beating nominees including Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, and Wagner Moura.
In the Best Actress category, Jessie Buckley won for Hamnet, defeating Emma Stone, Kate Hudson, Rose Byrne, and Renate Reinsve.
Meanwhile, Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons, beating strong contenders including Wunmi Mosaku, Elle Fanning, Teyana Taylor, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.
International and documentary highlights
In the international category, Norwegian drama Sentimental Value made history as the first film from Norway to win Best International Feature Film.
Meanwhile, Mr Nobody Against Putin claimed the Best Documentary Feature award.
The Best Documentary Short Film category was won by All the Empty Rooms.
Animation and music winners
In animation, KPop Demon Hunters took home Best Animated Feature Film, while The Girl Who Cried Pearls won Best Animated Short Film.
The film’s song “Golden” also secured the Best Original Song Oscar, highlighting the growing global influence of Korean pop culture.
Full list of winners at the 2026 Oscars
Best Picture
- One Battle After Another – WINNER
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 Film
- KPop Demon Hunters
Best Animated Short Film
- The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Documentary Feature Film
- Mr Nobody Against Putin
Best Documentary Short Film
- All the Empty Rooms
Best International Feature Film
- Sentimental Value
Best Live Action Short Film
- The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva (joint winners)
A night of milestones
The 2026 Oscars highlighted the continued globalization of cinema, with winners representing diverse cultures, storytelling styles and creative voices.
For audiences worldwide, the night confirmed that the Academy Awards remain one of the most influential celebrations of film, nearly a century after the first ceremony was held.
