Oscars 2026: Warner Bros. Triumph, Surprises, and Political Statements

The 98th Academy Awards saw Warner Bros. emerge as the big winner with 11 Oscars, mainly for the films One Battle After Another and Sinners.

Conan O’Brien hosted the ceremony for the second year, bringing a lighthearted tone with his humor. There was an upset in the Best Actor category, with Michael B. Jordan winning instead of Timothée Chalamet.

Amy Madigan and Sean Penn won Oscars for their 'dark' roles. Sean Penn was absent due to his presence in Ukraine with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The horror genre had a significant presence, with Sinners and Frankenstein winning a total of 7 awards. Political references were made by Javier Bardem and Joachim Trier, while artists expressed concerns about artificial intelligence.

Cassandra Kulukundis became the first Greek casting director to win an Oscar, while Jessie Buckley won the Best Actress Oscar. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Cinematography Oscar.