The 98th Academy Awards at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre were hosted for the second year running by Conan O’Brien. In his opening monologue, he addressed the current political moment head-on: “It’s at moments like these that I believe that the Oscars are particularly resonant,” he said, noting that 31 countries were represented across six continents. “We pay tribute tonight not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today: optimism.”

He spoke with sincerity to filmmakers in the theatre and audiences at home: “We’re going to celebrate. Not because we think all is well, but because we work, and hope for better.”

Lynette Howell Taylor, elected president of The Academy in 2025, also took the stage, offering insight into the Academy’s voting body of more than 11,000 filmmakers worldwide, a reminder of its scale and global reach.

A defining night for Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, the frontrunner, won six Oscars, taking Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn. The film also secured the first-ever Oscar for Best Casting, awarded to Cassandra Kulukundis, in the new category introduced in 2001, Animated Feature Film.

The wins cemented Anderson’s place among his generation’s leading filmmakers, a role he has long been regarded as one of cinema’s most distinctive voices. On stage, he shifted away from legacy and toward responsibility, speaking as a father: “I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world. We’re handing off to them,” he said. “But also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”

“Sinners” makes Oscar history

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners became the most-nominated film in Academy Awards history, with 16 nominations, underscoring its dominance. Coogler won Best Original Screenplay, while Ludwig Göransson took Best Original Score, continuing their long-standing collaboration.

Michael B. Jordan secured Best Actor, marking his first Oscar win. On stage, he credited Coogler for shaping his career: “You gave me the opportunity and the space to be seen.” He also paid tribute to Black actors who came before him, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx and Halle Berry, saying he was proud to stand “amongst those giants, amongst those greats, amongst my ancestors.”

The film continued to make history when Autumn Durald Arkapaw won Best Cinematography, becoming the first woman and person of colour to win the award. Accepting her Oscar, she asked all the women in the Dolby Theatre to stand: “Because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys.” One of only a few women ever nominated in the category, her win marked a breakthrough behind the camera and highlighted the slow shift toward broader representation in the industry.

Performances that resonated

Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her performance in Hamnet, becoming the first Irish actress to win the category. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award “to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart,” noting that the ceremony coincided with Mother’s Day in the UK.

Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons, marking 40 years since her first nomination in the category, a rare long-arc recognition across generations in the industry.

Portugal was represented on the red carpet by actress Isabel Zuaa, who appeared with the cast of the Brazilian film O Agente Secreto, reflecting the ceremony’s international reach.

Where craft took centre stage

Anne Hathaway and Vogue editor Anna Wintour presented the awards for Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling, both won by Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. The film also took Best Production Design, securing three awards in total and reinforcing its visual scale.

Del Toro’s adaptation leaned heavily into atmosphere and detail, with its wins recognising the behind-the-scenes craftsmanship that shapes how audiences experience a film, even when it does not dominate the major categories.

Global hits and cultural milestones

The Netflix phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature, continuing the platform’s growing presence at the Oscars. Its song “Golden” became the first K-pop track to win Best Original Song, marking a cultural milestone for the genre.

The film drew more than 325 million views, one of Netflix’s biggest releases, underscoring the shifting relationship between streaming platforms and traditional awards institutions.

James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash won Best Visual Effects, continuing the franchise’s long-standing dominance in technical categories.

Documentary as witness and warning

Mr. Nobody Against Putin, directed by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin, won Best Documentary Feature. The film follows a Russian schoolteacher documenting the indoctrination of his students, offering a rare inside look at everyday political influence.

On stage, Borenstein summed up its message: “‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ is about how you lose your country… through countless small acts of complicity,” adding, “a nobody is more powerful than you think.”

Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value won Best International Feature, marking another Oscar for the Norwegian director. In his acceptance speech, Trier quoted James Baldwin: “All adults are responsible for all children,” he said, adding, “Let’s not vote for politicians that don’t take this seriously into account.”

For only the seventh time in Oscars history, Best Live-Action Short resulted in a tie, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the award.

Honouring those who came before

Billy Crystal paid tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner, who died last year. Reflecting on their work together, he quoted The Princess Bride: “All we can say is: Buddy, how much fun we had storming the castle.”

Rachel McAdams honoured Diane Keaton, calling her “luminous on screen and indelible in life.”

Barbra Streisand paid tribute to her longtime friend Robert Redford, describing him as an “intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail.” She closed the tribute with an acapella verse from The Way We Were.