One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner at the 98th Academy Awards, taking home six major trophies, including Best Picture, during the ceremony held on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film—an ironic exploration of activism and rising nativism—dominated the night. In addition to Best Picture, it also won Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, confirming its status as the standout production of the year.
Another film that made a major impact was Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler. The movie entered the ceremony with a historic 16 nominations, the highest ever for a single film at the Oscars. By the end of the night, it secured four awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.
Jordan’s win came after a highly competitive awards season. Many had predicted Timothée Chalamet would take the prize after his victories at the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics’ Choice Awards. However, momentum shifted when Jordan pulled off a surprise win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, ultimately carrying that energy into Oscar night.
A notable theme of the ceremony was the rise of first-time winners. Seven out of the eight major acting and directing categories were claimed by individuals receiving their first-ever Oscar. Among them was Anderson himself, who finally earned his first Academy Award after more than three decades in filmmaking.
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her role in Hamnet, while veteran performer Amy Madigan received Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
The only exception to the night’s trend of first-time winners was Sean Penn, who took home Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Battle After Another. The win marked his third acting Oscar, placing him in an elite group of actors alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, Jack Nicholson, and Walter Brennan, who have also achieved three Academy Award victories. Penn, however, was not present at the ceremony to accept the award.
Meanwhile, Leonardo DiCaprio, who starred in the Best Picture-winning film, left the ceremony without a trophy despite being nominated for Best Actor.
Other films also had memorable moments during the ceremony. Frankenstein picked up several technical awards, while KPop Demon Hunters celebrated victories in the animated categories.
Full List of Winners
Best Picture
- Winner: One Battle After Another
Best Actress
- Winner: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Best Actor
- Winner: Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Best Supporting Actress
- Winner: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Best Supporting Actor
- Winner: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Best Director
- Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Animated Feature
- Winner: KPop Demon Hunters
Best International Feature
- Winner: Sentimental Value
Best Documentary Feature
- Winner: Mr Nobody Against Putin
Best Original Screenplay
- Winner: Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Winner: One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
Best Original Song
- Winner: “Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
Best Original Score
- Winner: Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
Best Cinematography
- Winner: Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners
Best Film Editing
- Winner: Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another
Best Sound
- Winner: F1
Best Visual Effects
- Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Production Design
- Winner: Frankenstein
Best Casting
- Winner: Cassandra Kulukundis – One Battle After Another
Best Make-up and Hairstyling
- Winner: Frankenstein
Best Costume Design
- Winner: Kate Hawley – Frankenstein
Best Animated Short
- Winner: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Live Action Short
- Winners (Tied): The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Documentary Short
- Winner: All the Empty Rooms
