The 98th Oscars Redefine the Hollywood Landscape

"One Battle After Another" Prevails in a Tight Race

Despite "Sinners" entering the night with a record-breaking 16 nominations, it was Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" that emerged as the evening's dominant force, securing six wins, including Best Picture and Best Director for Anderson . The film, a politically charged drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, also took home awards for Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Casting .

In a touching moment of industry recognition, Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film. This victory places him in an elite echelon of performers, making him only the fourth man in history to win three competitive acting Oscars, joining the ranks of Jack Nicholson, Walter Brennan, and Daniel Day-Lewis . Penn was notably absent from the ceremony, a detail that sparked quiet speculation but did little to dampen the film’s celebratory mood .

A Historic Night for "Sinners" and Horror

If "One Battle After Another" was the night's big winner, "Sinners" was its historic heartbeat. While it "only" walked away with four Oscars, the significance of its wins cannot be overstated. Ryan Coogler won his first Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and Michael B. Jordan took home the Best Actor trophy for his dual performance as twin brothers in the Jim Crow-era South .

However, the most talked-about win of the night might have been in the cinematography category. Autumn Durald Arkapaw won Best Cinematography for her hauntingly beautiful work on "Sinners," making her the first woman in Academy history to win that award . Her victory was a landmark moment for representation behind the camera, celebrated with a standing ovation.

The film’s success signals a significant shift in the Academy’s relationship with genre filmmaking. "Sinners," a film that uses a Southern Gothic vampire narrative to explore themes of racial injustice and trauma, proved that horror can be both critically acclaimed and award-worthy on a scale rarely seen since the days of "The Silence of the Lambs" or "Get Out" .

Conan O’Brien’s Return and the Politics of the Stage

Returning as host for the second consecutive year, Conan O’Brien delivered a monologue that balanced self-deprecating humor with pointed jabs. He quickly addressed the elephant in the room—the recent controversial comments by Best Actor nominee Timothée Chalamet, who had dismissed ballet and opera as irrelevant. O’Brien quipped, "Security is extremely tight tonight. I'm told there's concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities... They're just mad you left out jazz!" . The camera cut to Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, who took the joke in stride.

The political undercurrents of the evening ran deep. While the ceremony is often a chance for Hollywood to pat itself on the back, several winners used their platform to address global conflicts. Actor Javier Bardem, presenting an award, used his moment to declare "No a la guerra y Palestina libre" ("No to war and Free Palestine") . Joachim Trier, whose film "Sentimental Value" won Best International Feature for Norway, quoted author James Baldwin and urged viewers to reject political leaders who ignore their responsibilities to future generations .

A Tie, a K-Pop Milestone, and "Weapons"

The 98th Oscars will also be remembered for its statistical anomalies. For the first time in 14 years, the Academy witnessed a tie. In the Best Live Action Short category, "The Singers" and "Two People Exchanging Saliva" were both declared winners, leading to a moment of joyful confusion on stage as two separate teams accepted the golden statuette .

In a victory that resonated globally, the animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" won Best Animated Feature. Its hit track, "Golden," also took home the Oscar for Best Original Song, marking the first time a K-pop song has ever won in that category . The film's fictional group, HUNTR/X, delivered a high-energy performance of the song earlier in the night, which was described by singer EJAE as representing "culture, Korea, gold" .

The acting categories also saw a major upset in the supporting field. Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for her terrifying portrayal of Aunt Gladys in the horror film "Weapons," beating out favorites Elle Fanning and Teyana Taylor. Her win solidified the night's theme of embracing the dark and unsettling .

Jessie Buckley completed her award-season sweep, winning Best Actress for her role in the Shakespearean drama "Hamnet." Arriving on the red carpet "full of joy" in a custom Chanel gown inspired by Grace Kelly, Buckley’s emotional speech focused on the "redemptive power of storytelling" .

The Audience Verdict: A "Beautiful" But "Boring" Affair?

While the industry celebrated inside the Dolby Theatre, the reaction on social media was decidedly mixed. The official hashtag #Oscars trended globally, but a significant portion of the conversation was dominated by complaints that the 2026 ceremony was a "snooze fest" .

Viewers took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration. "This is the most boring ceremony I've ever witnessed in 20 years," one user posted, while another lamented, "This Oscars is the most painful, boring thing I've watched maybe ever" . Criticism was also leveled at the show's producers for cutting off winners' speeches prematurely. When the team behind "Frankenstein" (which won three awards for its craft) and the "KPop Demon Hunters" crew were played off by the orchestra, audiences felt the moments were rushed and disrespectful .

However, there was one aspect of the broadcast that received near-universal praise: the In Memoriam segment. An extended tribute to the stars lost in the past year, it included heartfelt remembrances of Rob Reiner—who was tragically murdered along with his wife just days prior—and the legendary Robert Redford . Billy Crystal choked up while honoring Reiner, his friend and collaborator on "When Harry Met Sally," and Barbra Streisand delivered a moving tribute to Redford, calling him "an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail" . Fans online agreed, with one tweeting, "They FINALLY got the In Memoriam right. This is how you pay tribute" .

The Future on Display

Beyond the awards, the night served as a massive promotional platform for Hollywood’s upcoming slate. Audiences were treated to a reunion of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans teasing "Avengers: Doomsday," while Sigourney Weaver and Pedro Pascal appeared on stage with the beloved Grogu to hype the upcoming "The Mandalorian & Grogu" film. In a hilarious sketch, Anna Wintour and Anne Hathaway previewed the long-awaited "The Devil Wears Prada 2," ensuring that the industry's future looks just as bright as its past .

As the stars filtered out of the Dolby Theatre into the balmy Los Angeles night, the legacy of the 98th Oscars was clear. It was a night where the Academy looked forward—by honoring a record number of nominations for a genre film and crowning a female cinematographer for the first time—while also grappling with the political and social turmoil of the present. It may not have been the most exciting show for viewers at home, but it was undeniably a historic one for the movies themselves.