The 98th Academy Awards ceremony, held on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, celebrated cinematic achievements from the previous year. Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" won Best Picture and five other awards, marking a significant night for the film.
Conan O'Brien hosted the event for the second consecutive year. Walt Disney Television confirmed a genuine offer for him to serve as "host for life," an offer he had not yet accepted at the time of the confirmation. The telecast incorporated segments addressing global issues, discussions on the film industry's future, and various historical achievements.
Event Overview
The 98th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars 2026, recognized outstanding achievements in cinema. The ceremony was broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, commencing at 7 p.m. ET.
Walt Disney Television's Executive Vice President of Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Rob Mills, confirmed that an offer for Conan O'Brien to be the Academy Awards' "host for life" is genuine.
Mills described the offer, presented during a closing sketch proposed by O'Brien's team, as "solid as oak." O'Brien had not accepted the offer at the time of the confirmation.
Production and Theme
The theme for this year's show was "humanity," focusing on human touch and creativity. The redesigned stage featured organic forms, architectural layers, and elements like trees, emphasizing natural light and movement.
Matt Berry served as the telecast announcer live from London, a suggestion from Conan O'Brien's team, utilizing technology to eliminate delay. Security for the event was enhanced with support from the FBI and LAPD, following an alert regarding potential drone activity.
Host's Role and Monologue
Conan O'Brien, hosting for his second consecutive year, prepared for the monologue by testing material at various comedy clubs. He described the nominated films as "spectacular" and diverse.
His opening monologue featured comedic remarks and a serious closing statement. Jokes targeted figures such as Timothée Chalamet, Ted Sarandos (Netflix), and Amazon. O'Brien also referenced a hypothetical "alternate Oscars" hosted by Kid Rock and made comments regarding US healthcare and the absence of British actors in top categories, linking them to figures like Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Jeffrey Epstein. He also joked about being the "last human host" in reference to artificial intelligence and made a remark about the Kennedy Center, linking it to proposed renaming discussions.
O'Brien concluded his monologue by acknowledging the current "chaotic, frightening times" globally and emphasizing the Oscars' role in paying tribute to "global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today, optimism."
A pre-taped cold open featured O'Brien portraying Aunt Gladys from the film "Weapons," interrupting scenes from Best Picture nominees before transitioning into a live appearance.
Award Winners and Historical Achievements
Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" received six Oscars from 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" secured four awards from a record 16 nominations, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan, and Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw.
Major Award Recipients:
- Best Picture: "One Battle After Another"
- 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 Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson ("One Battle After Another")
- Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler ("Sinners")
- Best Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw ("Sinners")
- Best Animated Feature: "KPop Demon Hunters"
- Best Original Song: "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters"
- Best Documentary Feature: "Mr. Nobody Against Putin"
- Best Production Design: "Frankenstein"
- Best Costume Design: "Frankenstein"
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling: "Frankenstein"
- Best Film Editing: "One Battle After Another"
- Best Casting (Inaugural Award): Cassandra Kulukundis ("One Battle After Another")
- Best Live Action Short Film: (Tie) "Two People Exchanging Saliva" and "The Singers"
Historical Milestones:
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman, first woman of color, and first Filipina to win an Oscar for cinematography.
- "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" received the first Oscar for original song in its genre.
- Amy Madigan won her first Oscar, 40 years after her previous nomination.
- Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler each secured their first Oscars.
- Cassandra Kulukundis received the inaugural Oscar for casting.
- The tie for Best Live Action Short Film marked the seventh tie in Academy Awards history.
- Michael B. Jordan became the sixth Black man to receive the Best Actor award.
- Ryan Coogler became the second Black screenwriter to win Best Original Screenplay.
- Jessie Buckley was the first Irish winner in the Best Actress category.
Political and Social Commentary
The ceremony featured various statements addressing global and social issues:
- Host Conan O'Brien made direct and indirect political comments in his monologue.
- Paul Thomas Anderson, accepting an award, expressed hope for his children's generation to bring "common sense and decency."
- Joachim Trier, winner for international feature for "Sentimental Value," quoted James Baldwin, stating "all adults are responsible for all children," and advised against supporting politicians who do not prioritize this. He also emphasized the vulnerability of the theatrical experience.
- Javier Bardem wore a "no war" lapel pin and stated, "no to war, and free Palestine" while presenting an award.
- David Borenstein, co-director of the Best Documentary Feature "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," spoke about how a country can be lost through "countless small, little acts of complicity," referencing governmental actions and media control. He also stated that "even a nobody is more powerful than you think."
- Pavel Talankin made an appeal to "stop all of these wars now."
- Jimmy Kimmel made references to a documentary about Melania Trump and commented on free speech.
- Winners of the Best Documentary Short Film criticized gun control policies.
- Jessie Buckley reflected on the world inherited by future generations.
During the ceremony, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, criticizing media coverage of the war in Iran, labeling news organizations as "corrupt," and discussing AI-generated disinformation. Observations were made regarding a potential shift in celebrity activism, with some questioning the impact of political statements and concerns about alienating audiences.
Industry Trends and Observations
The 98th Oscars showcased significant industry shifts:
- Warner Bros., the studio behind "One Battle After Another" and "Sinners," garnered a record-tying 11 Oscars. This occurred amidst the studio's impending acquisition by David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance for $111 billion. These consolidations have raised concerns about job displacement and a decline in film production in Los Angeles.
- Netflix secured seven wins, matching a company record for the streamer.
- The horror genre collectively received a record eight Academy Awards.
- Discussions during the broadcast touched upon the future of cinema, with O’Brien featuring segments that addressed challenges like adapting films for smartphone viewing and simplifying classic narratives for streaming audiences.
- Concerns regarding artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative sector were voiced, with Will Arnett emphasizing human creativity over AI-generated content.
- Some Iranian filmmakers and subjects were unable to attend the ceremony due to travel bans.
Telecast Production and Challenges
Producers discussed several elements of the telecast, including ambitious cold open production, integration of animated segments, and casting of child actors. Michael B. Jordan filmed multiple reaction shots in advance, and Leonardo DiCaprio was reportedly unaware of his inclusion in a meme moment. Musical numbers included Josh Groban's song about Conan's dream speech, a "Pierce the Veil" performance, and a shortened "Golden" performance. Rob Reiner, Robert Redford, and Diane Keaton were honored in tribute segments. Other segments included Jane Lynch participating in YouTube ad parodies and a "Bridesmaids" reunion.
Technical Challenges:
The telecast experienced technical challenges, including audio problems such as muffled and tinny sound, erratic microphone muting, inconsistent audibility of announcer Matt Berry, and audio bleeds. Directing issues included confusing cutaways and inconsistent pacing.
Producer Acknowledgments:
Producers acknowledged an instance of a "shit" expletive from a costume designer that was missed by censors. They also addressed the difficulty of "In Memoriam" segment selections due to the increasing number of losses and issues with cutting off winners' speeches, indicating future review of speech timing protocols.