‘One Battle After Another’ Dominates 98th Academy Awards
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another was the big winner at the 98th Academy Awards, taking home six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, also saw first-time wins for several artists and featured poignant commentary on global events.
Key Wins for ‘One Battle After Another’
One Battle After Another secured wins in the following categories:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Best Adapted Screenplay (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn – absent from the ceremony)
- Best Casting (Cassandra Kulukundis – the inaugural award for this category)
- Best Film Editing (Andy Jurgensen)
Other Notable Winners
The night wasn’t solely dominated by One Battle After Another. Several other filmmakers and actors received their first Academy Awards:
- Best Actress: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet
- Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan for Sinners
- Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler for Sinners
Ties and Firsts
The 98th Academy Awards also saw a rare tie in the Live Action Short Film category, with both The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the award. This marked the first tie since 2013, when Zero Dark Thirty and Heavy Rain tied in the Sound Editing category. The creation of the Best Casting award was also a first for the Academy.
Political and Social Commentary
The ceremony wasn’t without moments of social and political commentary. Javier Bardem called for a ceasefire in Gaza and freedom for Palestine while presenting the award for Best International Feature Film. David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin, co-directors of the winning documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin, used their acceptance speech to condemn war and complicity in authoritarian regimes, urging viewers to “stop all of these wars now.”
Complete List of Winners
Here’s a complete list of winners in all categories:
- Best Picture: One Battle After Another
- Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
- Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
- Achievement in Directing: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Madigan, Weapons
- Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
- Best Animated Feature Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- Best International Feature Film: Sentimental Value (Norway)
- Achievement in Cinematography: Sinners
- Achievement in Film Editing: One Battle After Another
- Achievement in Sound: F1
- Original Score: Sinners
- Best Documentary Feature Film: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
- Best Documentary Short Film: All the Empty Rooms
- Best Animated Short Film: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
- Best Live Action Short Film: The Singers & Two People Exchanging Saliva
- Achievement in Casting: One Battle After Another (Cassandra Kulukundis)
- Achievement in Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Achievement in Production Design: Frankenstein
- Writing (Original Screenplay): Sinners (Ryan Coogler)
- Writing (Adapted Screenplay): One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling: Frankenstein
- Achievement in Costume Design: Frankenstein
- Original Song: “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters
Paul Thomas Anderson, after accepting his awards, humorously remarked, “Let’s have a martini,” capping off a memorable night for him and the team behind One Battle After Another.