HOLLYWOOD, CA — The 98th Academy Awards came to a close with a decisive final statement: “One Battle After Another,” a politically charged thriller about the emotional wreckage of ideological collapse, won best picture, capping a night defined by historic breakthroughs, long-awaited recognition and a fierce contest between the season’s two dominant contenders.
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“Sinners,” a feverish collision of blues rhythms and vampiric dread, entered the ceremony with a record-setting 16 nominations and ultimately claimed four awards. Michael B. Jordan earned best actor in what was both his first nomination and his first Oscar win, a defining moment in his career. The film also won best original screenplay for Ryan Coogler, best original score and best cinematography — the latter marking a landmark victory for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the first woman ever to win the category.
Jessie Buckley delivered one of the night’s most emotional moments, winning best actress for “Hamnet.” The award marked her first Oscar and solidified her status as one of the most compelling performers of her generation.
But the night’s momentum ultimately belonged to “One Battle After Another.” Paul Thomas Anderson won best director — the first directing Oscar of his career — pushing the film to six total wins. Earlier in the evening, the film claimed best supporting actor for Sean Penn, best adapted screenplay, best film editing and best casting, making it the most-awarded film of the ceremony.
Amy Madigan earned best supporting actress for “Weapons,” giving the film its first Oscar and adding a surprise twist to the acting categories.
Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” dominated the craft fields, sweeping production design, costume design and makeup and hairstyling. “KPop Demon Hunters” delivered one of the ceremony’s most notable cultural moments: after winning best animated feature, it added best original song for “Golden,” which became the first K‑pop track ever to earn both a Grammy and an Oscar.
“All the Empty Rooms” won best documentary short, while the live action short category resulted in a rare tie between “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva.” Norway’s “Sentimental Value” claimed best international feature film, while “F1” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” took home sound and visual effects, respectively.
With the final envelope opened and the night’s narrative complete, the 98th Academy Awards closed on a note of artistic ambition, political urgency and genre‑bending creativity — a ceremony where new voices broke through, long-respected artists reached career milestones and cinema’s evolving landscape took center stage.
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