Key Oscar moments: Paul Thomas Anderson and Amy Madigan wins, outstanding songs and sad goodbyes

The 98th Academy Awards took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. "One Battle After Another," directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, won Best Picture, and Anderson also won for directing. Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his role in "Sinners," while Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for "Hamnet." Amy Madigan received the award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Weapons." The ceremony included performances of nominated songs, such as "I Lied to You" from "Sinners" and "Golden" from "K-Pop Demon Hunters." Billy Crystal presented a tribute to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner during the event, which was hosted by Conan O'Brien and Sterling K. Brown.

At the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, Paul Thomas Anderson's political thriller, *One Battle After Another*, was the big winner, securing six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. The vampire thriller *Sinners* followed with four awards. The ceremony, hosted by Conan O'Brien, subtly addressed the current political climate in the United States, with presenters making veiled criticisms of President Donald Trump's policies. In a rare occurrence, a tie was announced for Best Live Action Short, with *Two People Exchanging Saliva* and *The Singers* sharing the award. *Sinners*, directed by Ryan Coogler, entered the night with a leading 16 nominations but ultimately lost out to *One Battle After Another* in key categories.

The 98th Academy Awards took place on March 16, 2026, recognizing achievements in film. *One Battle After Another* was the biggest winner, securing six Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. *Sinners* followed with four awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler. Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for *Hamnet*, and Amy Madigan received Best Supporting Actress for *Weapons*. Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for *One Battle After Another*. Other winners included *KPop Demon Hunters* and *Frankenstein*, each with two awards, and *Sentimental Value* for Best International Feature.

The 98th annual Academy Awards, or Oscars, will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7pm Eastern (23:00 GMT). Ryan Coogler's film *Sinners*, a vampire thriller, leads the nominations with a record-breaking 16 nods. These nominations include Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. The awards recognize achievements in the film industry and are a highly anticipated event.

The 2026 Academy Awards in Los Angeles are anticipated to be a competitive event, particularly for Warner Bros. Two of their films, "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another," are poised to be major contenders. "Sinners" stars Michael B. Jordan, who has already received recognition for his performance at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. "One Battle After Another" features Leonardo DiCaprio. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and is expected to be a close race between director Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler. Conan O'Brien will host the event.