With a new year comes a new awards season, and the 2026 Oscars delivered one of the most memorable nights in recent memory. It completed with historic wins, heartbreaking losses, and unforgettable fashion at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
As with any award ceremony, the red carpet sets the tone before a single trophy is handed out. Coming out on top, Teyana Taylor was the unanimous standout of the night. Fashion experts noted she brought her “A++” game, arriving in a Chanel gown featuring a sheer middle panel, feathers, and black and white pearls and crystals. The dress struck the perfect balance as it was elevated without being overwhelming and the combination of colors and textures felt intentional and inspired. For those paying close attention, she had her children’s names secretly embroidered into the fabric.
Another standout was Rose Byrne, who wore a black strapless Dior gown by Jonathan Anderson. Clean and precise in its cut, the dress was covered in delicate floral embroidery that read like a couture ink drawing. With the addition of a single necklace, the ensemble complemented her beautifully and set her apart from the crowd. On the other end of the spectrum, Jessie Buckley’s pink and red look, while bold in its embrace of color, fell short in execution. Though the texture of the dress paired nicely with its muted tones, the structure felt off. It was almost as if the gown were two separate pieces without anything to unify it.
Moving on to the major award wins, the night’s most celebrated moment came when One Battle After Another swept the evening’s top prizes. Paul Thomas Anderson took home Best Director, his first win across an astonishing fourteen nominations, along with Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also claimed Best Picture, Best Film Editing, and the newly introduced Achievement in Casting award. It was a long-overdue recognition for one of cinema’s most respected and beloved filmmakers.
Another landmark win of the evening went to Michael B. Jordan, who took home Best Actor for his remarkable dual performance as the Smokestack twins in Sinners. His gracious acceptance speech paid tribute to the five Black actors who had won the award before him, and it quickly became one of the most moving moments of the night. Funny enough, Jordan was spotted shortly after at a nearby In-N-Out, signing autographs and posing for photos.
Perhaps the most emotionally resonant win of the entire ceremony, however, was “Golden” taking Best Original Song. The victory marked a landmark milestone for representation in the Asian community, but the story behind the song made it all the more powerful. Its writer and performer, EJAE, had faced countless setbacks throughout her career including questioning whether she should quit singing altogether. Instead, she persisted, and went on to write some of the most celebrated pop songs of recent years. Her win was met with a well deserved standing ovation.
Yet for every triumph, there was a heartbreak. The night’s most discussed disappointment was the complete shutout of Marty Supreme. Despite grossing over $179 million at the global box office and holding a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film did not win a single one of its nine nominations. Timothée Chalamet had called his performance “probably his best” during the press circuit, and while that self-assurance was characteristically bold, it may have quietly worked against him with Academy voters. The other major upset of the night came in Best Supporting Actor, where Delroy Lindo, widely considered the frontrunner for his work in Sinners, was passed over in favor of Sean Penn, who did not even attend the ceremony. Many felt that Lindo, a deeply respected and long-overlooked talent, had earned his moment.
The 98th Academy Awards was, ultimately, one of the most eventful, unpredictable, and genuinely moving ceremonies in recent memory. The months-long battle between Sinners and One Battle After Another gave the night its highlights. The upsets and snubs gave it its drama. Conan O’Brien once again proved himself a warm, sharp, and effortlessly funny host. And in a year when cinema had something real to say, Hollywood’s biggest night rose to meet it.
