A Historic Night at the Oscars: Everything That Happened at the 98th Academy Awards

The film world turned its attention to Hollywood once again as the 98th Academy Awards celebrated the very best of cinema. Held on 15 March 2026 at the famous Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the ceremony delivered a night full of history, surprises and memorable moments that will be talked about for a long time to come.

A familiar host returns

For the second consecutive year, comedian Conan O'Brien took on hosting duties, guiding the audience through the evening with his trademark humour. The ceremony was broadcast on ABC and Hulu, running for three hours and forty minutes. It drew an audience of 17.86 million viewers, with a household rating of 8.4 percent.

A record number of nominations

One of the biggest stories of the night was written before the ceremony even began. The film Sinners entered the evening with sixteen nominations, the most ever received by a single film in the history of the Academy Awards. That achievement alone secured the movie a permanent place in the Oscar record books.

Close behind was One Battle After Another, which earned an impressive thirteen nominations of its own. With two films collecting such large numbers of nods, the stage was set for a fierce competition across the major categories, and anticipation was high about which titles would ultimately dominate the awards.

One Battle After Another leads the winners

When the envelopes were finally opened, it was One Battle After Another that emerged as the biggest winner of the night. The film claimed a total of six awards, including the most coveted prize of all, Best Picture. Its success confirmed its status as one of the standout productions of the entire year in film.

Much of that triumph was credited to Paul Thomas Anderson, who was named Best Director for his work on the film. The recognition marked another major milestone in the career of the acclaimed filmmaker, whose distinctive vision helped shape one of the most celebrated movies of the awards season.

The acting honours

In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan was crowned Best Actor for his performance in Sinners. The award represented a significant moment in his career and added yet another accolade to a film that had already made history with its record setting nomination total earlier in the evening.

The Best Actress prize went to Jessie Buckley for her role in Hamnet. Her win capped off a strong awards season and highlighted the depth of talent on display among the nominees. Together, the acting winners reflected a diverse and highly competitive field across the different performance categories.

A historic win behind the camera

One of the most meaningful moments of the night came in the Best Cinematography category. Autumn Durald Arkapaw won the award for her work on Sinners, becoming the first female and the first Black winner in the category, as well as the first Filipino recipient. Her victory was widely celebrated as a genuine landmark.

The ceremony also introduced a brand new honour. The award for Best Casting was handed out for the very first time, and it went to One Battle After Another. The inclusion of this category reflected a growing recognition of the important role that casting plays in bringing a film to life on the screen.

Other notable winners

Beyond the headline categories, several other films enjoyed success. Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein collected three awards, showcasing its strengths in the craft categories. Meanwhile, KPop Demon Hunters took home two awards, including the prize for Best Animated Feature, capping a remarkable run of popularity.

The spread of awards across a range of films illustrated the richness and variety of the year in cinema. From record setting dramas to acclaimed animated features and gothic reinventions of classic tales, the 2026 field offered something for audiences of nearly every taste and sensibility imaginable.

As the curtain fell on the 98th Academy Awards, the evening was remembered as a celebration of both history and artistry. With new records set, barriers broken and fresh categories introduced, the ceremony captured a moment of change in Hollywood, while honouring the timeless power of great storytelling on the big screen.