Lights, cameras and big wins as the Academy Awards crown the year’s standout films and performances

The 98th Academy Awards unfolded on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, celebrating the year’s most acclaimed films and performances. Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the ceremony delivered a mix of expected wins and memorable moments as the long awards season reached its finale.

Leading the night was Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which claimed the coveted Best Picture prize while also earning Anderson the Oscar for Best Director. The political action drama entered the ceremony as one of the major contenders and ultimately emerged as one of the evening’s biggest winners.

In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his dual role as the Smoke and Stack twins in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, marking his first Academy Award. His win came in a competitive field that included Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Jessie Buckley continued her impressive awards-season run by winning Best Actress for Hamnet, following her recent BAFTA and SAG victories. Supporting acting honors went to Sean Penn for One Battle After Another and Amy Madigan for Weapons.

Several films also stood out across craft and technical categories. Sinners picked up multiple awards, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score, while Netflix’s Frankenstein dominated design categories such as Costume Design, Production Design and Makeup. Elsewhere, Norway’s Sentimental Value won Best International Feature and KPop Demon Hunters took home Best Animated Feature. Together, the winners captured the range of this year’s cinema – from blockbuster spectacle to intimate, character-driven storytelling.

See the full list of winners at the 2026 Oscars below.

Best Picture: One Battle After Another

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Michael B. Jordan – Sinners

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Madigan – Weapons

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another

Best Directing: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler – Sinners

Best Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Best Documentary Short: All the Empty Rooms

Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters

Best Animated Short: The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Best Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners

Best Costume Design: Kate Hawley – Frankenstein

Best Film Editing: Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another

Best International Feature: Sentimental Value

Best Live-Action Short: The Singers (Tie), Two People Exchanging Saliva (Tie)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey – Frankenstein

Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson – Sinners

Best Original Song: “Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters

Best Production Design: Frankenstein

Best Sound: F1

Best Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Best Casting: One Battle After Another

Also see: 7 empowering films directed by women to add to your watchlist