‘One Battle After Another’ Wins Big at the 98th Academy Awards
The 98th Academy Awards saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another capture home the coveted Best Picture award on Sunday, March 15, 2026, capping off a night of celebration and a few surprises. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners also had a significant showing, securing wins for Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography, among others.
A Long-Awaited Win for Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson finally secured his first Best Director Oscar for One Battle After Another, following previous nominations for There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, and Licorice Pizza. He had already received directing honors from the BAFTAs and the Directors Guild of America leading up to the ceremony.1
Michael B. Jordan Makes History with Genre-Bending Performance
Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his dual role in Sinners, a vampire horror film. This win is notable as it breaks a trend, with Jordan being one of the first actors in recent history to win the award for a genre film.4
Supporting Performances Shine
Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Colonel Lockjaw in One Battle After Another, but was not present at the ceremony to accept the award.1 Amy Madigan took home the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance as Aunt Gladys in the horror film Weapons.1
First Oscar for Achievement in Casting
The 98th Academy Awards marked the inaugural year for the award for Achievement in Casting, which was presented to Cassandra Kulukundis for her work on One Battle After Another.4
Cinematography Breakthrough
Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman of color to win the Best Cinematography Oscar for her work on Sinners.4
Key Takeaways
- One Battle After Another won Best Picture and Best Director.
- Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for Sinners.
- Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
- Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another.
- The Academy introduced a new award for Achievement in Casting.
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw was the first woman of color to win Best Cinematography.