.png)
PAUL Thomas Anderson’s sprawling comic saga of political resistance, “One Battle After Another,” triumphed at the 98th Academy Awards, taking home the coveted Best Picture and cementing the filmmaker’s long-awaited Oscar victory.
The ceremony, held Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, also saw Michael B. Jordan win Best Actor, Autumn Durald Arkapaw make history as the first female and first Black cinematographer to win the award, and Warner Bros. secure a record-tying 11 Oscars.
AP reported on Monday that the night marked a career milestone for Anderson, a San Fernando Valley native whose first short film was made at age 18.
Until Sunday, the acclaimed director had never won an Oscar despite decades of recognition.
“One Battle After Another” won six Oscars in total, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay for Anderson, Best Casting, and Best Supporting Actor for an absent Sean Penn.
“I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world — we’re handing off to them,” Anderson said while accepting the screenplay award.
“But also, with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”
Ryan Coogler’s record-nominated “Sinners” also scored historic wins.
The film, which set a record with 16 nominations, brought Coogler his first Oscar and saw Arkapaw honoured for cinematography. “I really want all the women in room to stand up,” said Arkapaw.
“Because I don’t feel like I get here without you guys.”
Jordan’s Best Actor victory in a tightly contested race brought one of the evening’s loudest ovations. “Yo, momma, what’s up?” he greeted the audience from the stage.
Warner Bros., the studio behind both “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners,” celebrated an unusually poignant triumph as it prepares for a US$111 billion sale to Paramount Skydance, pending regulatory approval.
The studio’s wins underscore the enduring appeal of large-scale, original films driven by personal vision, even amid industry anxiety over studio consolidation and AI-driven content creation.
Jessie Buckley became the first Irish actor to win Best Actress for her portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare in “Hamnet,” dedicating her award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.”
Netflix productions also shone: “KPop Demon Hunters” earned Best Animated Feature and Best Song, becoming the streaming giant’s most-watched film with over 325 million views, while Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” won three craft Oscars for costume, makeup and hairstyling, and production design.
Amy Madigan, 75, won Best Supporting Actress for “Weapons,” 40 years after her first nomination.
Host Conan O’Brien opened the ceremony reflecting on the turbulent geopolitical climate, describing the Oscars as a unifying celebration of artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and optimism.
“We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today — optimism,” he said.
The show featured political commentary from presenters and winners alike, with Joachim Trier’s acceptance for Best International Film quoting James Baldwin: “All adults are responsible for all children.”
Documentary honours went to “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” exploring indoctrination of Russian schoolchildren, while the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment paid tribute to Hollywood legends including Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, and others. Barbra Streisand remembered Redford as “an intellectual cowboy,” and Billy Crystal offered a moving tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner.
Sunday’s Oscars thus celebrated cinematic achievement across generations, highlighted historic firsts, and underscored film’s enduring cultural and moral significance in uncertain times. - March 16, 2026
