the DON JONES
INDEX…
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GAINS POSTED in GREEN LOSSES POSTED in RED 3/20/26… 15,588.92 3/13/26…
15,550.50 6/27/13...
15,000.00 |
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(THE
DOW JONES INDEX: 3/20/26... 46,021.43; 3/13/26... 46,677.85; 6/27/13… 15,000.00) |
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LESSON for
FRIDAY, MARCH 20th, 2026 – “CHASING the LITTLE GOLDEN EUNUCHS!”
Civilization is bunk, the New World order
decrees – a faggoty flume of flatulence according to Markwayne Mullin in his
quest to sit at the right hand of... Tulsi Gabbard?... and do unto the
Constitution what was done to Rand Paul.
Down in Georgia, the week’s E&R installment discloses, Gubernatorial
candidate “Action Jackson” is polluting the airwaves with millions of dollars
worth of advertising warning the voters that the “Mongolians” are coming, and
only he can save them.
No further examination of liberal effeminacy
can be offered up beyond last Tueday’s Academy Awards, where dozens of
Hollywood celebrities... Bidenista actors, directors and (until Larry Ellison’s
takeover of Warner’s goes through) fruits in suits... took part in the annual
bitch-race to catch up to and snatch up a few dozen little golden eunuchs as
cynics call “the Oscars”.
No Grouch, no Oscar Madison, nor even Oscar
Meyer with his proletarian processed meats... the pamperading poodles of
Paramount, Disney mice, Netflixters and (until the above takeover) WB vied for
the prizes. Gamblers and prognosticators
predicted a shootout between the Paul Thomas Anderson helmed, Leo DiCaprio
starring “One Battle After Another” and the Ryan Coogler/Michael B. Jordan
“Sinners” (not a basketball flick but a horror movie that escaped the
“blaxploitation” trap by dint of its talent).
Message sent, message delivered.
Despite the times and a few political polemics
- mainly by Javier Bardem, presenting the best International (i.e. “foreign”)
film award, the 98th Oscars were relatively quiet, impeccably (if
not imaginatively) produced and orderly.
Anybody seeking terrorist disruptions were perhaps frightened off by the
high security. President Trump did not
comment on the show, nor the contenders – although podcaster Megyn Kelly called
remarks by host Conan O’Brien and presenter Jimmy Kimmel “disgusting” and
praising the “Melania” documentary that was not nominated. Trump himself is said to prefer old flicks
like “Citizen Kane” and “The Godfather”... he has been rumored to be lobbying
for a remake of “Bloodsport”, reportedly his favorite in the 21st
century.
Mention was made of the changeover in
programming from ABC to You Tube coming in 2029 but the media... left, right or
institutional... have wholly ignored or forgotten that, as with the proposed
voting requirements that will require passports and thus disenfranchise both
the poor and targeted Americans like women who marry and change their
names. Unknown millions with no access
to You Tube will be excluded from the show and (again) most will be poor,
minorities and rural Americans singled out, and anger may well begin to
manifest as it did when broadcast television was cancelled a few years ago – an
enhancement of which forming the basis of the Generisis serial “Savage
Saturday”, recently concluded.
Then again, a broad spectrum of print,
televised and online critics agreed that both the Oscars ratings and movie
viewership both declined again in 2025, especially among younger Americans who
preferred texting and sexting and gaming on their devices to sitting down and
watching a fictive or even documentary feature.
Doctors, educators and sociologists have commented extensively upon this;
most citing a decline in literacy and physical attention span shortening. But as with health influencers who insist
that anything that tastes good will kill you, many of these warnings go
ignored.
FOLLOW the ROTTING RED RUG:
On their way to the charmed circle, the
actors, producers, directors... even now, crew and casting directors... first
stood in judgment from the media, all to willing to cast their opinions out
into the night before the show began.
And no category earned more print, pixels and decibels than the Best
Picture; no potential battleground contest receiving more attention than the
perceived showdown between “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another.”
The duel took on implication beyond the pale
of Hollywood – race and culture, to be specific – and the advocates of either
were about evenly divided.
The
government sponsored (for now) National Public Radio commissioned four
reporters (March 13, ATTACHMENT ONE) whose consensus was that “Sinners should
win best picture … but One Battle After Another will take the
prize.”
NPR’s Glen Weldon picked One Battle because
it was the “traditional pick” of the two frontrunners; filled with actors the
Academy loves and with just the correct level of left-wing politics that
satirizes right wing extremism while “poking much gentler fun at left wing idealism and
extremism. That is the kind of thing that a certain kind of Academy voter will
vote for, and feel very good about themselves for doing it.”
·
Aisha
Harris agreed, but also took now that it was “time” for Paul Thomas Anderson to
win a best picture or best director.
Linda Holmes called this “one of those years where I have a movie that I wish would win (Sinners) and I have a
movie that I suspect is going to win
(One Battle).”
The sole dissenting voice was Stephen Thompson
who said “Sinners should
win best picture, and it will,” erring, as he admitted “on the side of optimism.”
In
a preview published after the Timothéé Chalamet opera and ballet oops, but
before rage really started boiling over, three of the four critics predicted he
would win... Holmes casting her vote for Michael B. Jordan’s dual roles in
“Sinners”. And Jessie Buckley’s
performance in “Hamnet” was a consensus choice despite support for the other
nominees – although the biggest box office hit of the year was Zootopia Two having taken in $1.86bn (£1.39bn) worldwide
but not even claiming the little golden eunuch for Best Animated Feature.
The
BBC’s “Seventeen Fun Facts” listed in advance of Judgment Night (ATTACHMENT
TWO) also reported that “Avatar Three” and “F1” which was barely mentioned,
while Avatar was wholly snubbed except for some of the technical categories.
Fun
Fact Seven ventured that Buckley’s win would be the first for an Irishwoman, but
Chalamet (who was the youngest actor since Marlon Brando to win three
nominations) was reported, by the BBC to be losing “momentum”.
Lucky
Fun Fact thirteen proposed that Anderson
“could pull off a rare Oscars trifecta by personally winning three Oscars for
writing, directing and producing - a combo that has only been achieved by 10
other filmmakers,” while Sean Penn “could join Frances McDormand, Meryl Streep,
Jack Nicholson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan by winning
his third Oscar for acting.” (The BBC added, however, that Katharine Hepburn
remained “ahead of them all, however, with four”.)
And
comedian/commentator Bill Maher added a “No
Fun Fact” of his own (March 14th, ATTACHMENT THREE) in his scolding
of Hollywood’s “secret
cabal of people terrified of looking like racists," the "Real
Time" host said during Friday's episode.
Citing
recent award winners from “underrepresented
groups”, Maher told Hollywood progressives to just shut up and “take their win”
on diversity, but did not, himself, check in on whether the white Anderson or
black Coogler should get the majority of the awards.
LET
the PURSUIT BEGIN:
As
so many know now that we don’t really need to include a Spoiler Alert, “One
Battle” took the Oscar’s battle, but narrowly.
Anderson
did indeed win his three little golden men, but Michael B. Jordan garnered Best
Actor for “Sinners” and Coogler went home with a Best Original Screenplay
eunuch.
The Financial Times
(ATTACHMENT FOUR) also included Spoiler Alerts in its reaction to the 98th
Academy Awards’ “night of firsts”... Anderson’s triple play, Buckley’s St.
Patricks’ Eve triumph in “Hamnet” (as well as Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s becoming
“the first woman from anywhere” to win the Best Cinematography prize for her
work on “Sinners”) while Cassandra Kulukundis won the premiere Best Casting
award for “One Battle After Another” – giving it the seven to six win over
“Sinners”.
The FT also scored political
statements... presenter Javier Bardem “most outspoken” on Palestine,
documentary feature winner David Borenstein warning against complicity “when a
government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when oligarchs
take over the media”. And
presenter Jimmy Kimmel “got in some digs” at the first lady’s “bizarre”
documentary “Melania.”
The FT, being Financial,
also made mention of what most other media ignored or suppressed... that while
Warner Brothers had produced both the leading 2026 films, its hegemony is in
jeopardy due to an impending takeover by the malevolent Larry Ellison’s Paramount Skydance (which received no
nominations), “in a $110bn deal that brings with it vast uncertainty about job
cuts, creative direction and even the fate of the historic Warners lot.”
Unfinancially, they also
hailed Conan O’Brien’s hosting return (“his smoothly polished facade occasionally cracking to
reveal a more unhinged comic persona”), some puissant and pissant
remarks on the presenters and a memorial to the “In Memoriam” tributes to Rob
Reiner, Diane Keaton and, from Barbra, Robert Redford. (Nothing for dead right-wing sexpot Brigitte
Bardot, however.)
We’ve
included three (‘count ‘em!) Oscar Night timelines...
The L.A. Times (ATTACHMENT
FIVE, Sunday night, 7:47 PM PT – the games were played Sunday afternoon, as
most NFL production were and will be)
published its list of the best and worst moments of the show.
Times columnists Mary McNamara and Glenn Whipp
filed timelines and takeaways as the proceedings proceeded in the usual reverse
order ending with both celebrating “One Battle” and, particularly, Anderson’s
triple play, as well as Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win (opining that, as he
played twins, he should’ve received two awards).
There were far more “bests” than “worsts” –
many of the former already mentioned and still to come – but among the
cringeworthies were Adrian Brody’s gum chewing ham chewing, the “Bridesmaids”
reunion, the intrusive piano during Streisand’s tribute to Redford and, of
course, the heat outside which insinuated itself into Dolby Hall with McNamara
expressing sympathy for those “in long sleeves and/or tons of sequins.”
And
neither best, nor worst... just strange...
the seldom-precedented tie between “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging
Saliva”.
In any case, McNamara opined, “I’m glad to see
Conan back — he brings a great side-eye energy to the proceedings and seems
perfectly at home on that big, sumptuously dressed stage, which is half the
battle.”
It was One Battle After
Another’s night according to Yahoo’s tag team of grappling’ givers of tales and
testimony; Paul Thomas Anderson’s action-thriller took home six Oscars at the
98th Academy Awards on Sunday, including Best Supporting Actor, Best Directing
and Best Picture.
The film also won awards for
Best Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as the first-ever Oscar for
Best Casting. Upon accepting his award, Anderson — who had previously been
nominated for an Oscar around a dozen times — joked, “You make a guy work hard
for one of these, I really appreciate it.”
Jessie Buckley and Michael
B. Jordan took home the awards for Best Actress and Best Actor on Sunday night.
Sinners also had a big
night, bringing home four Oscars, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan’s
role astwins Smoke and Stack. In his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked the
Black actors “who came before me.” Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald
Arkapaw also made history as the first-ever female winner for Best
Cinematography.
Frankenstein took home three
Oscar statuettes, while KPop Demon Hunters nabbed two, including an Oscar for
Best Original Song. Two films — Two People Exchanging Saliva and The Singers —
tied for Best Live Action Short Film.
A portion of the show was
dedicated to the many actors, writers and filmmakers who died in 2025. Billy
Crystal led a moving tribute to Rob Reiner, the longtime actor and director who
was stabbed to death with his wife, Michelle Reiner, in December.
In
an attempt to win friends and influence people, host Conan ordered up a few
hundred “Moderately Happy Meals” under the seats of attendees, for them to
devour, or not, as they chose (which would later garner evil eyes from the
conservative New York Post... below, Attachment 15/16@...) after the slobbovian
Hollywood liver-alls scattered Conan’s packaging all over the Dolby.
Being
as the awards were being held, of course, in Los Angeles... where last summer’s
fires had given way to alternate bursts of hotter heat, floodings and
landslides... and the Los Angeles Times’ resident industry chroniclers Mary McNamara and Glenn Whipp spent the 2026
Oscars ceremony “discussing the winners, speeches, presenters and much more.”
Mister
Whipp cracked that the show was long, “but not short on feeling.” McNamara sighed that her dogs “thought it would be over closer to 7, which
would guarantee them a walk. Now I’m not so sure,” she lamented but, after “One
Battle” garnered Paul Thomas Anderson (hereafter PTA) his measure of gold, she
hailed “a year of several truly great films and a helluva a race.?”
Posting their updates in reverse chronology,
as is typical, the Timers snapped back, or forwards, to the actors’
recognition.
“Irish in the house? Gonna be a hell of a St.
Patrick’s Day celebration on Tuesday!” snapped Mister Whipp after Jessie
Buckley accepted the Oscar for lead actress for “Hamnet.” He also said that Michael B. Jordan’s triumph
could have been (briefly) a “sign of things to come” given that the posters
both noted that the biggest cheers in the auditorium have come for “Sinners.”
Mary, quite contrary, added that... since
“Sinners” was about a pair of twins, Jordan should have received two Oscars.
Heading backwards into the
future, the Times duo agreed on the vim and vitality of the original song “Golden” from “KPop Demon
Hunters” four minutes after the awards
for International Feature (director Joachim Trier quoting James Baldwin when
accepting for “Sentimental Value” after Javier Bardem declaimed “No to war”
whilst presenting the award for Best International Feature Film,
with Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and adding: “Free Palestine," (thereby
garnering both applause and accusations of anti-Semitism).
McNamara called the preceding cinematography
win for Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Sinners)... “the first woman to ever win this
Oscar!” said Whipp while McNamara admitted: “I am so deeply in love with this
woman right now. Her work was phenomenal, she is so calm and direct and the
first thing she did after winning was make sure her kid was in his seat so she
could see him and he could see his mom become an historic Oscar winner.”
F1
won for sound, which the feature on auto racing featured lots and lots of. Sinners won for best score – its hardcore
blues vibe sending the Oscar off to Ludwig Göransson – fresh out of... Sweden? Apparantly so!
The Yahoos were not alone in considering the
“Bridesmaids” reunion either a delight (as elsewhere in ‘hoo takeaways) or,
something of a clanger (see much more, below, in Attachment 23) despite all the
star power on hand and on stage. Their
“fatuous”, bordering on “sinister” caperings perhaps grated following the dark
and sober story of “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” whose producers, David Borenstein
and Pavel Talankin, called out as complicit “those who remain silent when a
government murders citizens in the streets and reminding us that for many the
shining things in the sky are not stars but rockets.” The short doc, “All the Empty Rooms” was a
similar downbeat expose of school shootings.
There was a little more levity in the visual
effects award given “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and production design going to
“Frankenstein” with Mister Whipp opinionating, a little past six and before the
Coogler/Jordan awards, that “(i)t would be unfortunate if “Frankenstein” ends
up winning more Oscars than “Sinners.” That’s its third and final Oscar of the
evening. “Sinners,” meanwhile, has one.”
That discrepancy was, of course, later corrected.
There was a sort of a break... a long break,
truth be told, as the Academy’s “In Memorium” honored those who passed during
the year – notably Rob and Michelle Reiner and Robert Redford.
Before,
there was a “way
bigger audience reaction to Coogler’s win” for best original screenplay for
Sinners than for Anderson’s for adapted screenplay. Does that spell out
anything in the predictive tea leaves?
“(M)ercifully, we will not be facing” a “most nominations ever with no
wins” situation, says McNamara.
Earlier
we find that Sean Penn’s absence was more than trivial; the Pennman had a prior
appointment with President Zelenskyy in Ukraine, as befits his globe-trotting
instincts. The President was not polled
regading his favorite (but probably had some sympathy for the documentary “Mr.
Nobody”, depending on his ever-shifting attitudes towards Mister Putin.
And
the tie between “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva” in the
live-action shorts caused some temporary chaos. Chase Infiniti (!) presented
the new Casting award to Cassandra
Kulukundis for “One Battle After Another.”
Fashionista Anna Wintour presented “Frankenstein” with two Oscars (well,
the costume design, makeup and hairstyling awards for same) and promoted an
upcoming “Devil Wears Prada Two” after the animated awards (KPop, of course).
The night’s first prize went to Amy Madigan
winning the supporting actress Oscar for “Weapons” after Conan’s opening
monologue with his snark against the Brits and an anonymous response: ‘Well, at
least we arrest our pedophiles.’” Massive applause, said McNamara.
YAHOO
staffers (March 16, 2:11 PM, ATTACHMENT SIX) said “THE STARS WERE OUT LAST
NIGHT AT DOLBY’S THEATRE... trekking through the timeline, reporting on some of
the occurrances not shown on television.
“When
Jordan’s name was called for Best Actor, fellow nominee Leonardo DiCaprio was
one of the first to jump to his feet, sparking a standing ovation that felt
like one of the most joyful reactions of the night. Chalamet wasn’t far behind.
He and girlfriend Kylie Jenner clapped and cheered as Jordan soaked in the
moment.”
Winners,
losers and whoozedems bellied up to the Dolby theatre bar, guzzling high
spirits and racing to and from the bathrooms. Kate Hudson spent the first
commercial break — adorably — “catching up with her parents, Goldie Hawn and
Kurt Russell.”
Conan’s
“small surprise” came with a note addressed to nominees, plus-ones, even the
seat fillers, saying: “I hope you enjoy this Conan O’Brien ‘Moderately Happy
Meal’. These snacks may not look like
much but in any movie theater they would run you $85.”
Yahoo
also solicited ratings from twenty two kids... calling Demi Moore “spooky” but
mistaking Chalamet for Bad Bunny and praising his sunglasses. (See more in Attachment)
Another Yahoo discovery was
Ukrainian Railways posting a video to Instagram of Penn, cigarette in mouth,
getting off a train in Kyiv.
"Sean Penn chose
Ukraine instead of Oscar," the caption read, in part.
And, when the night was over
and the little golden men all handed out, Yahoo reported on the fashion
fascinations and flubs at the after party... from Kim to Cara to Connor Storrie
and Hudson Williams.
In addition to the tributes
to Redford and the Reiners, Conan declared: "We love you, Marty
Short," a reference to actor Martin Short’s daughter, Katherine, “who died
at age 42 in February.” He also divulged
that the tie had “ruined 22 million Oscar pools” while Yahoo noted some of the
stars’ thankyous to friends, family and inspirational predecessors.
ABC’s
suspended-but-uncancelled latenighter Jimmy Kimmel, presenting Best Documentary
to “Mr. Nobody”, mocked Trump, “suggesting he would be livid that his wife's
documentary, Melania, was not nominated for an Oscar” and, the New York
Timeliners also added: “there are some countries whose leaders don’t support
free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which.”
“Let’s just leave it at
North Korea and CBS,” Kimmel said.
(ATTACHMENT SEVEN... published March 15, 2026 and
updated March 16, 2026, 3:30 p.m. ET... see
charts, graphs, photographs and miscellania here)
The Times called “One Battle After Another” a “primal scream about authoritarianism and citizen resistance,”
and “Sinners” best actor Jordan “diabolical”.
Some
of their other takeaways from the show began with Conan’s opening parody of
“Weapons”, “appearing in drag as that film’s
terrifying Aunt Gladys” and proceeding onwards (and backwards) to... the
memoriams, the tie and Maggie Kang, one of the K-POP directors, using
her acceptance speech to encourage diversity in filmmaking. “This is for Korea,
and for Koreans everywhere,” she said.
Financially, the Times cited “a tough night for indies” like
Chalamet’s “Marty Supreme”, and also“The Secret Agent,” a Brazilian film, and the
absurdist “Bugonia,” each of which had four nominations, no wins. And they at least mentioned the Netflix/Paramount Skydance dance of death in
their efforts to acquire Warner and related corporate assets. “Paramount Skydance, which notably had no
Oscar nominations on Sunday night, emerged as the winner. If the acquisition
clears a regulatory review later this year, the Oscars will be the end of an
era for Warner — its end as a stand-alone movie company,” and under the
Ellisons (Larry being DJI’s “most evil human being in America”), the
anticipated sharp pivot to the right will make the CBS butkiss to President
Trump look like a gentle prom dance.
AFTER-SHOW AFTERMATH
Forty minutes past the Midnight
Hour, all the trolls in America’s eastern tundra as well as in tropic Hollywood
– the gamblers in steamy Vegas and wives of Utah – had their compilation of
goofs, flubs and whispers to rock them to bed – courtesy of Carly Johnson of
the Daily Mail U.K. (ATTACHMENT EIGHT) whose tabloid take on the “painfully
awkward” night “featured well-deserved wins, shock snubs,
emotional tributes and ruthless jokes dished out by Conan O'Brien, who returned
as host for the second consecutive year.”
Some of the tabloid’s
trending tragedies included Teyana Taylor breaking silence after being 'shoved'
at 2026 Oscars, Timothéé Chalamet “blindsid(ing)” his current squeeze with
Kylie and Jane Fonda taking a jealous swipe at Barbra over who was closer to
Robert Redford.
LOOKING INWARDS...
Timothee Chalamet's “shock
loss and humiliation” at the hands of Conan sparked the major chatter from fans
during the three-hour show – but there were plenty of other fox passes that
even Fox News passed on exploiting as, for example, the Babs and Fonda
catfight, a tie (not a bow or a cravat, but an honest-to-good-for-nothing
deadlock between the creators of the short films Two People Exchanging Saliva
and The Singers, and a twofer with host Kumail Nanjiani cracking a “disgusting”
joke about the Holocaust in his presentation.
Conan, for his part, “wasted
little time putting Chalamet, who was up for Best Actor, on the spot” in his
opening monologue for the star's recent bizarre declaration that 'no one cares'
about ballet and opera.
'Security is extremely tight
tonight. I'm just going to mention that,' tuxedo-clad O'Brien said to the crowd
inside Los Angeles' iconic Dolby Theatre.
He then quipped, 'I'm told
there's a concern about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.'
The camera then quickly cut
to Chalamet, who could be seen nervously smiling beside “busty” Kylie.
'They're just mad you left
out jazz,' O'Brien jokingly added.
The night got worse for
Chalamet, who “looked visibly disappointed after 2025 Best Actor winner Adrien
Brody read out Jordan's name instead of his,” the DM reported.
He offered Jordan “polite
applause” and appeared to mouth 'yay' as the stunned Sinners star leaned over
to hug his mother Donna before heading to the stage.
But the DM also dismissed
O’Brien’s hosting as a “cringe overload” with more self-congratulatory dobbies
in three hours than even Djonald ImModest has delivered in the first year of
his second term. Like the American
President, the Irish hooligan put on a crown and nattered on about Jeffrey
Epstein – drawing a retort from another (anonymous) defender of crown and
colonies, who said: “...well, at least we arrest
our pedophiles."
OSCARS CHAOS ERUPTS OVER
HISTORIC TIE
While announcing the winners
in the Best Live Action Short Film category, Kumail Nanjiani looked shocked to
reveal that there had been a tie.
“It appears to be only the
seventh time that a draw has been announced in Academy Awards history,” the DM
recalled, citing 1969’s stalemate between Babs (again) and Katherine Hepburn.
FAN FURY OVER KPOP DEMON
HUNTERS' BIG WIN GETS CUT OFF
The D-Mail also wrote that
KPop Demon Hunters fans “flew into a fury online” after its musical number
Golden won Best Original Song at the Oscars - only for the writers to be cut
off mid-speech.
Singer EJAE, 34, proudly
took to the stage to accept the prize, which she shared with her co-writers
Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and
Teddy Park.
In floods of tears, she
shared: 'Growing up, people made fun of me for liking KPop, but now everyone is
singing our song and all the Korean lyrics and I'm so proud.'
After thanking a variety of
people, both in her personal life and those involved with the movie, she asked:
'Is there anyone else?'
Lee then approached the microphone
and began to thank someone, but before the audience could find out who, the
play-off music drowned out his voice.
SHOCKING IN MEMORIAM SNUBS
Oscar viewers were left
upset over shocking omissions during the emotional In Memoriam segment at Sunday's
ceremony.
“However, others that were
not among the list were Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek and Brigitte Bardot,” the
DM reported
“Dane passed away on
February 19 following a battle with ALS at the age of 53 while Van Der Beek's
death at age 48 was confirmed by his loved ones on social media days earlier on
February 11.”
Bardot, who was known for
films such as And God Created Woman, passed away on December 28, 2025 at the
age of 91... her omission perhaps being payback for her turn to rightwards French
politics.
(Makes one wonder about 2027
and Chuck Norris!)
Trekking across London, the
liberal Guardian U.K. determined that the night’s “key takeaways” were: “Horror Wins, Tech
Loses and Politics Is Hard to Ignore.”
(Monday, 00.56 EDT, ATTACHMENT NINE)
SCARY GOOD NIGHT FOR HORROR
“Just
last year it had seemed like the horror genre was set for a major breakthrough
at the Oscars. But films like The Substance and Nosferatu could only scrape
together one win between their combined nine nominations,” GUK reported (the
former nabbing just makeup and hairstyling).
Cut
to this year, and things were far less frightening for the frighteners. Sinners, despite losing for Best Picture, took home four, Frankenstein won three
and Weapons grabbed one with two of this year’s major acting wins coming from
scary movies.
BIG TECH IS A BIG LOSER
In
a year when the encroachment of generative AI on Hollywood has become
impossible to ignore, “there was a notable undercurrent of anti-tech resistance,
or at least skepticism, coursing throughout the Oscars, starting with O’Brien’s
opening joke of the telecast about being “the last human host” of the show.”
Most pointed was Will Arnett presenting for
animation, a genre many an AI professional believes can and should be fully
ceded to the machine: “Tonight, we are celebrating people, not AI, because
animation, it’s more than a prompt. It’s an art form and it needs to be
protected.”
GUK
posed the question: “We’ll
see if the hearty cheers Arnett received for that line actually translate into
meaningful action,” and, if so, by whom.
Governments?
POLITICS WAS CENTRE-STAGE
“For years, it seemed to be a given that
politics and Hollywood’s biggest night simply didn’t mix, despite impactful
moments from Marlon Brando in 1973 (when Sacheen Littlefeather collected the
best actor Oscar on his behalf) to Jonathan Glazer in 2024 (the director
compared the Israel-Gaza conflict to the Holocaust),” the liberal GUK recalled.
“This year seemed to signal” what the Guardian
called “a new attitude”... citing Javier Bardem saying “free Palestine” while
presenting to whoops from the audience, Joachim Trier criticizing politicians
who don’t have the next generation’s best interests at heart and best picture
winner Paul Thomas Anderson denouncing the “housekeeping mess” that we have
left the world in.
WOMEN WERE (EVEN MORE) CENTRAL
The Oscars always nod to and sentimentally
celebrate trailblazers who came before, but there was a particular resonance
this year in tributes to women who broke barriers old and new... Cassandra
Kulukundis, the first-ever Oscar-winning casting director for
“One Battle After Another”, Jessie Buckley, now the first Irish winner of
best actress, who thanked “all the incredible women that I stand beside,” and
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the director of photography for Sinners, who became the
first woman ever to win for cinematography – “yes, in 2026,”
editorialized the Guardian, “we are still breaking glass ceilings in major
categories.”
Also, after the show... and still before dawn
in the Colonies... the Guardian further contended that “Sinners”’ Oscar triumphs showed that black cinema is now “a vital and
valid part of Hollywood.” Calling the
flick a testament to Ryan Coogler’s vision despite PTA’s victories in
Best Director and Best Picture, GUK predicted that “despite handling heavy
themes of racist violence” (March 16, 0624 EDT, ATTACHMENT TEN), “Sinners” will
probably be remembered by history “as a message of hope and unity in a
turbulent era.”
“Sinners”
honours and foregrounds the Black experience but, added correspondent Steve
Rose, “it brings everyone else along for the ride. It takes care to include other minority groups in
the 1930s deep south: Native American, Chinese, Irish – all historically
accurate. (White racists may feel hard done by, though even they were probably
tapping their feet to the soundtrack.)”
Vampires...
nobody’s defending them.
But
above all that, it’s entertaining “in the broadest, most generous sense:
compelling character drama plus violent horror action; historic realism plus genre
thrills – these are the things we go to the cinema for. And it doesn’t have to
be one or the other: it can be both!”
Later,
Monday morning, People Magazine picked and chose a few Best,
Worst and Oops moments of the 2026 Oscars – in a somewhat gentler vein than
what the Daily Mail’s nocturnal readership sank their teeth into.
People person Alex Apatoff
(Monday, 10:26 AM, ATTACHMENT ELEVEN) was heavy on the Best (the fashions,
jewels, white duds on dudes and ladies); Misty Copeland and the Michael B. Jordan
twins, and Jessie Buckley’s acceptance speech for “Hamnet”.
People’s
Worst awards were handed out to Conan’s “Weapons” makeup and the “overly loud”
orchestral cut-offs on the KPop Demon Hunters.
And their “Oops” moments included the debut of a clean shaven Pedro
Pascal as well, of course, as The Tie.
People and other media creatures also reported
on Kieran Culkin’s dis upon absent Best Supporting Actor, presumably refusing
to support the awards with his absence.
After opining that the rest of
Hollywood “can have their little party, yucking it up with Baby Yoda and the
KPop Demon Hunters,” People changed course, while the Guardian U.K. testified
(contrarily) that Penn had no time for such “fripperies. He is involved with
important world events, trying to move the needle on an issue bigger than mere
entertainment.”
(GUK, March 16, 12:05 PM,
ATTACHMENT TWELVE)
While the last
big winners in this century to skip the awards were perennial no show Woody Allen,
Heath Ledger (by reason of death) and Roman Polanski, who failed to turn up to
collect his best director statuette for The Pianist because,of course, he’s a
fugitive
“who would have been arrested the moment he set foot in the country.”
There
were, however, many more incidents of this nature in the 1900s.
Disrespect would pivoted later, however, when
photographs of Penn surfaced; traipsing though in Kyiv “wearing
sunglasses and carrying a box of cigarettes”.
After Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy posted a picture of them sitting together in his
office – and
the media did its 180°
- Penn’s reputation “burnished”... Culkin’s “tarnished”.
As
Sunday's Oscars ceremony approached, it seemed to be shaping up to be a
showdown between the vampires and the revolutionaries, between Sinners and One
Battle After Another. In the end, One Battle After Another won both best picture and best director,
but it was a very good night for Sinners, too, including an original
screenplay award for writer and director Ryan Coogler (NPR, ATTACHMENT
THIRTEEN) and the breakthrough wins for Kulukundis and Arkapaw.
“Successfully host the Oscars once, and you’ve pulled off a
veritable showbiz miracle. Do it again,” Time’s Judy Berman wrote as the
program was wrapping (ATTACHMENT FOURTEEN) and you’re destined for Hollywood
sainthood.
In disputing other reports as called the hosting less than
wholesome, Conan O’Brien made an extremely strong case for canonization at
Sunday’s 98th Academy Awards, his second consecutive hosting gig. In 2025,
the preternaturally self-deprecating late night veteran balanced levity with
well-placed moments of seriousness, irreverence towards industry pomp with
respect for great movies and the people who make them. It was just the
right tone for a ceremony held just after wildfires ravaged cinema’s
hometown. As O’Brien noted this time, early in his opening monologue: “Last
year, when I hosted, Los Angeles was on fire. But this year, everything’s going
great!”
Time
further celebrated Conan’s contention that optimism was the watchword of the evening
with a celebration of diversity that had MAGAnauts fuming... escalating when
Alexandre Singh, one of the filmmakers behind live-action short co-winner “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” advised Iranian
actor-producer Zar Amir’s newborn daughter: “You are the hope in a world that
is dark and absurd and ridiculous and horrifying.”
His Trump jokes were “rare, relatively oblique, and nicely
constructed” as, for example: “Coming to you live from the Has a Small Penis
Theater. Let’s see him put his name in front of that!”
Berman also mentioned Pavel
Talankin, the protagonist and co-director of Best Documentary Feature
winner Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Joachim Trier, winner of the Best
International Feature prize for Sentimental Value, PTA’s “gallows humor” and Jimmy Kimmel’s
deconstruction of Melania.
A separate,
unpeaceful Timepiece, Stephanie Zacharek (Monday, 12:40 PM, ATTACHMENT FIFTEEN)
called Timothée Chalamet’s dismissal of
ballet and opera comparable to “toss(ing) a lit match onto a pile of
gasoline-doused tutus” and his loss in the Best Actor category “a small victory
for every movie lover who has become weary of the Oscar campaign machine.”
Whether you loved or loathed Chalamet
in Marty Supreme, she alleged,
or “even if you simply didn’t see the movie—you might have stronger feelings about Chalamet’s
behavior on the campaign trail than about the performance he put on the screen.
And if that’s the case, then the movies really are in trouble.”
And by comparison, Deepak
Marwah, the head of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and
Performing Arts in New York, where Chalamet himself studied, published an open
letter to the actor, asserting that: “No matter how you feel about the
discourse,” perhaps the energy around Chalamet's claims are just further
evidence of Marwah's words that ballet and opera are "very much
alive."
The always-angry New York Posters, eighteen
minutes later (ATTACHMENT SEVENTEEN) found a new tail to pin on the ostensibly
green and tidy Hollywood liberals... slobs.
A
picture showing trash, including discarded water bottles and snack packets...
more than a few remaining from Conan’s snack handouts... strewn
across Hollywood’s
Dolby Theatre has gone viral on social media —
sparking backlash over the hypocrisy of the elite, who grandstand about the
environment... people at the Dolby like Jane Fonda, Javier Bardem, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
“Aren’t
some of them environmentalists?” one critic pointed out. “Where’s
all that ‘protect the planet’ energy now?”
“Of course, we can’t expect
immaculately dressed celebrities to clean up after themselves,” yet another critic posted. “Also,
what’s with ‘No Plastic’ and all these celebrities’ ecological concerns?”
“Rich people leaving their dirt for
poor people, as always,” another angry commenter wrote.
Jale Coyle of the A.P. News
(Monday, 3:52 PM ATTACHMENT EIGHTEEN) doomscrolled that “a queasy future, both immediate and for
generations to come, pervaded an Academy Awards shadowed by war, political
turmoil and whatever might happen to the movies in an artificial
intelligence-supercharged tomorrow. These were the high anxiety Oscars. At
almost every turn, they seemed to be trying to rally a little optimism despite
omnipresent storm clouds.”
Even PTA, despite his personal
triumphs on Oscar Night, had some guarded concerns about the reel and real
worlds, granted
that his film’s power lay partly in its timeliness.
“Our film obviously has a certain amount of
parallels to what’s happening in the news every day,” Anderson said.
Oscar Night was also described as,
potentially, a last hurrah for Warner Bros. as a standalone studio. The studio,
with both leading winners to boast of, has agreed to be acquired
by David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance in a deal worth $111 billion.
The film industry, which has already seen MGM
gobbled up by Amazon and 20th Century Fox bought by The Walt Disney Co., “knows
that contraction inevitably means fewer jobs,” Coyle wrote . Film production in
Los Angeles has cratered in recent years.
O’Brien, himself, imagined he could be out of
a job soon, calling himself “the last human host” of the Oscars, which in three
years will move from ABC to YouTube – cutting off millions of its already
declining audience base.
Peanuts in the AP Gallery also expressed
concern about the “atmosphere of problems that
America finds itself mired in” where “only those with money can enjoy watching
others with money pat themselves on the back,” while another pulled present and
future together by lamenting that the family “couldn’t watch the Oscars this
year, the first time in 37 years we couldn’t. We’re 100% streaming now, without
local channels so no ABC, no YouTube TV because it’s much too expensive, and
certainly no Hulu because it’s so devoid of content it’s insanely expensive for
what it offers.”
The pro-Trump Post (New York, again, not
Washington) slammed Bardem for picking Palestine over Israel while war rages in
the MidEast and the Academy for allowing screen time for the Jew hater.
“Did
he have a new film that earned him a spot on the Academy Award stage tonight?
No. The Oscars chose him anyway, during an era that can only be described as
open hunting season on Jews worldwide,” Samantha Ettus noted.
“I
can no longer bear to watch the Academy Awards, which used to be an event of
interest; now I know it will be an anti-Israel fest,” another frustrated fan on
X wrote. “Who would dare
to buck the trend of supporting Palestine, Hezbollah, Hamas & the Iranian
regime, among the lustrous celebs at the Dolby Theatre?”
“Bardem’s
record is ugly, but the most reprehensible actor here is @TheAcademy itself,
which decided that this is the moment to hand him a microphone and a global
platform,” Ettus said.
Rolling
Stone supported Bardem and those who wore “Artists for Ceasefire” and “ICE Out”
pins but also called the night “awesomely messy”.
The 98th Academy Awards was the first ceremony in
years where the races had actual stakes in a showdown between Sinners and One
Battle After Another, two ambitious trips through American history.
Both movies came away big winners, which made it a real celebration of movie
culture — an Oscar night full of highs
(ATTACHMENT TWENTY) including a Sinners blues jam starring
a host of music legends, including Buddy Guy, who... at ninety... is “nearly as
old as the Oscars”, Ludwig Göransson’s touching speech “about his dad buying a John Lee Hooker
album in Sweden in 1964,” PTA’s shout-out to his inspiration, Thomas
Pynchon, and Barara Streisand’s duet
with a posthumous Robert Redford...
And lows. Lots of lows...
namely...
Who
the hell decided to crank the music while Barbra Streisand was talking?...
The
Bridesmaids’ “clunky” sketch (as noted above)...
People
who write Priyanka jokes for award shows: Try 20 or 30 seconds harder.
Brigitte
Bardot stole the crown last night — just an astounding omission.
(They also skipped director Henry
Jaglom, but Bardot, wow.)
USA Today’s Chalamet ballet and opera
controversy (1:32 pm, ATTACHMENT TWENTY ONE) included statements by Brazilian
ballet dancer, Victor Caixeta, who defended ballet and opera's legacy that has
"survived for centuries," writing, "Let’s see if your movies are
still being watched in 300 years," and the remarks by Misty Copeland, one
of America's premier ballerinas, who said she was surprised by Chalamet's
remarks, particularly after he had asked for her help in promoting "Marty
Supreme."
"I think that it's
important that we acknowledge that, yes, this is an art form that's not
'popular' and a part of pop culture as movies are, but that doesn't mean it
doesn't have enduring relevance in culture," Copeland, 43, said during a
panel for the cosmetics company Aveeno.
With theSouth Korean fans and media basked in
the success of KPop Demon Hunters on Monday, March 16, after
the film “bagged two Oscars at the 2026 award ceremony and added to the
country’s growing pantheon of cultural hits.”
(Prestige Online Thailand, ATTACHMENT TWENTY TWO)
South Koreans hailed their latest cultural
product to infect the world with “K-syndrome” — the “irresistible surrender to
the country’s movies, music, books, fashion and cuisine.”
Much of the domestic reaction centred on
Korean-Canadian co-director Maggie Kang’s emotional acceptance speech, with the
Seoul-born filmmaker dedicating the prizes to her motherland.
“The culture ministry should at least award
her a medal for that speech!” one internet user commented on a news portal.
A headline in the Hankook Ilbo newspaper
quoted Kang’s address directly, blaring: “This is for Korea and Koreans
everywhere”.
News channel YTN lavished praise on Kang’s
“heartfelt message to Korea”, referring to the movie by its affectionate
shorthand “Kedehun”, a combination of the title’s first three syllables.
The
live-action foreign film Oscar went to “Sentimenal Value”, also a Best Pix
nominee for feature, with director Joachim Trier waxing political as he
insinuated, per James Baldwin, (but without naming names) that “...(a)ll adults
are responsible for all children, and let’s not vote for politicians who don’t
take this seriously into account."
Presenter
Javier Bardem waxed very political,
and named names (or at least places) by declaring “No to war, and Free
Palestine” – drawing an angry response from the New York Post (above), but
praise from the Communists at Jacobin; Eileen Jones calling him “a mensch (despite the slap at Israel) and a
lefty stalwart.”
Jones also recalled some of the history behind
the Streisand/Redford rendering of “The Way We Were”, in the movie itself
(based on the McCarthy era show trials) was itself “notorious for having been
eviscerated of its left-wing political stance in the editing process, under
orders from timorous Columbia Pictures executives.
“That’s
Hollywood for you — the sentimentality as well as the amnesia. And in keeping
with such traditions, it was a mild-mannered evening, everyone behaving
decorously at a time,” Ms. Jones opined, “when decorum just seems. . . strange.”
Foreign media (like the BBC – ATTACHMENT TWENTY
FOUR) took aim at Timothée for his quasi-reactionary, quasi-proletarian
denunciation of elite pastimes like the ballet and opera – not because their
live performances are so financially inaccessible to perhaps 80% of Americans,
but because... well... an aura, or aroma, of the effete surrounds them –
especially now, during wartime, when manly men (and women, if necessary) are en vogue (to employ another foreign term) motorvating Conan to contend
that the high security surrounding the
Dolby had been ordered to protect Chalamet from the enraged elites when, in
fact, the BBC reported that “SWAT vehicles” lined the streets surrounding the
venue with hyper TSA body searches and terror-sniffing dogs.
Offhand notes from other media on the Oscars
departing free TV to paysite You Tube, such as AOL/Business
Insider’s takeback before Christms (ATTACHMENT TWENTY FIVE), “ending a more than 50-year run
of consecutive broadcasts on the (ABC) television network,” downplayed the
forthcoming gentrification of the show.
Calling the awards “one of our essential
cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,"
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said that "partnering with the Academy to bring
this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire
a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the
Oscars' storied legacy.”
So Variety’s summary of what many may have
viewed as one of the last hunts for those little golden men called it lesser
than the best (“fun and suspenseful, moving and meaningful,”)
but better than the worst (“boring, blasé and predictable”) and settling for “the
in-between version, which is what we got tonight” (ATTACHMENT TWENTY SIX) with
Conan striking a note of “friendly
winning mockery”, and making a touching statement at the end of his monologue “about
the joy and optimism that movies incarnate.”
The
V-people posted early that “the trajectory of the night had begun to come clear,”
an overall win for “One Battle” and PTA, but with enough ink spilled over
Jordan’s night to make the 2026 version tolerable, at least, and not “a dated throwback to the era when
Oscar celebrities would turn the podium into a soapbox.”
LOOKING
BACKWARDS
By yesterday, The Ankler could look back – not
in anger – but only a sad sort of confusion inspiring reporter Katey Rich’s
comparison to the conclusion of Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Burn After
Reading”...
“What did we learn?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
“I don’t fucking know either.”
... which inspired her
to propose seven explanations of what happened (ATTACHMENT TWENTY SEVEN), and
what comes next.
These were/are...
1.
Major Studios Are Still Competitive (for Now)... or, at least WB (also for
now)...
2.
The Academy’s Global Lean May Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
3.
Cannes Is Hit & Miss... missing in 2026, but although “we don’t officially
know the lineup for this year’s Cannes Film Festival yet, I’m willing to bet
just about anything that at least one of the titles in the competition field
will be among the best picture nominees.”
4.
Fall Festival Fever Is Breaking... the “Euro-centrics” at Venice put triple
Oscar winner Frankenstein “through the buzzsaw” while their favorites, like A House
of Dynamite and No Other Choice, were Oscar-ly “blanked”. Telluride could claim credit for Hamnet, but Toronto tanked while smaller, regional
festivals at least propelled Train Dreams into contention (if not gold).
5.
It Is Very, Very Hard to Open Late... Marty Supreme, the
all-eggs-in-one-basket for A24 this year, went 0-for-9 in its nominations after
Chalamet “won the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards in quick succession”
in early January; Ms. Rich citing timing... but, again, there were other possums in that penthouse...
6.
The Globes Matter Less Than Ever... its voters being “very different from the
ones who vote for the Oscars,” and...
7.
Maybe Don’t Overthink Stats & History... when Michael B. Jordan “becomes
the first actor to ever win best actor after winning only the SAG Award”,
or Autumn Durald Arkapaw “takes home best cinematography despite
losing at every precursor award”, you realize “precedents are made to be
broken.”
Broken,
too, was the Oscar 2026 viewership, dropping 9%... the “first decline since 2021”
according to Wednesday afternoon’s Fox News (ATTACHMENT TWENTY EIGHT) – the blame,
not surprisingly – attributed to “woke jokes” from the likes of Jimmy Kimmel
who contended that Trump would be angry “his
wife wasn’t nominated for this," whereas, Fox corrected him, “the first
lady's documentary was released in January, and therefore would not have been
eligible for this year's awards.”
Stage left, England’s Guardian U.K. (ATTACHMENT TWENTY NINE) also noted the
dropoff in Nielsen ratings; numbers hitting a four-year-low in the US, where the show
reached 17.9 million viewers on ABC and Hulu, down about 9% from last year’s
19.7 million.
“Many had presumed the five-year high that 2025 represented was
the product of interest in cinema bouncing back post-Covid,” GUK ruminated...
all the more cheering given that “the movie that dominated, Sean Baker’s Anora,
had not been a major box office player.
“That film took $20m in the US – a very healthy total for an
arthouse release, but small change compared with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners’ $280m
and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle’s $72m.”
Perusing the stats, Rob Mills, the Disney executive
in charge of the Oscars telecast, told Variety on Monday that (despite the
ratings dropoff) he “was so happy with Conan O’Brien’s second consecutive stint
as host that the job was his next year, should he want it.”
O’Brien took “apparent aim” at the upcoming Oscars emigration
from ABC free TV deal in a skit during the ceremony, “in which his address was
persistently interrupted by hectoring faux-ads fronted by the comedy actor Jane
Lynch.”
Finally, Variety addressed the
disenfranchisement aspects of the 2029 deal, reporting that “(m)any households, particularly older
viewers and those in rural areas, still rely on over-the-air television.” For
them, “just watch it on YouTube” isn’t an option (or at least not a convenient
one).
(ATTACHMENT THIRTY)
Will the Academy “arrange
sub-licensing deals so traditional broadcasters can still carry the show? Will they
even care? The celebration of global digital access conveniently sidesteps the
question of Americans who may be left behind in this streaming future” just as
the changeover from analog to digital cut millions from TViewership (with more “improvements”
on the way, as noted in our Generisis serial “Savage Saturday”).
While “Sinners” and “One Battle”
battled it out for Oscar gold, the BBC (ATTACHMENT THIRTY ONE) reported that last year's War of the Worlds – starring Ice Cube
as a man who must save humanity from an alien invasion without leaving his desk
– “has swept the board at this year's Razzie Awards, for the worst films of
2025.
The
Prime Video film received five unwanted accolades - worst picture, worst actor,
worst director, worst screenplay and worst remake. The
Razzies said it had become "a cult hate-watch classic almost
immediately".
In other notifications, Rebel
Wilson won worst actress for "her not-quite-believable performance as an
action hero in Bride Hard with weaponised curling irons".
Scarlet
Rose Stallone, daughter of veteran actor Sylvester, was named worst supporting
actress for the Western film Gunslingers.
The
seven computer-generated dwarfs from Disney's 2025 remake of Snow White shared
the worst supporting actor award, as well as worst screen combo.
The
Razzie winners in full:
·
Worst
picture - War of the Worlds
·
Worst actor - Ice Cube, War of the Worlds
·
Worst actress - Rebel Wilson, Bride Hard
·
Worst supporting actor - All seven
artificial dwarfs, Snow White
·
Worst supporting actress - Scarlet Rose
Stallone, Gunslingers
·
Worst screen combo - All seven artificial
dwarfs, Snow White
·
Worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel -
War of the Worlds
·
Worst director - Rich Lee, War of the
Worlds
·
Worst screenplay - Kenny Golde, Marc
Hyman, War Of The Worlds
·
Razzie Redeemer - Kate Hudson, Song Sung
Blue
Tuesday was St. Patrick’s Day –
and while Paddy never plucked an Oscar from his clover patch, there have been a
few attempts... biographical or fictional movies in 2000, 2014
as well as the horror-ibble “Leprechauns” and, of course, Lucky Charms.
JSTOR (March 17th,
of course, ATTACHMENT THIRTY TWO) has even made the contention that “Saint
Patrick” has never existed... being “a metaphorical, literary, and religious conceit”
like, perhaps, Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny (whose day is upcoming).
The
real story... still awaiting transference to the reel world... holds Pat to
have been a product of ecclesiastical primacy, “the poster boy for an early
medieval monastic federation who used him to champion their claims of being
Chief Executive Officers of an emerging corporation—the medieval Irish Church
hierarchy.”
Traditional
Irish “fake lore,” not folklore, JSTOR pops the Patrician merching balloon. “Thanks for visiting. Stop by the gift shop on
the way out. Fifty percent off all Blarney Sweaters.”
A historical Patrick did exist, but JSTOR... a @... implied if he
ever would have won a little golden man (perhaps formed from his compatriots’
legendary gilt pot) it would be for Best Original Screenplay – Fiction (or,
perhaps, autobiography).
“The
historical Patrick was captured as a youth in Roman Britain, sometime in the
fifth century AD. He was transported to Ireland, where he spent six years as a
slave,” rather like certain indentured toilers for Warner’s or Netflix or
Paramount; he eventually escaped and made his way back home, became an
ecclesiastic and, many years, returned to Ireland as a missionary.
The screenplays (or, perhaps, documentary
transcripts) that he left behind are the earliest documents known to have been
written in Ireland, JSTOR alleges, “and provide us with our only historical
evidence for the entire fifth century.”
Were somebody in Hollywood to pivot towards an
action movie screenplay or true crime two-reeler, Patricius...were he a time traveler instead of just an ordinary Saint... could have
fit in as a Dark Ages “Godfather”... his first document, the Confessio, describing “protection payments to
kings and the hiring of their sons as bodyguards,” in an omniversal universe of
rich and poor, corrupt and less corrupt and episodes of sex and slavery – not the
least of which was his descent “into professional disgrace by one of his closest friends who betrayed
intimate details of an apparent moral failing.”
As a self-appointed bishop operating “beyond
the beyond,” Patrick’s symmetry with certain modern-day televangelists
showcased an “ability to attract healthy donations” and his dispensing of
payments to pagans provoked accusations of “financial irregularities and profiteering from Christian
services. Patrick’s defense against such claims was that this was “the cultural
reality on the ground” and, as opposed to spending his receipts on a life of
luxury, he was also something of a Robin Hood – taking from the rich to give to
the poor.
His second document, the Epistola, was more political – being an appeal to
British Christians for justice for the Irish, anticipatory of the “troubles” as
generated a wealth of bad outcomes and good cinema. One could veritably imagine John Wayne or
Jimmy Stewart or... in a modern, “woke” update of “The Quiet Man@”... the
estimable Mr. Jordan.
(Or even, in a “woker” gender bender, Ms.
Buckley.)
Patrick, JSTOR
concluded, “never called himself a saint, nor
expected to have ever been thought of as such. Indeed, if he could only have known that over
1,000 years after he lived, he would be held up as an emblem of modern day
religious orthodoxy, authority, and identity—he probably would have laughed
himself into his own grave.”
Which brings this Lesson to its own
conclusion... not tragic but rarther somewhat comedic and, also, somewhat
inspirational.
Wednesay after the show, the New York Times
reported that a struggling Hollywood “production assistant” surviving on what,
for the place and position, was low-wage work, needed, but could not afford
apartment furnishings.
Behold!... while dogwatching outside the
Dolby, she found on a street near the theater,
just behind where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” tapes, discarded slices of the 50,000
square foot Oscar red carpet in a “notably clean dumpster” with the help of a
kindly security guard. Ms. Thalia
grabbed the biggest piece she could physically lug home, “which measured 6 feet
by 8 feet when she unrolled it in her apartment,” cleaned and trimmed the rug
and documented her discovery on Tik Tok here.
And that was the end of
the 2026 Oscar story – except that some might still be asking why the little
golden men have no... uh... masculine parts, what might have happened to them,
and does anybody have an answer to this no-testosterone dilemma?
Fortunately,
we do!
Let’s set
the times right by sending the Oscars back to the machine shop, where they can
be restored (in all their naked goldenness or golden nakedness) to Real Men
with Real Schlongs. (Or, for the Best
Actresses and sundry somethings of the alter-gender, little golden vamps with
golden vulvas as might excite the appetites of all the Jeffrey Epstein-ites
still at large across America – given now that priests, police and politicians
are falling into debates about photoshopped porn, or even sex with robots.)
These
would be trophies worth the pursuit!
|
IN the NEWS: MARCH 13th,
2026 to MARCH 19th, 2026 |
|
|
|
Friday, March 13, 2026 Dow: 46,589.90 |
It’s Friday the Thirteenth... second
this year!
To dump a sack of black cats over America, jihadists... authorities
incline towards lone wolves rather than Iranian sleeper cells... strike
targets of opportunity: a classroom at Old Dominion College in Virginia, a
synagogue in Michigan. No motive found
except the obvious and no way to verify it – both gunmen are killed (by
police at the synagogue, by angried up bystanders at Old Dominion).
The obviosity stems from the war on and in Shiite-y Iran, and the
retaliatory strikes on Israel and over a dozen MidEast nations – all Sunni
Islamic. Iran’s new Supreme Ruler is
presumed still alive; possibly wounded in the first or a subsequent strike,
definitely in hiding but the Revolutionary Goard (IRGC) calls down death from
above on the infidels.
At home, the Gument Shutdown enters its third week and some Federal
employees are getting paychecks for $0.00.
TSA workers are quitting or calling in “sick” to find side hustles as
will feed their families... partisan gridlock in Congress continues and...
with the added inconvenience of war... numerous cancellations and major
delays keep the planes on the ground, ruining Spring Break for many.
The Dolby Theater in L.A. is being prepped up for the Oscars as red
carpets are unrolled, celebrities ponder their fashions and State, Federal
and local police are preparing to impose safety measures. Gamblers are placing bets on the outcome,
the Good Morning America people at ABC (which will be broadcasting on Sunday
night) predict that “One Battle...” will upset “Sinners” despite trailing in
nominations. |
|
|
Saturday, March 14, 2026 Dow: Closed |
The FBI called in to investigate
Michigan’s anti-Semitic bombing (with defective bombs) perpetrated by a truck
driver who had relatives killed in the strikes in Lebanon, while the war
grinds on (‘tho not nearly so long as Ukraine/Russia or the ongoing African
insurrections).
The ODU shooter is identified as Mohammad Jallah (Jello?) who served
time for terror and was them released back into America. (Look for him in November midterm
commercials!) The assaults impel
police to heighten security on Oscars and St. Pat’s parades upcoming.
As the wars continue and Hormuz remains blocked, gas prices are rising
with coming effect on food, stuff and all things delivered by truck or boat
and, combined with shutdown 3.0, stifles air travel. As US death tole rises to 13, President
Trump insists “the war will be over when I feel like it” but also asked if it
will be a short or long war, replies “Both!”
Americans who care scratch their heads. |
|
|
Sunday, March 15, 2026 Dow: Closed |
It’s Talkshow
Sunday... and also Oscar Night. First, the talk. ABC’s Martha Raddatz says that Trump’s
promise to destroy Iran’s oil fields and refineries will just cause gas
prices to rise even faster, but he replies: “we know, and they know, that the
war is over.” Over or not, oily
experts predict $200 per barrel. EnSec Chris Wright reiterates
“better short term disruption (pain) than a nuclear-armed Iran.” Democrats who oppose the war are “naïve,
disingenuous” and perhaps treasonous.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wa) does not believe American can overthrow a “dug
in” Iranian regime, reiterating “Iran is not Venezuela.” The ABC roundtable (cut in half today)
features only perennial Donna Brazile who says that Trump does not have an
“end game” and will only respond to the (stock) markets; Rep. Patrick Henry
(R-NC) says that Trump “still wants to reshape the world” even if MAGA
isolationists desert, that Iran was only “a target of opportunity” and the
real target is China. The midterms
will be decided by the price of gas. “Face the Nation” on CBS hosts Ianian
Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi who
says “we will fight on until Trump
surrenders,” because the only reason he started the war was “to have
fun.” He cites refusal of Euros to
send troops and says the enriched uranium is buried under rubble. Those not watching the politicians are
enjoying distractions like the naming of the brackets for March Madness and
the Oscars... “One Battle” defeating “Sinners.” |
|
|
Monday, March 16,
2026 Dow: 46,946.34 |
President Trump
warns NATO that if they don’t help in a ground war to reopen Hormuz, the
organization will be “defunct”... perhaps by His command to eliminate
it. Iran sends more drones and
missiles against airports in Dubai, and adds Baghdad to its roster of targets
– now approaching twenty. MAGApundits
say the Eurefusal is payback for Greenland. Hormuz victims now include American
farmers, dependent upon shipments of fertilizer that are needed for spring
planting. Scoffers tell them to just
go out and piss and shit on the ground and the crops will spring up come
spring... which seems more distant in the East where blizzards blanket
Wisconsin, tornadoes roar in the Southeast and wildfires burn in
Nebraska. But there’s record heat in
California, which makes the Oscars toasty. Trump has other agenda items, such as
invading Cuba (mobs attacking Communist Party headquarters) while Repubs in
Congress take up vote to overturn filibusters (some conservatives warn this
might backfire if Democrats win the midterms) and the Senate will vote on his
“Save America Act” that will require voters to show their American passports
at the polls; those who don’t have one will be kicked out... disenfranchising
millions of poor, minority and rural citizens. And for some good news, the American
hockey team beats Canada to take gold in the Paralympics. |
|
|
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Dow: 46,993.26 |
It’s St.
Paddy’s day. No corned beef and cabbage for Iranian ultra-hardliner
Larijani who gets paddywhacked in Iran along with mass murdering Basij Gen.
Soleimani, who directed the massacre of between seven and thirty thousand
street protesters after the strike on Supreme Leader Khameini. Many say Laranjani was the real Supreme Ruler, not the son (still
in hiding). But Trump also loses an
ally... National Antiterrorism Czar Joe Kent (the “right hand of Tulsi
Gabbard”!) defects back to his neo-Nazi roots, saying that Trump is “fighting
Israel’s war.” The President immediately
nominates a replacement, Joe Weirsky, who, like Markwayne Mullen, must also
face Congress. Tim Cook (15 yrs. CEO) celebrates Apple’s
50th birthday and says the company aids creativity – warns against
using too much phone time, says he favors policy over politics in supporting
or opposing politicians. Veep Vance, speaking of politics and
policy is asked why he supports the Iran war now after opposing “forever
wars” in the past. He says it’s
“because we have a smart President now” whereas we used to have “dumb
Presidents”. The Bush family
growls. Barack Obama is shown playing
basketball. Multiple St. Paddy’s parades go on
peacefully (except for he expected drunken brawling). There are now an estimated 30M citizens of
Irish ancestry in the USA, |
|
|
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Dow: 48,417.27 |
Defenders and
dissidents discuss the Larijani and Soleimani killings (in separate Israeli strikes). Trump supporters say the men who orchestrated
the killing of thousands of protesters are now “roadkill” due to “a rain of
grenades”. In addition to the
thousands killed in Iran, they pressed for more attacks on rival Islamic
states. Outgoing Kent says he quit because Trump
was snookered by Israel, harkening back to his old neo-Nazi sentiments. Democrats and isolationist Republicans
agree about the war – Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va) says he hates Nazis, but Kent
is right about Iran. With the Straits of Hormuz still closed,
Shutdown 3.0 still active and weather worsening in the East, air travel
delays reach critical mass. 36% of
Atlanta TSAgents are sickouts, Spring Break is broken and some small airports
will have to close. With blizzards
over the Great Lakes and record California heat still sweating Hollywood,
Middle America is getting tornadoes and, in Nebraska, wildfires that have
killed an estimated 10,000 cattle, as well as fewer humans. With mortgage rates rising from 5.99% ti
6.29% after weeks of decline, invstors and homebuyers ask whether the Fed
will now raise rates as Powell’s
last slap at Trump. |
|
|
Thursday, March 19, 2026 Dow: 46,021.43 |
And he
does... the Dow falls below 46,000 but struggles back again. Hormuz remains closed. The US attacks Iranian boats laying mines,
Israel attacks refineris and oil fields.
Iran retaliates all over the MidEast: refineries in Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia, liquid natural gas tanks in Qatar.
Steve Miller says the object is to neuter the Iranian, make the regime
impotent. President Trump appeals to
NATO to intervene but they still refuse, he meets Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi
in Washington to coax her into the war, but makes an awkward joke about Pearl
Harbor and she refuses. The gumment also remains closed – at least
DHS and, to the grief of spring breakers and other airline travelers, the
TSA. As many as 40% are out at some
airports – many are quitting to take side jobs, selling blood or begging from
charity. The partisans are as resolute
as Iranians – no deal, no relief. And what is Trump doing? Working on his golden pleasure dome (per
moneyflinging Mongolian-hating Gov. candidate “Action” Jackson), fighting
French offshore windmills (bringing Don Quixote jokes) and pushing Markwayne
Mullin through Congress, despite his nostalgia for dueling and approval of
beating up fellow Pub. Rand Paul. And in real crime, Aniah Blanchard killer
Ibraham Yazeed convicted of lesser charges – instead of death, he gets prison
for five years, with parole. He’ll be
back on the streets, probably before a woman arrested for taking the
anti-abortion drug mifepristone and facing capital murder charges. |
|
|
In one of those perverse examples where a single Index outweighs the
entire rest of the DJI, the Don rose by thirty some points solely on the
basis of our balance of trade (as is often the case). Imports were flat, but exports were strong
– the fact that most of what we sold to the rest of the world was arms,
ammunition and, increasingly, killer drones made no difference... money is
money and war can be very profitable (to some people). The Dow recovered Thursday from its mid 45K
depths, but still finished down based on the war, of course, and its
inflationary effect on gas prices now (with more to come), the shutdown and
the Fed decision to leave interest rates the same. |
|
|
|
THE DON JONES INDEX CHART of CATEGORIES w/VALUE ADDED to EQUAL
BASELINE of 15,000 (REFLECTING… approximately… DOW JONES INDEX of
June 27, 2013) Gains in indices
as improved are noted in GREEN. Negative/harmful indices in RED as are their designation. (Note – some of the indices where the total
went up created a realm where their value went down... and vice versa.) See a
further explanation of categories HERE |
|
ECONOMIC INDICES |
(60%) |
|
||||||
|
CATEGORY |
VALUE |
BASE |
RESULTS by PERCENTAGE |
SCORE |
OUR
SOURCES and COMMENTS |
|||
|
INCOME |
(24%) |
6/17/13 revised 1/1/22 |
LAST |
CHANGE |
NEXT |
LAST
WEEK |
THIS WEEK |
THE WEEK’S CLOSING
STATS... |
|
Wages (hrly. Per cap) |
9% |
1350 points |
12/11/25 |
+0.40% |
4/26 |
1,886.07 |
1,886.07 |
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/average-hourly-earnings* 37.17 37.32 |
|
Median Inc. (yearly) |
4% |
600 |
3/13/26 |
+0.05% |
3/27/26 |
1,118.94 |
1,119.48 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 51,720 746 774 803 828 |
|
Unempl. (BLS –
in mi) |
4% |
600 |
3/13/26 |
+2.23% |
4/26 |
530.27 |
530.27 |
|
|
Official (DC –
in mi) |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.16% |
3/27/26 |
205.65 |
205.32 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 7,589 7598
610 621 633 |
|
Unofficl. (DC –
in mi) |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
-0.91% |
3/27/26 |
238.81 |
240.99 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 14,296 323
354 384 254 |
|
Workforce
Participation Number Percent |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.025% -0.87% |
3/27/26 |
298.55 |
295.95 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ In
164,345 386 432 478 2,749 Out 103,642 689 721 763 5,002 Total: 267,987 8,075 8,241 7751 61.326 321 317 60.784 tsagents |
|
WP % (ycharts)* |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
-0.8% |
4/26 |
151.19 |
149.98 |
https://ycharts.com/indicators/labor_force_participation_rate 62.50
62.00*
makeup shutdown |
|
OUTGO |
(15%) |
|||||||
|
Total Inflation |
7% |
1050 |
3/13/26 |
+0.3% |
4/26 |
922.82 |
920.05 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm +0.2
3 |
|
Food |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.4% |
4/26 |
260.23 |
259.19 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm +0.2
4 |
|
Gasoline |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.8% |
4/26 |
264.59
|
262.47 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm -3.2 +0.8 |
|
Medical Costs |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.6% |
4/26 |
272.55 |
270.91 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
+0.2 6 |
|
Shelter |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.2% |
4/26 |
239.67 |
239.10 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
+0.3 2 |
|
WEALTH |
|
|||||||
|
Dow Jones
Index |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
-1.41% |
3/27/26 |
359.70 |
354.64 |
https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/index/ 49,395.16 9,499.20 46,677.85 6,021.43 |
|
Home
(Sales) (Valuation) |
1% 1% |
150 150 |
3/13/26 |
-5.98%
-1.58% |
3/27/26 |
141.58 264.86 |
133.12 260.67 |
Sales (M): 4.35 4.09
Valuations (K): 404.4 398.0 |
|
Millionaires (New Category) |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
+0.05% |
3/27/26 |
136.61 |
136.68 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 24,056 069 082 096 108 |
|
Paupers (New
Category) |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
+0.03% |
3/27/26 |
135.34 |
135.30 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 36,739 749 761 772 782 |
|
GOVERNMENT |
(10%) |
|||||||
|
Revenue (trilns.) |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.13% |
3/27/26 |
470.74 |
471.35 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 5,378 384 391 398 404 |
|
Expenditures
(tr.) |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.04% |
3/27/26 |
292.60 |
292.49 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
7,083 087 090
094 097 |
|
National Debt
tr.) |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
+0.336% |
3/27/26 |
348.92 |
347.75 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 38,715 741 850 879 9,010 |
|
Aggregate Debt
(tr.) |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
+0.078% |
3/27/26 |
372.08 |
371.79 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 106,719 805 903 7,000 7,083 |
|
TRADE |
(5%) |
2780 |
||||||
|
Foreign Debt
(tr.) |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
+0.13% |
3/27/26 |
255.06 |
255.38 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
9,501 512 524
536 412 |
|
Exports (in billions) |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
+5.15% |
4/26 |
178.80 |
188.01 |
https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 287.3
302.1 |
|
Imports (in
billions)) |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
-0.28% |
4/26 |
144.27 |
144.67 |
https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 357.6
356.6 |
|
Trade Surplus/Deficit (blns.) |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
+28.99% |
4/26 |
201.72 |
260.20 |
https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 70.3 54.5 |
|
ACTS
of MAN |
(12%) |
|
4029 |
|||||
|
World
Affairs |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
nc |
3/27/26 |
468.67 |
468.67 |
England’s Princess Kate gets cancer, gets
chemo, gets sober. Crowds attack
Communist Party headquarters as Cuban economy falters and Trump threatens Bay
of Pigs Two. Civil war in Uganda as
opposition leader Bobi Wine fights the gumment, gumment war between Pakistan
and Afghanistan continues after brief Ramadan cease fire. |
|
War and terrorism |
2% |
300 |
3/13/26 |
-0.1% |
3/27/26 |
283.73 |
283.45 |
Terror comes from above in Lebanon
where a million are now homeless and comes home as Islamists strike at Old Dominion
in Virginia and a Michigan synagogue (but attack on Jasper, GA VA still
unmotivated). Embassy warns stupid
tourists not to visit Iraq and, if they have, just go home. Trump tells Bibi not to attack any more gas
fields that will just cause gas prices to rise higher. |
|
Politics |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
-0.2% |
3/27/26 |
455.64 |
454.73 |
President Trump dictates an
underground movie theater beneath his White House Golden Ballroom and then
cancels trip to China, Border Patrol Chief Bovino to retire as Tulsi minion
Don Kent quits, blaming Israel for the war.
After losing TX primary to controversial Talarico, controversial
Jasmine Crockett’s bodyguard is killed by a SWAT team. |
|
Economics |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
-0.4% |
3/27/26 |
428.78 |
427.06 |
TSA workers collect their first $0.00
paychecks – some stay on, other quit or sickout, snarling air traffic even though
spokesman Rick Pistol (!) says their absence will encourage terrorists. Century Fund reports rising credit card
debt. 38,000 meatpackers go on strike
in Colorado. |
|
Crime |
1% |
150 |
3/13/26 |
-0.2% |
3/27/26 |
205.40 |
204.99 |
Mormon Wife and Bachelorette Taylor
Frnkie Paul accused of domestic violence, sex crime accusations for Danish
superchef René Redzepi, deceased UFW Cesar Chavez and deceased (at 99)
“Price is Right” host Bob Barker; Elon Musk Groksters accused of aiding and
abetting child porn. In ordinary
violence, a five day old infant is mauled to death by dogs in Michigan, bar
fight ends in murder in Texas and Shaq pays for the funeral of 12 year old
killed in school fight – and a mean, weird thief steals a heirloom wedding
dress. |
|
ACTS
of GOD |
(6%) |
|
||||||
|
Environment/Weather |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
-0.1% |
3/27/26 |
279.42 |
279.14 |
America’s half & half – hot West,
cold and snowy East – with tornados and wildfires in the middle. Record heat inPhoenix (108°), record cold in Florida – wildfires and tornadoes
in the middle. |
|
Disasters |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
+0.1% |
3/27/26 |
464.48 |
464.94 |
Storm blows down barn in Missouri, donkeys escape.
Saved: snowmobiler stranded on ice in Michigan. Not saved: four (3 kids) in Gotham fire. |
|
LIFESTYLE/JUSTICE
INDEX |
(15%) |
|
||||||
|
Science,
Tech, Education |
4% |
600 |
3/13/26 |
+0.2% |
3/27/26 |
614.90 |
616.13 |
Despite more states mandating school
prayer, homeschoolers claim they protect kids from “things I don’t want them
to exposed to.” A big meteor crashes
Earthwards near Cleveland, while NASA knocks a small asteroid off crash
course by ramming it. NASA also
reschedules its round-the-moonshot to April 1st (really?). |
|
Equality
(econ/social) |
4% |
600 |
3/13/26 |
-0.2% |
3/27/26 |
667.67 |
666.34 |
FCC Chair Brendan Carr calls for
license revocations and treason prosecutions against newsthings that angry up
His President. Truck drivers protest
exclusion from truckstop restrooms after corporations complain of
thievery. The drivers allege classism
and racism. UFW’s 95 year old Doloores
says she was raped and impregnated by Cesar Chavez, whose memorials are being
cancelled. |
|
Health |
4% |
600 |
3/13/26 |
-0.1% |
3/27/26 |
415.05 |
414.63 |
TV docs and schoolteachers say social
media is making kids forget hot to play.
New strain of monkeypox makes Gothamits tremble and word police
scream. Food “pharmacies” promote
healthy meals for the poor (but not raw milk cheddar cheese, or David Protein
Bars - accused of containing more fat and sugar than protein). |
|
Freedom
and Justice |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
-0.1% |
3/27/26 |
480.63 |
480.14 |
Legal action (civil) find states rejecting
Live Action monopoly settlement after ticketbrokers brag about gouging, while
Arizona is charging online gambling sites.
In criminal trials, five toilet paper teens uncharged in death of
pranked teacher but Utah mom Khouri Richards is guilty of poisoning husband,
Ibraham Yazeed also convicted of killing Aniah Blanchard but gets soft
sentence – perhaps five years. |
|
CULTURAL
and MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS |
(6%) |
|
||||||
|
Cultural
incidents |
3% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
+0.2% |
3/27/26 |
583.72 |
584.89 |
Oscars
favor “One Battle” over “Sinners” for best Pic but the latter’s Michael
Jordan takes Actor after ballerina Misty Copeland trashes Timothéé Chalamet. In
other honorfests, twelve journalists get First Amendment awards and, for the
fourth straight year, the AKC names French Bulldog as world’s best (and most
stolen) K-9. Sporting sorts have March
Madness brackets here,
NIT for the second raters here,
and WNCAA here.
USA victories in paralympic hockey but loss to Venezuela in baseball finals
while spring training begins in wintry Florida.
RIP: Kiki Shepart (“Showtime at the Apollo”), Paula
Doress-Worters,
author of “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” spy novelist Len Deighton, |
|
Miscellaneous
incidents |
4% |
450 |
3/13/26 |
+0.2% |
3/27/26 |
548.45 |
549.55 |
Deceased NFL owner Irsay’s Beatles
memorabilia up for sale. Missing USAF General turned UFO hunter sought in New
Mexico. Reuters contends graffiti
artist Banksy’s really named Robin Dunning (like a bill collector - or maybe
Davy Jones of the lockers and Monkees).
Rich and grateful patient donates a million to pay off debts for
nurses at hospital. |
|
|
||||||||
A1X01 FROM NPR
Why 'Sinners' should
win best picture (but probably won't) — and more Oscar predictions
By Linda
Holmes, Aisha Harris, Stephen Thompson and Glen Weldon March 13, 2026 7:00 AM ET
The
2026 Oscars have something for everyone: vampires, car chases, show tunes, ping
pong and Shakespeare. The frontrunners have emerged and we've locked in.
Here's
what we think will win — and should — at the Academy Awards on Sunday night.
A BEST PICTURE FACE-OFF: SINNERS OR ONE
BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER?
Sinners should win best picture … but One
Battle After Another will take the prize.
Glen
Weldon: I think One Battle is going to win because it is
the traditional pick of the two frontrunners. It's filled with actors the
Academy loves. You have to remember that best picture is chosen by ranked
choice voting: a film needs to get over % of voters to win, and if that
criteria is not met, they eliminate the lowest ranked film and redistribute
those votes to the next choices until they hit that % mark.
In
that environment, it's not enough for there to be a small base of very vocal
supporters. You need everyone to kind of like
your movie. And I suspect that there are voters — let's call them old school,
very traditional Academy voters — who will not vibe with the horror elements
of Sinners.
'One Battle After Another' wants a revolution
And
there's a more meta reason here: At its heart, One Battle is satirizing right wing
extremism. It's poking much gentler fun at left wing idealism and extremism.
That is the kind of thing that a certain kind of Academy voter will vote for,
and feel very good about themselves for doing it. I'm not equating One
Battle with the Crashes and the Green Books of the
world, but I'm just saying there is a kind of Oscar voter, a traditional film
snob who dismisses genre stuff, who will think that voting for One
Battle is a political act. I mean, if they think that, they should
vote for Sinners, but they're going to vote for One Battle.
Aisha
Harris: Yes to everything Glen said. But I think the shorter version is: it's time for Paul
Thomas Anderson.
Do I think it's time? No. But I do think a lot of Hollywood thinks it's
time, because he has yet to win a best picture. He has yet to win best
director. Paul Thomas Anderson has so much goodwill: he's a director's
director, he is the Letterboxd king, all these things.
Sinners, as Glen said, is political in a different
way. But there's a difference between the way Paul Thomas Anderson satirizes
right wing extremism and the fact that Sinners ends in part
with a Black character gunning down KKK members. And I think that that's a step
too far for certain people.
RYAN
COOGLER AND MICHAEL B. JORDAN ARE SYMBIOTIC. 'SINNERS' IS THE LATEST PROOF
I
love Sinners so much, so that's what I think should win.
It is such a stunning feat of artistry and clearly the work of someone — Ryan
Coogler — who needed to get everything out there, because perhaps he thought
maybe he might not ever be able to do something like this again, even though he
is one of our most consistent filmmakers and he's done so many great
blockbusters. But he just throws it all out there and leaves it on the floor.
Linda
Holmes: This is sort of one of those years where I have a movie that I wish would win (Sinners) and I have a movie that I suspect is going to win (One Battle). I
think the most interesting win that built momentum for Sinners was
the best cast award at the Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards.
That's a big body of voters, right? It does make sense that that is considered
to be a precursor award to the Oscar best picture.
However,
you know, the Producers Guild didn't choose Sinners, and the
producers are also a big group. And the more sort of "old school" —
heavy use of quotation marks – people who you envision, when you think about
why the Oscars tend to be kind of a little bit stuck? It's more producers.
Sinners should
win best picture, and it will.
Stephen
Thompson: I'm erring on the side of optimism. At some point in this
process, as I was watching or rewatching these films, I found myself breaking all ties in favor
of Sinners. It has an extraordinary amount of momentum right
now for a movie that came out very early in the year. And I see a lot of
parallels between its Oscar campaign and the Oscar campaign of the movie Everything
Everywhere All at Once several years ago: Both films came out in the
first half of the year, which is unusual for Oscar movies. Both films made an
enormous amount of money when they weren't necessarily expected to. Both of
those films maintained awards buzz for the better part of a year. Both of those
films contain largely non-white casts. Both of those films are outside of
conventional Oscar historical drama / biopic genres. The last one that I'm
going to mention is that they both received a greater-than-expected number of
nominations, which suggests a pretty extreme breadth of support within the
Academy.
I
sat down with Sinners a few days ago and just reveled in how
gorgeous it looks, how beautifully it's acted, how fun it is, how exciting it
is. The musical centerpiece of this film is one of my favorite scenes in a
movie in years. And if I have any strong rooting interest besides a general
love of the movie, it's for cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, whose work
in this film is jaw dropping. Not only should Sinners win, I
think it will win.
IN A STACKED BEST ACTOR CATEGORY, TIMMY WILL
PROBABLY WIN before his ballet bungle - DJI
Timothée Chalamet will win best actor …
even if Michael B. Jordan deserves it.
Aisha: I'm
going to put my money on Timmy for Marty Supreme, who I think
is actually very well cast — as we've seen from his very, very chaotic campaign
throughout this entire award season. I do think that he's probably rubbed some people a little bit the wrong
way.
Timothée Chalamet brings a lot to the table in 'Marty Supreme'
Of
course, there's no scientific way to game this out. But I would love to see
Michael B. Jordan win, because I do think that this is his best performance.
This is based on 20-plus years of watching this guy grow up and grow into the
man he is. And Ryan Coogler is quite literally the only film director who has
known what to do with him as a performer. Just the fact that Jordan's playing
not just twins, but one of those twins turns into a vampire. There's lots of
layers. It's not quite three characters, but it's like two-and-a-half.
Glen: I
mean, I could sit here and make the case for Wagner Moura, who holds the center
of The Secret Agent, a film that could easily fly away in a
hundred separate chunks. But what Jordan does in Sinners is
expose the vulnerability in two characters who are each, in different
ways, performing an utter lack of vulnerability. It's Jordan
all the way.
In 'Marty Supreme,' Timothée Chalamet is good at being supremely annoying
Still,
I think Timothée is going to win. I mean, to say he's giving a showier
performance than a guy who's playing twins is saying something. But it is —
it's a bigger performance, it's more in your face. It's the most acting. To
Aisha's point, he's campaigning hard. There is this notion that Oscar doesn't
like try-hards, and that is provably false. Try-hards win Oscars all the time.
I think he's going to take it.
Linda: I
think Timothée's juice has waned a bit. I think the persona that he took on in
promoting this film has worn thin with people. His comments about how no one cares about ballet or opera — I think that is rude to
say, and can make people feel like you're a pill. Do I think that's going to
tip it? No, I don't.
I
don't want to make it sound like boo hoo, Chalamet is going to win. I think
he's really good in Marty Supreme. Coming out of the movie, I
said that I wouldn't have a huge problem with it if he wins. But boy, Michael
B. Jordan — I would love to see him win.
Michael
B. Jordan should win best actor … and he will.
'Sinners' gives Michael B. Jordan two roles of a lifetime
Stephen: First
of all, this is such a strong field. But I think it is as much Michael B. Jordan's time as it is
Timothée Chalamet's time. The Michael B. Jordan performance is plenty
showy. He's playing twins and he's great at it and he gives them distinct
personalities where you can tell them apart. I think people are exhausted by
Timothée's performance, by this movie, and by not only this Oscar campaign, but
last year's Timothée Chalamet Oscar campaign for A Complete Unknown.
I think people are less fond of Marty Supreme than they are
of Sinners, and I do think that's a factor. I'm going with Michael
B. Jordan for not only will win, but should win.
CONSENSUS: JESSIE BUCKLEY WILL PROBABLY WIN
BEST ACTRESS
Jessie
Buckley should win best actress … and she will.
Stephen: Now,
I don't want to dismiss the rest of this field. I think there are other
extremely strong performances here. As much as I never want to see If I
Had legs, I'd Kick You ever again in my life, I think Rose Byrne is
terrific in it. I think Kate Hudson is way better in Song Sung Blue than
I could have expected. For one thing, she's just about the only person in that
film who pulls off the accent. And I'm from Wisconsin. I always love Renate
Reinsve and everything she does, and she's terrific in Sentimental
Value. And, you know, and of course, Emma Stone — you never want to
discount Emma Stone. But to me, Jessie Buckley runs away with this.
'Hamnet' star Jessie Buckley looks for the 'shadowy bits' of her
characters
I
think Jessie Buckley is one of those actors who is extremely committed in
everything she does. She's willing to take things over the top, but does it
extremely well. Agnes in Hamnet is a best acting performance.
It is a most acting performance. She's given an extraordinary
amount to work with here: you get deep emotion, deep pathos, but also kind of
quiet "face and eyes" acting. She is the giant concrete beam holding
up this film.
Rose
Byrne should win … but Jessie Buckley will.
Linda: I
think it's going to be Jessie Buckley, too. She's very well-liked; she's been
in a lot of other things. Women Talking for one, and The
Lost Daughter. Sometimes when people, including me, talk about very
"Oscars-y" performances, which this is, it's easy to discount the
fact that it is hard to do them really well. She's been on a great run of
precursor awards and I think she will probably win.
'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You' shows off Rose Byrne's dramatic chops
As
far as should win? My pick would be Rose Byrne. Rose Byrne is doing such
interesting work in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You and
really is the whole movie. I mean there are little bits of
other people, including, by the way, Conan O'Brien, who's quite good and
strange in this film, doing something very different from what I'm used to from
him. But for the most part, she is the movie.
Glen: Same. I pick Rose Byrne.
She's in every scene of that film. It's often a tight shot of her face. We
watch her reacting for most of the film, and that's an example of the script
and the performance lining up to make you feel empathy, if not sympathy, right?
So you're experiencing what's going on in your gut and it's raw, it's visceral,
and it's completely unforgettable, which is good because as other people have
mentioned, I'm never going to see that damn movie again. But I don't need to
because it's in there.
Still, Jessie Buckley has been putting
in the work.
She makes weird choices and she doesn't make Agnes's grief traditionally
Oscar-baity, she makes it something spiky and difficult and real. And if this
film works on you — it didn't for me, but if it works on you — it's because of
those last 10 minutes or so. And for the people it worked for, it worked very
very well.
Renate
Reinsve should win … but Jessie Buckley will.
Aisha: I'm going with Renate Reinsve. I
really appreciate the fact that her character both has to deal with her father,
played by Stellan Skarsgård, coming back into her life, but also her struggle
as a performer. There are some really great scenes of her having to act out
being an actor. I find myself drawn to that sort of characterization and
excavation of emotion and creative processes. I would love to see her win.
If you loved 'Sentimental Value,' here's what to watch next
But
also, if Jessie Buckley wins? She's really good. Her body of work is so
impressive, and I am always looking forward to whatever she is in. I just keep
going back to seeing Hamnet in the theater, in a packed house
and literally everyone around me is bawling and sniffling, except for myself.
That is where that power lies in getting people to vote for her … if you have a
heart, and apparently I don't.
A2X03 FROM BBC
WINNERS, SINNERS AND RECORD BREAKERS: 17 FUN FACTS
ABOUT THIS YEAR'S OSCARS
By Steven
McIntosh Entertainment reporter
When Sinners director Ryan Coogler went to the
movies as a child, he would smuggle in some snacks - and get particularly
creative with the cinema's drinks machine.
"I'm not a big soda person, but when they
started to let you mix and match the drinks, I got involved with
that," he told Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast
recently.
Decades later, Coogler's taste for combining a
wide variety of flavours can be seen in his genre-defying best picture
contender, which blends vampire horror with blues music against the backdrop of
the 1930s Mississippi Delta.
·
Oscars 2026: The nominations list in full
·
12 things we spotted in the Oscars class photo
·
How to watch the Oscar-nominated films
Sinners could take several statuettes at this
weekend's Oscars, but it faces tough competition from co-frontrunner One Battle
After Another, in a genuinely exciting year for the awards race where several
categories are too close to call.
HERE ARE 17 FUN FACTS TO SINK YOUR VAMPIRE
FANGS INTO AHEAD OF THE ACADEMY AWARDS THIS SUNDAY.
The biggest box office hit in this year's
nominees is Zootopia 2 - or is it Zootropolis 2?
1. Zootopia 2 is this year's highest-grossing
nominated film, having taken a staggering $1.86bn (£1.39bn) worldwide.
But the animated franchise has a different
title in Europe - Zootropolis. That's because of Givskud Zoo in Denmark, which
registered the trademark "Zootopia" in the EU in 2009, seven years
before the first movie was released.
Other box office smashes nominated this year
include Avatar threequel Fire & Ash, which has taken $1.48bn (£1.11bn),
while the highest-grossing film in the best picture category is racing thriller
F1, which made $632m (£472m).
2. Emma Stone has broken two records this
year.
Aged 37, the Bugonia star is the youngest
woman ever to earn seven Oscar nominations, overtaking Meryl Streep, who was
38.
Stone has also become the only actress whose
first five Oscar nominations are all for films that were also nominated for
best picture.
In the space of 11 years, she has been
recognised for her roles in Birdman, The Favourite, Bugonia, La La Land and
Poor Things - winning for the latter two.
Emma Stone is nominated for conspiracy theory
drama Bugonia
3. Frankenstein has been two centuries in the
making.
There is a 207-year gap between Mary Shelley's
1818 novel and Guillermo del Toro's 2025 film adaptation for Netflix.
That's one of the biggest gaps between source
material and film adaptation in Oscars history. Those ahead of it include:
·
Tom
Jones (1963), based on the original 1749 novel - a 214-year gap
·
Hamlet (1996), based on the 1601 play - a
395-year gap
·
O Brother Where Art Thou (2000), based on
Greek poem The Odyssey, written around 700 BC - a 2,700-year gap
4. Chase Infiniti has cinema in her blood.
The breakout star of One Battle After Another
has been destined for a film career since the day she was born.
The 25-year-old was named after Nicole
Kidman's character in 1995's Batman Forever, Chase Meridian, and Buzz
Lightyear's catchphrase in Toy Story: "To infinity and beyond."
5. Miriam Margolyes is getting some long
overdue Oscars recognition.
The British actress stars as the titular
character in A Friend of Dorothy, nominated for best live action short. But
Margolyes has never been nominated as an actress, much to her annoyance.
"I should have been nominated but I
wasn't," she told Graham Norton with
characteristic candour. "I was very angry about it."
Margolyes said she should have been recognised
for her role in Martin Scorsese's 1993 period drama The Age of Innocence.
"I was marvellous in it," she reflected. "And the reason I
wasn't nominated was because of Winona Ryder.
"What happened was, [Ryder] was nominated
as a supporting actress instead of a leading actress. And if she'd jolly well
kept herself to herself and been nominated as a leading actress they would have
nominated me in supporting. I was livid."
6. Several nominees are very loyal to their
directors.
Four of this year's lead acting nominees have
been recognised for films that are directed by their long-term collaborator.
The four inseparable pairs are:
·
Ethan
Hawke and Richard Linklater (who have made nine films together)
·
Michael B Jordan and Ryan Coogler (five)
·
Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos (five)
·
Renate Reinsve and Joachim Trier (three)
7. Jessie Buckley could become the first Irish
winner of best actress.
Previous nominees from Ireland include Saoirse
Ronan and Ruth Negga, while Brenda Fricker won best supporting actress in 1989.
But no Irish star has yet won the leading actress category.
Having already scored best actress at the
Critics Choice, Golden Globe, Bafta and Actor Awards, Buckley is likely to
become the first actress to sweep the category at all five ceremonies since
Renée Zellweger for Judy in 2020.
8. Brad Pitt has broken a 35-year trend.
The US actor's racing thriller F1 appears in
several technical categories, but also scored a surprise best picture
nomination.
The film made it into the top category despite
not having any corresponding nods for directing, screenplay or acting at the
Oscars or any major precursor ceremony.
The last film to do this was Beauty and the
Beast in 1991.
9. KPop Demon Hunters are going for (double)
gold.
The Netflix smash hit is the favourite to win
two categories - best animated feature and best original song for Golden,
performed by the movie's girl group Huntr/x.
Two other films have previously pulled off
this double - 2010's Toy Story 3 with its song We Belong Together, and 2013's
Frozen with its inescapable earworm Let It Go.
10. Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson and Amy Madigan
are flying solo.
All three actresses scored the only nomination
for their respective movies - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Song Sung Blue and
Weapons.
Madigan has a decent chance in the supporting
actress category. But it's an uphill battle - only five actors this century
have managed to pull off a win as their film's sole nominee.
They are Julianne Moore (Still Alice),
Charlize Theron (Monster), Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland),
Christopher Plummer (Beginners) and Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona).
11. Timothée Chalamet is the youngest actor
since Marlon Brando to score three Oscar nominations for acting.
Brando was 30, the same age as Chalamet, when
he achieved his third nomination in 1954.
It's possible Chalamet could win this year for
Marty Supreme, but he has lost momentum in recent weeks. (Brando notably didn't
win until his fourth nomination, for On the Waterfront.)
Chalamet has already missed his chance to be
the youngest-ever winner. That record is held by Adrien Brody, who won aged 29
for The Pianist in 2001.
12. Only three Norwegian actors have ever been
nominated for an Oscar - and two of them are from this year.
Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas are
both nominated for their performances in family drama Sentimental Value.
The only other Norwegian actor recognised by
the Academy is Liv Ullmann - who was nominated for both The Emigrants (1972)
and Face to Face (1976).
13. One Battle After Another is Leonardo
DiCaprio's 12th movie to be nominated for best picture - drawing him level with
Robert de Niro.
The Godfather Part II (1974) was de Niro's
first appearance in the top category, before he continued his streak with films
such as Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Joker and The Irishman.
DiCaprio's first appearance, meanwhile, was
for 1997's Titanic, continuing through The Departed, Inception and Django
Unchained.
Both actors notched up another one when they
appeared together in 2023's Killers of the Flower Moon.
Meanwhile, One Battle director Paul Thomas
Anderson could pull off a rare Oscars trifecta by personally winning three
Oscars for writing, directing and producing - a combo that has only been
achieved by 10 other filmmakers.
And DiCaprio's co-star Sean Penn could join
Frances McDormand, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ingrid
Bergman and Walter Brennan by winning his third Oscar for acting. (Katharine
Hepburn is ahead of them all, however, with four.)
14. Wagner Moura has joined an exclusive club.
The Secret Agent star joins the select group
of best actor nominees from films entirely spoken in languages other than
English.
The others are Javier Bardem, Marcello
Mastroianni, Giancarlo Giannini, Max von Sydow, Gérard Depardieu, Massimo
Troisi, Antonio Banderas and Roberto Benigni (who is the only one to win, for
1997's Life is Beautiful).
15. Mind the gap! Several nominees have been
on an Oscars break.
Song Sung Blue star Kate Hudson is nominated
for the first time in 25 years, while One Battle After Another's Benicio del
Toro's nod comes 22 years after his last.
Weapons star Amy Madigan, meanwhile, is
nominated for the second time, a whopping 40 years after her first nomination,
for the aptly named Twice in a Lifetime.
She's not far behind Judd Hirsch, who holds
the record thanks to the 42-year gap between his nominations for Ordinary
People (1981) and The Fabelmans (2023).
16. Delroy Lindo is up for best supporting
actor despite not even being nominated at the Bafta, Golden Globe and Actor
Awards.
This happens every now and again - the last
actor to pop up at the Oscars without any major precursor recognition was
Andrea Riseborough for To Leslie in 2022. But it's very rare that an actor with
only an Oscar nomination goes on to win.
If Lewisham-born Lindo takes home the prize,
he'll be the first actor to win an Oscar without an earlier nomination since
Marcia Gay Harden for Pollock in 2001.
Lindo's co-star Michael B Jordan could also
break a record if he repeats his recent Actor Award (formerly SAG) win at the
Oscars.
No lead actor has ever won the Actor Award and
Oscar without also winning anything at the Golden Globes, Baftas or Critics
Choice Awards.
17. Hamnet is following in EastEnders'
footsteps.
Despite having a mostly original score, Hamnet
director Chloe Zhao chose a 20-year-old piece of music for the film's emotional
final scene.
She isn't the first to invoke the emotive On
The Nature of Daylight by composer Max Richter - it has been used by countless
directors over the last two decades in their efforts to make audiences cry.
You might have recognised it from its use in
Arrival, Shutter Island, The Last of Us, Stranger Than Fiction, The Handmaid's
Tale, The Innocents... and, perhaps most importantly, an episode of EastEnders.
This year's Oscars have finally given us the
Shakespeare and Albert Square crossover we've always wanted.
The Academy Awards take place on Sunday (15
March).
Eight surprise takeaways from the Oscar nominations
12 things we spotted in the Oscars class photo
A3 X13 FROM FOX NEWS
NO FUN FAX: BILL MAHER SLAMS OSCARS, SAYS HOLLYWOOD IS
'A SECRET CABAL OF PEOPLE TERRIFIED OF LOOKING LIKE RACISTS'
'Real
Time' host tells progressives to 'take the win' on diversity progress at
Academy Awards
By Taylor Penley Published March
14, 2026 11:08am EDT
Bill Maher says he doesn't win awards
because of 'woke' Hollywood
‘Real
Time’ host Bill Maher says he doesn't win awards because ‘woke’ Hollywood hates
that he can ‘speak freely.’
Comedian Bill
Maher delivered a scathing critique of the longstanding #OscarsSoWhite
campaign ahead of Sunday's Academy Awards, arguing complaints about a lack of
diversity should cease after the push has led to a far more diverse group of
winners.
"Hollywood isn't a secret cabal of
racists. It's a secret cabal of people terrified of looking like racists," the "Real Time" host said during
Friday's episode.
"And
I'm just tired of, no matter how much progress is made, social justice
warriors feeling the need to gaslight us as if none of it had
happened."
Maher
blasted "progressives" for the decade-long push to increase minority
representation at the ceremony, even as more recent Oscar-winning films and stars have featured
traditionally "underrepresented groups."
In
the process, he listed several recent Academy Award-winning films, including
"Moonlight," "Everything Everywhere All At Once," "The
Shape of Water" and "Nomadland."
PRESENTING THE OSCARS ON… YOUTUBE?
STARTING IN 2029, AWARD CEREMONY NO LONGER AIRING ON ABC
Actor
Ke Huy Quan’s speech went viral after "Everything, Everywhere, All at
Once" won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2023, with Quan winning an award
for Best Supporting Actor. He also mentioned winning actors Will
Smith, Ke Huy Quan, Zoe Saldaña, Regina King and others before delving into how
many recent Best Director and honorary award winners also came from
underrepresented groups.
"Someone
must wear a ribbon that says, ‘We won.' Just as a way to remind progressives,
‘Hey, you’re progressive. Progress is what you’re selling. Take the win,'"
he quipped.
MAHER WARNS DEMS TO AVOID TONE-DEAF CELEBS BECAUSE THEY ARE 'ACTUALLY HURTING'
THE PARTY'S BRAND
"The
Oscars are no longer a long, boring show full of white people. It’s a long,
boring show full of all people," he added.
Maher's
critique continued, pointing to inclusion standards implemented by the
academy in recent years, requiring Best Picture contenders to feature underrepresented
groups in at least 30% of the film's crew, among other requirements.
"No
one can argue with a straight face … that the academy in 2026 still overlooks
minority achievement or that Hollywood is biased in favor of all white people –
just Australians," he quipped.
The
academy did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request
for comment.
LET
the PURSUIT BEGIN:
A4 X11 FROM THE FINANCIAL
TIMES
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE 2026
OSCARS (w/Spoiler Alerts)
No slaps and no disastrous
cock-ups, but the ceremony still managed to serve up highlights, from the silly
to the sobering
By Horatia Harrod and
Raphael Abraham
The 98th Academy Awards was
a night of firsts
Oscars night is hardly known
for its trailblazing originality but this year did bring a clutch of firsts.
After having been nominated 11 times for films such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia
and There Will Be Blood, Paul Thomas Anderson finally took home not one but
three trophies for One Battle After Another: Best Picture, Best Director, Best
Adapted Screenplay, all received with sweetly nervous speeches as he noted how
hard he had been made to work for them.
Jessie Buckley became the
first Irish actress to win Best Actress for Hamnet and Autumn Durald Arkapaw
became the first woman from anywhere to win the Best Cinematography prize for
her work on Sinners. There was also an entirely new category: Best Casting, won
by Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another. If there was a prize for
Most Self-Congratulatory Moment of the night it would have gone to the actors
handing out that award, who heaped praise on the nominees for their genius in
hiring those very same actors.
WHO MADE POLITICAL STATEMENTS?
Overt political statements
were thin on the ground. Emulating his prime minister, Spanish actor Javier
Bardem was the most outspoken, leaning into the microphone to declare “No to
war, and free Palestine” and earning an enthusiastic ovation for his boldness.
Mr Nobody Against Putin director David Borenstein, accepting the award for Best
Documentary Feature, gave an impassioned speech, warning against complicity
“when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when
oligarchs take over the media”. And presenter Jimmy Kimmel got in some digs at the first lady’s bizarre
documentary Melania.
Others made more veiled
references to current conflicts or asked the audience to consider what kind of
world we are leaving for our children, among them Paul Thomas Anderson, Jessie
Buckley and Joachim Trier. Perhaps the most jarring moment of the evening came
when the screen broadcasting this most American of spectacles was briefly
filled with Farsi, during a clip from It Was Just an Accident, made by
dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi.
WARNERS WINS BIG — BUT WHAT
COMES NEXT?
The evening was always going
to be a heady one for Warner Bros: the studio had taken two big swings with
auteur-driven, original movies, generously budgeted, in the form of One Battle After Another and
Sinners. Jointly nominated for 29 Oscars, they ended up taking home six and
four prizes respectively, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.
Add to that Amy Madigan’s supporting actress win for Weapons, and the studio
reached a record-equalling tally of 11, with its co-chairs Mike De Luca and Pam
Abdy thanked repeatedly during the ceremony. The irony of this is that Warners
is now in the process of being acquired by Paramount Skydance (which received
no nominations), in a $110bn deal that brings with it vast uncertainty about
job cuts, creative direction and even the fate of the historic Warners lot.
DID CONAN O’BRIEN BRING THE
FUNNY?
Conan O’Brien gave a Jekyll and Hyde performance in his second year
running as Oscars host, his smoothly polished facade occasionally cracking to
reveal a more unhinged comic persona. The night began with a
homage to horror hit Weapons, Conan clad in fright wig and garish make-up to
resemble Amy Madigan’s maniacally grinning witch, the host pursued by a gaggle
of children through recreations of various nominated movies. And it concluded
with Conan being made “Oscars host for life” before being gassed by the Academy
and dumped on to a mortuary slab in a pastiche of a scene from One Battle After
Another.
In between, there were more
seemingly spontaneous outbursts, Conan venting his fury on Baby Yoda from The
Mandalorian when it became apparent that the infant puppet was unable to clap.
Other skits strained for internet-era relevance with references to memes, YouTube
and TikTok. Better was a remake of Casablanca for the attention-span deprived,
with Conan in the Humphrey Bogart role and Sterling K Brown as pianist Sam, the
two recapping plot and historical details ad nauseam (“World war two? That’s
the Hitler one, right?”).
DID THE PRODUCERS PUT ON A
SHOW?
If entertainment today lives
or dies by its ability to generate memes, this year’s ceremony was a bust. No
firecracker speeches, no record-breaking selfies, low-key politics, no slaps,
and, what’s more, awful sound (ironically at its very worst during the segment
where the cast members of Bridesmaids introduced the prizes for score and
sound), dodgy camerawork and a
punishing three-and-a-half hour runtime. (They managed to claw back some
time by cutting short the speeches of the less prominent winners in
increasingly inventive ways: drowning them out with music, retracting their
microphones and eventually just turning out the stage lights.)
WINNERS AND LOSERS ON THE
OSCARS RED CARPET
Most of the presenting duos
were deeply awkward, as is traditional, with the 14-year anniversary reunion of
Avengers stars Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans only out-nadired by Nicole
Kidman and Ewan McGregor’s brief, dangerously twee “All You Need Is Love”
singalong. The only remotely entertaining introduction to a category came with
an Anne Hathaway-Anna Wintour double act (an oblique promo for the forthcoming
The Devil Wears Prada 2); and there was a fizzing Sinners musical interlude
featuring Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, Raphael Saadiq, Shaboozey, blues
legend Buddy Guy, ballerina Misty Copeland and the film’s previously unknown
star Miles Caton. In 2029,
YouTube will take over the Oscars broadcast, after years of declining broadcast
viewership, but on this year’s evidence it will have work to do to make
the event fit for the digital age.
THE LONGEST SEGMENT OF THE
NIGHT? THE IN MEMORIAM
Beginning with Billy
Crystal’s tribute to the peerless Rob Reiner, who directed the actor in When Harry
Met Sally, the 15-minute segment was by far the night’s longest. There were
extended appreciations of Diane Keaton by Rachel McAdams and Robert Redford by
Barbra Streisand, who even sang a few bars of “The Way We Were”. (No room for
Brigitte Bardot, though.) It
was a stark reminder of the fact that giants of the 1960s and 1970s, the era of
exploding pop culture, are ageing fast. As the “in memoriam” lists grow longer
with each year, and the hunt for a younger viewership continues, Oscars
producers will have to figure out just how much emphasis to put on the past.
TIMELINES and TAKEAWAYS
A5 X53 FROM LA TIMES
Our experts break down the best and worst moments of
the 2026 Oscars
By Mary McNamara and Glenn Whipp
March 15, 2026 Updated 7:47 PM PT
Times columnists Mary McNamara and Glenn Whipp
spent the 2026 Oscars ceremony discussing the winners, speeches, presenters and
much more. Here’s their take on the best and worst moments of the night, as
they happened.
7:47 p.m. Watching that highlight reel at
the end, there were so many great moments in tonight’s show, capped by Teyana
Taylor putting Paul Thomas Anderson in a headlock heading to the stage after
“One Battle” won best picture. It was long. But not short on feeling. — G.W.
My dogs thought it would be over closer to 7,
which would guarantee them a walk. Now I’m not so sure. But I always have a
great time with you, Glenn. “One Oscars After Another” indeed. — M.M.
Oscars live-bloggers for life? OK ... let’s
not get carried away. But I do appreciate you, Mary! — G.W.
Paul Thomas Anderson (at microphone) with
fellow producer Sara Murphy and the cast of “One Battle After Another,” winner
of the 2026 Oscar for best picture.
7:37 p.m. Best picture! Finally! I was
freaking out, but it’s “One Battle” after all! — G.W.
Well you were right, “One Battle After
Another” wins best picture. It is a truly great film, in a year of several truly
great films and a helluva a race. Which is all you can hope for from the
Oscars, really. — M.M.
Maya Rudolph holding on to PTA’s Oscars. He
has three now. Let’s go to the 818 and celebrate! — G.W.
I am loving that the show is ending on a bit,
taken from the best picture winner. (I wonder if they shot one for “Sinners”?)
— M.M.
I wondered that too. Great callback to
Lockjaw’s end in “One Battle.” Does this mean Conan isn’t hosting next year? Ha
ha. — G.W.
I hope not. He did great, again, and didn’t
even seem tired by the end, which is frankly miraculous. But at least it got
exciting there for a while. — M.M.
7:31 p.m. And Jessie wins lead actress
for “Hamnet”! (Love how I say “Jessie” like we are besties). The Irish accent —
“my Irish family, they’re all here. Ireland bought them flights.” Also, best
shout-out to a spouse EVER. — M.M.
Irish in the house? Gonna be a hell of a St.
Patrick’s Day celebration on Tuesday! — G.W.
Jessie Buckley accepts the Oscar for lead
actress for “Hamnet.”
7:26 p.m. Michael
B. Jordan. Clearly,
a popular win in the room ... and a sign of things to come? I was ready to call
it for “One Battle,” but Jordan’s win and the cinematography Oscar have revived
the chances for “Sinners.” I could see a picture/director split. PTA winning
director and then “Sinners” picture. Throughout the evening, the biggest cheers
in the auditorium have come for “Sinners.” — G.W.
We will find out soon, Glenn! But I feel like
my belief that Oscars can be unpredictable is being proved right. — M.M.
But first ... Jessie Buckley for “Hamnet.” —G.W.
I have been predicting this since I saw the
movie. If she doesn’t, that will define “upset.” — M.M.
Late to saying this, but love that they’re
showing clips from the performances again. — G.W.
More clips, less bits ‘n banter. — M.M.
“Bits ‘n banter” should be a movie snack.
— G.W.
7:20 p.m. “The actor who heroically saved
last year’s Oscars from running short” — Conan introduces best-actor presenter
Adrien Brody who first tries to literally toss his chewing gum, then swallows
it before pulling out a many-paged speech. Joke would have been better without
the gum. — M.M.
That wasn’t entirely bad misdirection from
Adrien Brody, even if it does feel a little awkward every time he’s on stage.
— G.W.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN!!! Who honestly should have
been nominated twice. — M.M.
And another mom for you, Mary! — G.W.
The mamas need to be thanked! — M.M.
7:17 p.m. “You make a guy work hard for
one of these”: Paul Thomas Anderson wins for “One Battle After Another.”
— M.M.
7:16 p.m. I know it’s best director, but
can you tell if Zendaya is wearing a wedding ring? — M.M.
7:10 p.m. I can get behind a standing O
for Lionel Richie, who presents original song to “Golden” from “KPop Demon
Hunters.” I am going to have “Say You, Say Me” stuck in my head the rest of the
night. — G.W.
My husband has joined me and is asking, “What
is this ‘KPop Demon’ thing?” — M.M.
It is right that he doesn’t know. — G.W.
I would honestly be worried if he did. — M.M.
Three hours and 11 minutes into the telecast,
and the producers aren’t having it any more, cutting the mics when the allotted
time is up. — G.W.
7:06 p.m. International feature was
loaded this year, including two best picture nominees — “The Secret Agent” and
“Sentimental Value.” With nine nominations, it was nice to see “Sentimental
Value” come away with something tonight. — G.W.
“All adults are responsible for all children.”
“Sentimental Value” director Joachim Trier quotes James Baldwin when accepting
international feature, adding that we shouldn’t vote for politicians who do not
believe this. — M.M.
Great speech. Loved the reaction shot of Ryan
Coogler, standing and applauding. — G.W.
My butt really hurts but I am no longer
watching the clock. — M.M.
Joachim Trier accepts the Oscar for
international feature with the cast of “Sentimental Value” during the 98th
Academy Awards.
7:03 p.m. Javier Bardem showing us how to
present an Oscar: “No to war and free Palestine.” — G.W.
6:56 p.m. Even “Golden” feels
anti-climactic after Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s speech. (Though it is pretty dang
cool, plus illuminated lights in audience.) — M.M.
I spoke with Arkapaw a few times over the last
six months, and she is everything you said, Mary: intelligent, direct, serious
about her craft. I think her win here puts some drama back into the best
picture race as “One Battle” was a prime contender for cinematography too. Now
we wait to see if Michael B. Jordan can win lead actor. — G.W.
You know what? Her win is more important than
best picture, though I am glad to see your calculations at work. — M.M.
Rei Ami, Ejae and Audrey Nuna perform “Golden”
from “KPop Demon Hunters” during the 98th Academy Awards.
6:51 p.m. Great news for “Sinners,” this
cinematography win. Also history: Autumn Durald Arkapaw is the first woman to
ever win this Oscar! — G.W.
Huge energy boost, for the show, the movie and
the entertainment industry! “I want all the women in the room to stand up
because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys.” I am literally crying
now. — M.M.
A real highlight of the evening! — G.W.
I am so deeply in love with this woman right
now. Her work was phenomenal, she is so calm and direct and the first thing she
did after winning was make sure her kid was in his seat so she could see him
and he could see his mom become an historic Oscar winner. Still crying. — M.M.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw accepts the Oscar for
cinematography for “Sinners.”
6:46 p.m. I definitely feel like we’re at
an energy lull. Aren’t they performing “Golden” sometime tonight? — G.W.
This is going to be a three-and-half-hour
show, right? And that long preface to editing isn’t helping, Bill Pullman
notwithstanding. — M.M.
One Oscar after another ... — G.W.
6:40 p.m. I’m assuming this doesn’t tilt
the BP race to “F1,” sound not being a big predictor? But “One Battle” didn’t
win either — I fear we have become too dependent on the notion of a “sweep.” I
think the best awards are the ones that spread the love around. I mean if
you’re nominated for best picture, there has to be a reason. And sound is
apparently “F1’s” reason.
— M.M.
Sometimes, Mary. And then sometimes there’s
“Les Misérables.” — G.W.
Perhaps the academy learned a lesson from
that. — M.M.
6:35 p.m. “F1” wins for sound — I know you
had that on your list, Glenn! How did you spell the sound racing cars make?
— M.M.
Glad you asked, Mary! It was: Ggghhzzzzzzzhhhhhhhggggggzzzzzzzeeeeeong! And
sound was another category that “Sinners” could have won — but didn’t. Not
looking good! — G.W.
Honestly, I wish they would show clips of the
sounds, even if it meant skipping “Bridesmaids” reunion. (Though I still love
all of you women!) — M.M.
I wish they would show clips from the
Governors Awards! Don’t you want to see a bit of what Tom Cruise said when he
won an Oscar? — G.W.
6:33 p.m. This is Ludwig Göransson’s
third Oscar! And he’s young. Plenty of time for the “Sinners” composer to catch
John Williams’ five. — G.W.
I didn’t love the “Bridesmaids” bit, which was
a send-up of how women get grilled about aging? But they gave the award to
“Sinners,” so that’s good. And now they’re doing sound, and they’re a bit
looser but still not great. Screenwriters everywhere rejoice: You are so very
necessary! — M.M.
6:27 p.m. “Bridesmaids” reunion time! — M.M.
I agree with the kid from “Hamnet.” I need
pizza! And, yes, the show’s starting to feel a bit long. — G.W.
Remember when we all went into the office and
actually got fed? — M.M.
“Bridesmaids” stars (from left) Melissa
McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Ellie Kemper reunite
during the 98th Academy Awards.
6:24 p.m. There’s an upset! And maybe an
example of how the new voting rules will change outcomes. “The Perfect
Neighbor” was the favorite for documentary feature, a widely seen movie on
Netflix. But “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” the story of a Russian schoolteacher
who documents how his school became a recruitment center during the Ukraine
invasion, ended up winning. I’m not complaining. — G.W.
You can always count on the documentary
winners to speak out; “Mr. Nobody Against Putin’s” David Borenstein and Pavel
Talankin calling out as complicit those who remain silent when a government
murders citizens in the streets and reminding us that for many the shining
things in the sky are not stars but rockets. — M.M.
6:16 p.m. Documentary short winner “All
the Empty Rooms” is on Netflix. Highly recommended. Have tissues handy. Just as
you did for the mom who lost her child at the Uvalde school shooting.
Heartbreaking. — G.W.
I don’t think I can watch “Rooms.” I know I
should and I feel guilty, but I think if I watched it I would never stop
screaming. Our acceptance of gun violence and school shootings may be the
greatest sin of our lifetime. — M.M.
6:11 p.m. What am I missing in the “Star
Wars” canon? Why can’t Baby Yoda clap? Maybe we’ll find out in the movie that
they just teased ... brought to you by Disney! — G.W.
6:09 p.m. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” wins
visual effects. How’s your scorecard, Glenn? I feel like you’re doing very
well. Better than “Sinners” anyway. — M.M.
I’m doing fine. I picked one of the two shorts
in that category tie! And I think “Sinners” will still win at least score and,
hopefully, lead actor for Michael B. Jordan. — G.W.
6:07 p.m. Moving on, “Frankenstein” is
cleaning up, winning production design. Possibly the first time Mary Shelley
has been thanked from Oscar stage too. Long overdue, if true. — M.M.
It would be unfortunate if “Frankenstein” ends
up winning more Oscars than “Sinners.” That’s its third and final Oscar of the
evening. “Sinners,” meanwhile, has one. — G.W.
6:04 p.m. Meanwhile, heading into the
third hour, are we really only halfway through the actual awards? Are producers
blaming the tie in live-action short? Please do not cut the “Bridesmaids”
reunion. — M.M.
Someone needs to give Sigourney Weaver a
career honor ASAP. Really underappreciated when it comes to that kind of
lifetime achievement award. — G.W.
Agreed. She is an icon. Didn’t love the bit
though. And not sure about Pedro’s feather (?) brooch. — M.M.
Barbra Streisand delivers a tribute to Robert
Redford during the 98th Academy Awards.
6:01 p.m. Sorry to go dark for a moment,
Mary and friends ... just trying to process all the greats we lost the past year.
I knew it was going to be a super-sized in memoriam and I’m glad they took the
time. I wish they had cut the volume on the piano while Streisand was speaking,
or just cut the piano period. It was intrusive and unnecessary. (The production
through the night has been a bit spotty. Random reaction shots. Playing people
off too early. And that piano.) But, God, I loved Streisand breaking into “The
Way We Were” at the end there. Beautiful. — G.W.
It is terrible to see so many people who I
have loved for so many years. The risk of aging, I suppose. — M.M.
5:53 p.m. It was pretty astonishing to
see so many stars of Reiner’s films gather in tribute to him and Michele
Singer. Reiner never won an Oscar, which just goes to show you don’t need the
statue to become a legend. But what’s with the piano playing all through Barbra
Streisand’s tribute to Robert Redford? — M.M.
5:44 p.m. Billy Crystal talking about Rob
Reiner — I am laugh-crying already. — M.M.
5:36 p.m. And Ryan Coogler wins original
screenplay for “Sinners” so, mercifully, we will not be facing a “most
nominations ever with no wins” situation. Way bigger audience reaction to
Coogler’s win than Anderson’s. Does that spell out anything in the predictive
tea leaves? Also, loved that he apologized to his kids for being away so much —
he definitely saw “Sentimental Value”! — M.M.
From talking to him over the years, he just
loves being a dad. One time I started telling him about my kids going off to
college and he was like, “Stop. I don’t want to think about it.” — G.W.
Ryan Coogler wins the Oscar for original
screenplay for “Sinners.”
5:31 p.m. Here comes the first win of the
night for “Sinners” — original screenplay. But first, Paul Thomas Anderson’s
first win of the night, for adapted screenplay. — G.W.
OK, OK, screenplays. Paying attention. Not
that I need to watch with Glenn joysticking the whole evening. Though even I
knew that “One Battle After Another” would win for adapted. — M.M.
Love the big exhale from PTA as he left the
stage. His first Oscar! And it won’t be the last he wins tonight! — G.W.
5:26 p.m. Conan is coming for “new
Hollywood,” first with the phone-screen editing and now taking on demands that
films repeat key plot points for a distracted audience with “Casablanca for
Dummies.” World War II — “that’s the Hitler one, right?” I will totally watch
the “Casablanca” bit at least two more times. — M.M.
5:21 p.m. “Sean Penn couldn’t be here
tonight, or didn’t want to” — Kieran Culkin after announcing the supporting
actor winner. — M.M.
Love Kieran Culkin’s shade toward Sean Penn.
Also respect Penn staying true to his convictions and staying home. There is an
unconfirmed report that Sean Penn is in Europe, possibly Ukraine ... which
feels like a trip Penn would make on the night of the Oscars. Or maybe going to
the Golden Globes earlier this year ruined award shows for him forever. — G.W.
Kieran Culkin presents the Oscar for
supporting actor during the 98th Academy Awards.
5:13 p.m. “It’s a tie, everybody calm
down.” I almost feel like Kumail got specific instructions re: live-action
short. Which is good but also ... isn’t no one supposed to know results
beforehand? — M.M.
Wait? A tie? Is this a sign that with the new
voting rules, where voters had to attest to having seen all the nominees in a category,
fewer people voted in the shorts? Like, did two people vote for “The Singers”
and two people vote for “Two People Exchanging Saliva”? — G.W.
“Ironic that short films is going to take
twice as long.” Good one. (And, indeed, the “Saliva” people are talking for a
super long time.) — M.M.
If Conan ever gets tired of hosting, Kumail
Nanjiani would be a good next-up. — G.W.
“To retract a microphone on a man?” — attempts
were made to cut “Saliva’s” run-over, but even Conan was a bit startled.
— M.M.
The cut to Conan when that happened was great.
And no disrespect to the two winners in this category, both fine shorts.
— G.W.
Kumail Nanjiani announces a tie as he presents
the Oscar for live-action short during the 98th Academy Awards.
5:05 p.m. And yet it goes to Cassandra
Kulukundis for “One Battle After Another.” — M.M.
Oh [bleep]. There goes the suspense for best
picture. It’s going to be “One Battle” for sure. — G.W.
Really? — M.M.
I feel like if “Sinners” was going to win best
picture, it would have taken this Oscar. I suppose it’s still possible, but not
winning this and the wide-open supporting actress category doesn’t bode well.
— G.W.
You don’t think she got bonus points for
discovering Chase Infiniti? — M.M.
“Sinners” and “One Battle” both have
outstanding, deep ensembles. I thought Maisler’s long history of working with
every A-list Hollywood director (not to mention casting the Roy family in
“Succession”) would give her the edge. She found Miles Caton, basically the
equivalent of finding Chase Infiniti. Again, it‘s starting to feel like a “One
Battle” sweep. Now if Delroy Lindo wins supporting actor ... — G.W.
I know your awards-actuary method is
historically successful but sometimes the Oscars get messy and spread things
around. So I’m still considering it an open BP race. — M.M.
Chase Infiniti presents the award for casting
during the 98th Oscars.
5:01 p.m. Nice that they’re making the
first casting Oscar special with someone from each nominated movie singing the
casting director’s praises. — G.W.
“The exquisite invisible architecture you
built” —great line from “Marty Supreme’s” Gwyneth Paltrow praising that film’s
nominee, Jennifer Venditti. — M.M.
Who did you predict, Glenn? — M.M.
“Sinners” and Francine Maisler. She’s a
legend. Would be the perfect choice for the first winner of this Oscar. — G.W.
4:56 p.m. “Frankenstein’s” Oscars for
costume design and makeup and hairstyling are very well deserved. — M.M.
I suppose. I would have gone with Ruth E.
Carter and “Sinners” for costumes. But she does have two Oscars. — G.W.
4:53 p.m. Anna Wintour for the win. She
should co-present every award just to shut down the patter when it gets
annoying. — G.W.
Did costume design winner Kate Hawley
(“Frankenstein”) just curtsy to Wintour? — M.M.
She’s probably terrified of what she thinks of
her outfit! — G.W.
“Thank you, Emily”: Wintour stumping for “The
Devil Wears Prada 2” as she and Anne Hathaway continue with the makeup and
hairstyling prize. — M.M.
My interest in seeing that movie just went up
a couple of notches. — G.W.
Anna Wintour and Anne Hathaway present during
the 98th Academy Awards.
4:50 p.m. That iPhone bit felt a little
too real to be funny. — G.W.
4:42 p.m. The Oscars re-creating the
best scene in a movie this year? I’m here for it. Gonna
feel a little awkward if “Sinners” doesn’t win, though. — G.W.
Seriously. Before the Actor Awards, I was
afraid that “Sinners’” April premiere would mean people would forget how
amazing it was. But it would seem they have not. (And Misty Copeland making a
climactic appearance here plays even stronger after brouhaha over Chalamet’s comments
about opera and ballet, especially given that Chalamet’s in the front row.)
— M.M.
Miles Caton, center, performs “I Lied to You”
from “Sinners” during the 98th Academy Awards.
4:38 p.m. Well ... the animated short
category makes another year of not getting a perfect predictions score. I did
say “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” could win ha ha... — G.W.
4:33 p.m. Now there’s a surprise — not.
“KPop Demon Hunters” wins animated feature. I know you knew that one, Glenn.
— M.M.
It is the movie that kept all the kids
entertained at our New Year’s Eve party while the grown-ups ate and drank.
Thank you “KPop Demon Hunters”! — G.W.
“Mom, this is for you” — the reason for all
awards shows ever. — M.M.
I’m glad she got to thank her mom after nearly
being played off! — G.W.
4:31 p.m. The dig at the Oscars’ move to
YouTube with the appearance of random loud and obnoxious ads was right on —
though I will watch any ad that stars Jane Lynch. — M.M.
Amy Madigan accepts the supporting actress
Oscar for “Weapons.”
4:22 p.m. Amy Madigan win supporting
actress, the night’s first prize — I am so happy!! Would have been terrible if
her character opened the Oscars and she lost. And oh, that laugh! — M.M.
Yeessssssssssss! (And not just because I
predicted Amy Madigan.) — G.W.
First acceptance speech to reference leg
shaving? Also, Madigan defends the “rattling off” of names. “They’re the people
who helped me get here.” — M.M.
What a lovely speech. And funny! Love the leg-shaving
reference. Ed Harris and Amy Madigan are one of the town’s most enduring
couples. Madigan’s point about the “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another”
actors embracing her was touching too. She was out there on her own, the only
nominee from “Weapons.” Great start to the evening! — G.W.
4:20 p.m. I don’t know who is going to
win this supporting actress Oscar! — G.W.
What? You always know everything! I feel so
... unsafe! — M.M.
4:18 p.m. Very moving testament to
optimism of global filmmaking, as represented here: Movies are made in the
hopes that things around the world will get better. — M.M.
A monologue so good that I could even tolerate
Josh Groban. — G.W.
Yeah, I was typing through that part so it
didn’t bother me. — M.M.
4:14 p.m. “First time since 2012 no
British actors nominated in best actor or actress. British spokesman: ‘Well, at
least we arrest our pedophiles.’” Massive applause. — M.M.
That and the nod to L.A.’s Spanish-language
culture really landed. — G.W.
4:09 p.m. First Chalamet opera and ballet
joke: “They’re just mad you left out jazz.” “Things could get political;
there’s an alternate Oscars hosted by Kid Rock.” And a Ted Sarandos joke. I
swear they are reading our comments, Glenn! — M.M.
Is Sean Penn there? No on-camera reaction
shot. Also, the best picture race is so close this year I was trying to determine which
movie got the loudest applause, “Sinners” or “One Battle After Another.”
— G.W.
Conan O’Brien during the 98th Academy Awards.
4:06 p.m. “I can’t believe I learned
Norwegian for this”: High point of Conan O’Brien racing through scenes from
best picture nominees as Amy Madigan’s character in “Weapons” to open the show.
— M.M.
I have fond memories of Billy Crystal’s Oscar
openers, but that was the best. I can’t stop laughing. Almost sad it had to
end. — G.W.
3:51 p.m. The time is throwing me too,
especially so close to the daylight saving change-up. I keep thinking about
Maggie Smith’s great line in “California Suite”: “No woman can be expected to
look good at 4 p.m. except Tatum O’Neal” — who was a child at the time. Which
is just another way of me saying, “I miss Maggie Smith.” — M.M.
Maggie Smith would be my dream red-carpet
interviewer. It’s hot! We need a little frostiness! “So, Mr. Chalamet ... have
you brought your opera glasses to the show?” — G.W.
3:46 p.m. Quick question, Glenn. Will this
be the hottest Oscars ever? As in, literally. Today has been a bit cooler than
last few days, and next few days, but still. My weather app just said 85
degrees in Hollywood, which is pretty hot for March. No one seems to be visibly
sweating, probably because most of red carpet is covered. And I guess it’s
better than rain. Still I feel for those in long sleeves and/or tons of
sequins. — M.M.
It feels like September Emmy weather, Mary!
And I’m still getting used to this new start time. There’s too much daylight
for the Oscars to be starting in 10 minutes. — G.W.
3:40 p.m. Here we are again at the
Oscars, Mary, once again an hour earlier and with more questions than usual
heading into the ceremony. Who is going to win the lead actor Oscar? Timothée Chalamet? Michael B. Jordan?
Leonardo DiCaprio? I’ve misread this category so thoroughly this year they
could open the envelope, say the name of an actor not even nominated and I
would think, “Yes! Of course!” Will Sean Penn win his third Oscar?
Will Paul Thomas Anderson have his first three Oscars by the end of
the evening? Will the academy troll Chalamet (and the rest of us) with an
interpretative dance performance? What’s on your mind as we prepare to watch
this year’s show? — G.W.
Glenn! Is this the man normally so clear and
confident about his well-calculated predictions that I, with my more
emotion-based hopes, often want to scream? Already the show is more interesting
and it hasn’t even started! I have been rooting for “Sinners” since I
saw it almost a year ago — vampires haven’t been used with such spot-on
metaphoric resonance since Bram Stoker wrote “Dracula.” And as I have said
before, Michael B. Jordan gives two fine, powerful performances to his fellow
nominees’ one. I imagine there will be a ballet/opera joke or two, though that
brouhaha occurred after voting closed so if Chalamet does not win, no hate
should be directed at the Royal Opera company. I am mostly interested in if/how
current events, including the war in Iran and the protests against ICE, are
mentioned in any way. Especially given the politico-cultural themes of some of
the top nominees. — M.M.
If Sean Penn and Amy Madigan, noted pot-stirrers, win Oscars, as
I think they might, and don’t say anything about current events, then can
safely say we’ve entered peak disconnect between what’s happening in the world
and what’s taking place inside the privileged space of awards shows. Many
(most?) viewers probably wouldn’t have a problem with that sort of
disengagement. People booed Michael Moore at the 2003 Oscars when he spoke out
against the war in Iraq. Some cheered him on. It takes guts to get up on that
big stage and speak out. I’m also interested to see if that happens tonight.
— G.W.
True, and no doubt most folks at Oscars are
more concerned with state of industry, particularly what David Ellison’s
takeover of Warner Bros. will mean for future of moviemaking. Especially given
the fact that, between “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another,” Warner Bros.
will be cleaning up. Conan O’Brien is a jocular, wise-cracky host who will
likely eschew controversy but he may not be able to resist taking a jab at the
messy battle for the studio, which saw Netflix fold. Ted Sarandos has been
known to take a joke; we may find out if Ellison can. In any case, I’m glad to
see Conan back — he brings a great side-eye energy to the proceedings and seems
perfectly at home on that big, sumptuously dressed stage, which is half the
battle. — M.M.
@A6 X52
YAHOO – THE STARS WERE OUT
AT THE DOLBY THEATRE
By Yahoo
News Staff Updated Mon, March 16, 2026
at 2:11 PM EDT
It was One Battle After
Another’s night. Paul Thomas Anderson’s action-thriller took home six Oscars at
the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, including Best Supporting Actor, Best
Directing and Best Picture.
The film also won awards for
Best Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as the first-ever Oscar for
Best Casting. Upon accepting his award, Anderson — who had previously been
nominated for an Oscar around a dozen times — joked, “You make a guy work hard
for one of these, I really appreciate it.”
Jessie Buckley and Michael
B. Jordan took home the awards for Best Actress and Best Actor on Sunday night.
Sinners also had a big night,
bringing home four Oscars, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan’s role
astwins Smoke and Stack. In his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked the Black
actors “who came before me.” Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw also
made history as the first-ever female winner for Best Cinematography.
Frankenstein took home three
Oscar statuettes, while KPop Demon Hunters nabbed two, including an Oscar for
Best Original Song. Two films — Two People Exchanging Saliva and The Singers —
tied for Best Live Action Short Film.
A portion of the show was
dedicated to the many actors, writers and filmmakers who died in 2025. Billy
Crystal led a moving tribute to Rob Reiner, the longtime actor and director who
was stabbed to death with his wife, Michelle Reiner, in December.
See Yahoo’s recap of the
show, hosted by Conan O’Brien, as ATTACHMENT SIX.
Dylan Stableford Today at 2:06 PM EDT
After skipping the Oscars,
Sean Penn meets with Zelensky in Ukraine
After skipping the Oscars
ceremony in Los Angeles — where he won his third career Academy Award — Sean
Penn arrived Monday in Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky.
Zelensky posted a photo of
the pair on X, thanking Penn for his support.
Dylan Stableford
Today at 1:57 PM EDT
Diane Warren sets new record
for competitive Oscar losses
Since 1987, songwriter Diane
Warren has been nominated 17 times for best original song at the Oscars. She's
lost each time, including Sunday, when “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters took
the prize.
In doing so, Warren set a
new record for futility.
"Well at least I'm
consistent!" Warren wrote on Facebook. "But U know me, I will be back
if you'll have me!!! 💪🎶🎵🎬🏆❤️"
There's a good chance of
that. She's been nominated nine years in a row.
Warren's latest entry was
“Dear Me,” a ballad that she wrote for a documentary about her life, Diane
Warren: Relentless, which was sung by Kesha.
She did win an honorary
Oscar in 2022 for her decades of film song work. But Warren is still looking
for that competitive Academy Award.
"My honorary Oscar gets
really lonely," she recently told the New York Times. "He wants a
friend."
Taryn Ryder Today at 1:12 PM
EDT
Leo’s K-pop lightstick,
Timothée Chalamet’s classy reaction and other moments you didn’t see on TV
Timothée Chalamet, Elle
Fanning and Kylie Jenner.
Inside the Dolby Theatre on
Oscars night, the energy always hits a little differently. Like every year on
Hollywood’s biggest night, some of the best moments happen when the cameras
aren’t rolling. I was lucky enough to once again be inside the room with the
stars, and I have to admit: There’s always a little extra magic in the air when
you’re actually there.
There were joyful standing
ovations, hallway catch-ups and at least one moment involving Leonardo DiCaprio
enthusiastically waving a K-pop lightstick that would’ve been instantly
meme-worthy if it had been shown in the broadcast.
Here are some other things
that weren't shown on TV.
CHALAMET GAVE MICHAEL B.
JORDAN A STANDING OVATION
The Best Actor race was a nail-biter
between Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and Michael B. Jordan (Sinners). When
Jordan’s name was called for Best Actor, fellow nominee Leonardo DiCaprio was
one of the first to jump to his feet, sparking a standing ovation that felt
like one of the most joyful reactions of the night. Chalamet wasn’t far behind.
He and girlfriend Kylie Jenner clapped and cheered as Jordan soaked in the
moment. After the speech wrapped, Chalamet stood once more, applauding his peer
and giving him a few approving nods.
STARS HIT THE DOLBY THEATRE
BAR DURING COMMERCIAL BREAKS
No one really wants a camera
in their face for four hours straight, so during commercial breaks, celebrities
often slip out for a quick refreshment and bathroom break. And if there’s one star
you can almost always count on spotting there, it’s Emma Stone. Stone and her
husband, Dave McCary, made a couple of appearances throughout the night, at one
point holding court with Alicia Silverstone. During one break, Stone walked
into the lobby bar with Chalamet's sister. Stone also spent time chatting with
Kate Hudson, who spent the first commercial break — adorably — catching up with
her parents, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.
CONAN O'BRIEN GAVE ATTENDEES
A 'MODERATELY HAPPY MEAL"
A note Conan O'Brien left
for guests under their seats at the Oscars
Host Conan O'Brien left a
small surprise under guests’ seats before the show began. Each box came with a
note addressed to nominees, plus-ones and even the seat fillers.
“I hope you enjoy this Conan
O’Brien ‘Moderately Happy Meal,’” the note read alongside a sketch of the
comedian. “These snacks may not look like much but in any movie theater they
would run you $85. Good luck tonight, have fun, and remember that loud,
enthusiastic laughter is good for your health and my ego.”
Suzy Byrne Today at 12:42 PM EDT
We asked 22 kids to rate the
Oscars red carpet. Here's what they said.
The morning after the
Oscars, everyone has an opinion on who ruled — and who flopped — on the 2026
red carpet. Our favorite critics, however — manicured hands down — remain kids.
They've been our go-to throughout awards season, and last night 22 of them,
ranging from 22 months old to 14, extended their bedtimes to come through for
us on Hollywood’s biggest night.
Demi Moore
“Black bird." — Jack, 2
"A little spooky."
— Mara, 4
“She looks like a
scarecrow.” — Jackson, 13
“She looks a bit silly.” —
Magnolia, 2
Timothée Chalamet
“Is that Bad Bunny? I like his sunglasses.” —
Magnolia, 2
"He looks like a rock
star." — Beau, 7
"He looks like a piece
of paper." — Roxanne, 14
"He looks like a
baby." — Perry, 4
Jessie Buckley
"How does she move her
arms? I actually hate this." — Jackson, 13
"I like the bottom. I
do not like the top." — Ruby, 4
Teyana Taylor
"She looks like a bird,
but in a good way." — Jackson, 13
Dylan Stableford Today at 11:57 AM EDT
Sean Penn spotted in Ukraine
after skipping the Oscars
The actor, who was
noticeably absent from last night's Academy Awards ceremony after winning his
third Oscar, was spotted Monday in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Railways posted a
video to Instagram of Penn, cigarette in mouth, getting off a train in Kyiv.
"Sean Penn chose
Ukraine instead of Oscar," the caption read, in part.
Penn won the best supporting
actor award for One Battle After Another. After announcing the win, Kieran
Culkin said, "Sean Penn couldn't be here, or didn't want to, so I accept
the award on his behalf."
Citing two anonymous
sources, the New York Times reported that Penn had skipped the ceremony to
visit Ukraine.
"The people did not
specify what he would be doing there or where precisely within the country he
would be going," the Times reported.
Penn has spent time there
before. He directed a 2022 documentary, Superpower, about Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, and gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky one of his Oscars as a
gift.
Kerry Justich Today at 11:39 AM EDT
Vanity Fair Oscars
afterparty looks: Kim Kardashian, Cara Delevingne, Connor Storrie, Hudson
Williams and more
After the final Oscars were
handed out, the stars headed over to the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, where the
dress code loosened up, the fashion risks dialed way up, and celebrities traded
classic awards-show elegance for bolder silhouettes, sparkling sequins and
head-turning statements as they celebrated the end of awards season.
From Kim Kardashian's
glimmering gold gown to Cara Delevingne’s daring illusion design, the
afterparty red carpet proved that some of the night’s most memorable fashion
moments are worth waiting for.
Kim Kardashian
Among the first of the
Kardashian-Jenner squad to arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Kim
Kardashian paired a glittering gold Gucci gown with short tousled hair and a
smoky eye.
Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne made you
look into an optical illusion gown by Thom Browne. Though she was fully
covered, the sheer bedazzled bodice made it look like the model was rocking a
painted bare chest.
Connor Storrie and Hudson
Williams
These men certainly turned
up the heat as they arrived side by side in sheer tops. Connor Storrie paired
his sheer turtleneck from Saint Laurent with a fur stole. Hudson Williams's
high-neck Balenciaga blouse featured a bit of a train.
Dylan Stableford Today at 11:15 AM EDT
Michael B. Jordan shared a sweet
moment with Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro after the show
Welcome to the club!
After winning his first
career Academy Award for Best Actor, Sinners star Michael B. Jordan shared a moment
with past Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro — who were
nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, for their
roles in One Battle After Another — inside the Dolby Theatre.
Jordan and DiCaprio hugged
each other in an extended embrace, then Del Toro came by and kissed Jordan on
the hand, before Jordan went in for one more hug.
Dylan Stableford Today at 11:02 AM EDT
The Oscars featured the 7th
tie in its history
One of the biggest surprises
of the night came in the Best Live Action Short Film category, when The Singers
and Two People Exchanging Saliva were named dual winners. It was only the
seventh tie in Oscars history.
Here (via Buzzfeed) are the
other six:
1932
Best Actor: Fredric March
(Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and Wallace Beery (The Champ)
1950
Best Documentary Short: So
Much for So Little and A Chance to Live
1969
Best Actress: Katharine
Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) and Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl)
1987
Best Documentary Feature:
Artie Shaw: Time Is All You've Got and Down and Out in America
1995
Best Live-Action Short Film:
Trevor and Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life
2013
Sound Editing: Zero Dark
Thirty and Skyfall
Dylan Stableford Today at 10:40 AM EDT
Michael B. Jordan celebrated
his Oscar win at In-N-Out
After winning his first
Academy Award, the Sinners star stopped at an In-N-Out near the Dolby Theatre
in Hollywood, signed autographs and posed for pictures with his Oscar trophy —
as well as his burger order.
Dylan Stableford Today at 10:17 AM EDT
Oscar winners brought their
trophies to the Vanity Fair afterparty
Jessie Buckley, Michael B.
Jordan, Amy Madigan, Ejae and more first-time Oscar winners showed up to the
Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Sunday
night showing off their statuettes.
Dylan Stableford Today at 10:10 AM EDT
Here's the moment Paul
Thomas Anderson became an Oscar winner
PTA, as he’s also known, had
never won an Academy Award until Sunday, when the One Battle After Another
director took the prize for best adapted screenplay. He also won best director,
and the film itself won Best Picture and six Oscars overall.
Neia Balao Sun, March 15, 2026 at 11:55 PM EDT
Michael B. Jordan received a
loud ovation walking into the press room
Sinners star Michael B.
Jordan took home one of the night’s biggest prizes, Best Actor, for his dual
portrayal of Smoke and Stack in the Ryan Coogler horror drama. Walking into the
press room, Jordan received a loud ovation.
The first-time Oscar winner
spoke candidly about recognizing the “selfishness” of his craft as an actor.
“There is a selfishness in
understanding that in your craft and in your industry, this is a pinnacle,”
Jordan said. “That competitiveness — you do want that. But at the same time,
what’s for you is for you, so you can’t take anybody’s blessings away from
anyone else.”
He also had some words of
encouragement for aspiring actors and writers.
“Be honest and truthful, and
dream big, man,” Jordan said. "I’m really big into pouring into the
universe, and the universe will pour it back into you. That’s how I’m trying to
live.”
Neia Balao Sun, March 15, 2026 at 10:57 PM EDT
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ singer
Ejae on performing at the Oscars: ‘This was not on my bucket list’
Korean American singer Ejae,
who cowrote “Golden” for KPop Demon Hunters, never dreamt she’d perform at
Hollywood’s biggest night (or win the Oscar for Best Original Song for the
international hit).
“I was very nervous, but it
is such an honor to be performing on such an incredible stage like the Oscars,”
Ejae said in the press room. “This was not on my bucket list because I didn’t
think it was possible. I’m so grateful, especially for us as Korean American
women onstage; it was such an incredible experience.”
—Neia Balao, reporting live
from the Dolby Theatre
Kaitlin Reilly Sun, March
15, 2026 at 10:48 PM EDT
Conan O'Brien sends a
message to Martin Short
In his final send-off of the
night, host O'Brien declared, "We love you, Marty Short," a reference
to actor Martin Short. The Only Murders in the Building star's daughter,
Katherine Short, died at age 42 in February.
Dylan Stableford Sun, March
15, 2026 at 10:48 PM EDT
Jessie Buckley dedicates her
Oscar 'to the beautiful chaos of a mother's heart'
Jessie Buckley, who became
the first Irish woman to win a Best Actress Oscar, celebrated her win alongside
her entire family, explaining that Ireland bought them all flights to be in
attendance.
She thanked her husband, Fred
Sorensen, who she said she wanted to have "20,000 more babies with."
Buckley then mentioned her
8-month-old daughter. "I can't wait to discover life beside you," she
said.
She also noted that Sunday
is Mother's Day in the U.K.
"So I would like to
dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother's heart," she said.
Taryn Ryder Sun, March 15, 2026 at 10:37 PM EDT
Timothée Chalamet cheers on
Michael B. Jordan
Timothée Chalamet may have
been an Oscar frontrunner, but he was a good sport when Michael B. Jordan beat
him to the Best Actor win. As the Sinners star took the stage, Chalamet was
among those jumping to their feet to cheer him on. The Marty Supreme actor was
also one of the first to get up again after Jordan finished his rousing speech.
He then turned to say something to girlfriend Kylie Jenner before former costar
Elle Fanning tapped Jenner on the shoulder for a chat. The group then moved on
to take a selfie with another audience member.
—Taryn Ryder, reporting live
from the Dolby Theatre
Mike Bebernes
Sun, March 15, 2026 at 10:36
PM EDT
‘One Battle After Another’ wins Best Picture
Nominees:
• Bugonia
• F1
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another —
winner
• The Secret Agent
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners
• Train Dreams
Dylan Stableford Sun, March 15, 2026 at 10:33 PM EDT
Michael B. Jordan shouts out
parents, including his father who flew in from Ghana
Michael B. Jordan, who won
his first-ever Academy Award for his leading performance as two characters in
Sinners, first gave shout-outs to his parents, who were both in the room.
"You all know how I
feel about my mama," Jordan said at the beginning of his acceptance speech
before asking, "Pops, where you at?"
Jordan explained that his
father flew in from Ghana to attend the ceremony.
He then shouted out many of
the Black actors who came before him, including several by name.
"I stand here because
of the people who came before me," Jordan said. "Sidney Poitier,
Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, Will Smith,
amongst the greats."
Mike Bebernes Sun, March 15,
2026 at 10:29 PM EDT
Jessie Buckley wins Best
Actress
• Jessie Buckley, Hamnet —
winner
NOMINEES:
• Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs
I'd Kick You
• Kate Hudson, Song Sung
Blue
• Renate Reinsve, Sentimental
Value
• Emma Stone, Bugonia
2026 Oscar winners in full
and in order: One Battle After Another sweeps the Academy Awards with 6 wins,
including Best Picture
Emily Garbutt Sun, March 15, 2026 at 10:58 PM EDT
What a night. The curtain
has fallen on the Oscars 2026 and, with it, has crowned a new Best Picture:
Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another. Although Sinners broke records
with the most nominations in Academy Award history, it was One Battle that took
home the most awards on the night – six, in total. Along with Best Picture, the
action-comedy also won Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting,
Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor for an absent Sean Penn.
Sinners still received an
impressive four gongs, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor for
Michael B. Jordan. The horror movie also made history when Autumn Durald
Arkapaw became the first woman to win Best Cinematography.
The ceremony was kind of a
two-horse race, but there were still a few surprises, including Amy Madigan's
win for Best Supporting Actress. To get the full picture, check out the list of
Oscars 2026 winners below. And, for more on the action at the Dolby Theater,
check out our Oscars 2026 live blog.
All the Oscars 2026 winners,
listed
Best Supporting Actress: Amy
Madigan (Weapons)
Best Animated Feature: Kpop
Demon Hunter
Best Animated Short: The
Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Costume Design:
Frankenstein
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Frankenstein
Best Casting: One Battle
After Another
Best Live-Action Short: The
Singers, Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Supporting Actor: Sean
Penn (One Battle After Another)
Best Adapted Screenplay: One
Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay:
Sinners
Best Production Design:
Frankenstein
Best Visual Effects: Avatar:
Fire and Ash
Best Documentary Short: All
the Empty Rooms
Best Documentary Feature:
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Original Score: Sinners
Best Sound: F1
Best Film Editing: One
Battle After Another
Best Cinematography: Sinners
Best International Feature:
Sentimental Value
Best Original Song: Golden
(KPop Demon Hunters)
Best Director: Paul Thomas
Anderson (One Battle After Another)
Best Actor: Michael B.
Jordan (Sinners)
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley
(Hamnet)
Best Picture: One Battle
After Another
Now that the 2026 awards
season is over, look ahead to the most exciting upcoming movies on the way this
year.
Who triumphed at the 98th
Academy Awards? The full list of winners
Lauren Del Fabbro, Press
Association Entertainment Reporter Mon,
March 16, 2026 at 2:34 AM EDT
One Battle After Another has
won six Oscars with Jessie Buckley and Michael B Jordan taking home the best
actress and best actor award in their respective category.
One Battle After Another sweeps
Oscars as Jessie Buckley triumphs
Laura Harding, Deputy
Entertainment Editor Mon, March 16, 2026
at 10:05 AM EDT
One Battle After Another
sweeps Oscars as Jessie Buckley triumphs
One Battle After Another was
crowned best picture at the Oscars, where Jessie Buckley completed her clean
sweep as best actress.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s saga
about political revolutionaries won six gongs at the ceremony, including best
director, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor for Sean Penn.
Michael B Jordan was named
best actor for his dual role as twins in Sinners and paid tribute to past black
Oscar winners as he collected his trophy.
Irish star Buckley, who won
the best actress prize for her performance as William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes
Hathaway – historically known as Anne – in Hamnet, dedicated her prize to “the
beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart” in an emotional speech.
She also revealed the name
of her eight-month-old daughter for the first time, saying her little girl Isla
was probably asleep and unaware and “dreaming of milk”.
She told her husband Freddie
Sorensen: “I want to have 20,000 more babies with you” and thanked director
Chloe Zhao and writer Maggie O’Farrell for “letting me know this incandescent
woman and journey to understand the capacity of a mother’s love”.
She added: “It’s Mother’s
Day in the UK today, so I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of
a mother’s heart.”
“We all come from a lineage
of women who continue to create against all odds – thank you for recognising me
in this role,” she added.
Jordan won the best actor
prize for his performance in Ryan Coogler’s vampire film Sinners, which won
four Oscars including best original screenplay and best score.
He said: “I stand here
because of the people that came before me,” and named the previous black best
actor and actress winners: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry,
Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith.
Earlier in the ceremony Penn
won a third Oscar, but was not present at the ceremony to collect his prize.
He won the best supporting
actor gong for his turn as racist military man Colonel Lockjaw in One Battle
After Another.
He defeated his co-star
Benicio del Toro, Sinners star Delroy Lindo, Sentimental Value’s Stellan
Skarsgard and Frankenstein’s Jacob Elordi.
Penn has previous Oscar wins
for his performances in Mystic River and Milk.
Kieran Culkin, who won the
category last year for A Real Pain, announced Penn’s victory and said: “Sean
Penn couldn’t be here tonight, or didn’t want to, so I will take this for him.”
Penn was also absent from
the Baftas and the Actor Awards, where he also won, but did attend the Golden
Globes, where he was defeated by Skarsgard in the category.
Amy Madigan won the first
Oscar of the 2026 ceremony and paid tribute to her husband Ed Harris as she
collected her gong.
The Field Of Dreams star
collected the best supporting actress prize for her terrifying turn as Aunt
Gladys in the horror film Weapons.
Referring to her husband of
more than 40 years, she said: “The most important is my beloved Ed who’s been
with me forever, and that’s a long-ass time, and none of this would mean
anything if he wasn’t by my side.
She added: “Thank you, I’m
very overwhelmed.”
There was a dramatic moment when
there was a tie in the live action short category, which was won by both Two
People Exchanging Saliva and The Singers.
After the winners left the
stage, host Conan O’Brien congratulated them and said: “You just ruined 22
million Oscar pools.”
It is the first time since
2013 there have been tied winners, when Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty shared the
sound editing award.
The ceremony was hosted for
the second year in a row by comedian O’Brien, who opened the ceremony with an
extended sketch dressed as Aunt Gladys, getting chased by children through
scenes from the films nominated for best picture.
Dressed in a red wig with
heavy white make up, like the antagonist from the film, he could be seen
playing table tennis with Timothee Chalamet in Marty Supreme, running across
the stage of the Globe in Hamnet, in the car with del Toro in One Battle After
Another and trying to get into the juke joint in Sinners.
O’Brien also acknowledged
that these are “chaotic, frightening times”, adding: “It’s at moments like
these that I believe the Oscars are particularly resonant.”
Referring to the number of
countries and continents represented, he said the nominated films are “the
product of thousands of people speaking different languages working hard to
produce something of beauty”.
He added they show “global
artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities,
optimism.”
Box office hit KPop Demon
Hunters won the best animated film prize and best original song for Golden,
while Frankenstein won the Oscars for best costume design, production design
and make up and hair styling.
Oscars 2026: Full list of
winners as One Battle After Another scoops six awards
Michael Howie Mon, March 16, 2026 at 2:31 AM EDT
One Battle After Another was
crowned best picture at the Oscars, where Jessie Buckley completed her clean
sweep as best actress.
Paul Thomas Anderson's saga
about political revolutionaries won six gongs at the ceremony, including best
director, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor for Sean Penn.
Michael B Jordan was named
best actor for his dual role as twins in Sinners and paid tribute to past black
Oscar winners as he collected his trophy.
Irish star Buckley, who won
the best actress prize for her performance as William Shakespeare's wife Agnes
Hathaway - historically known as Anne - in Hamnet, dedicated her prize to
"the beautiful chaos of a mother's heart" in an emotional speech.
Oscars 2026 highlights:
Conan O'Brien wastes no time taking a jab at Timothée Chalamet, Canadians dominate
wins
"One Battle After
Another" won Best Picture, while Michael B. Jordan took home his first
Oscar; and the In Memoriam tributes had us in tears
Elisabetta Bianchini Updated Sun, March 15, 2026 at 10:55 PM EDT
The 2026 Oscars ceremony was
full of unexpected moments, history-making wins, and undeniably moving
speeches. Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another won the biggest award
of the night, Best Picture, with Anderson also winning the Best Director award,
Sean Penn won for Best Supporting Actor, and the script was awarded Best
Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
"I wrote this movie for
my kids, to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world,
that we're handing off to them," Anderson said when he accepted the
screenplay award. "But also the encouragement that they will be the
generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency."
'Sinners' makes history
Sinners went into the
ceremony as a favourite, after setting a new record for the most nominated
film, with 16 nods.
The film's star, Michael B.
Jordan, won the Best Actor Oscar, his first.
“I stand here because of the
people who came before me, Sydney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry,
Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, Will Smith, and to be amongst those giants,
amongst those greats. amongst my ancestors, ... thank you to everybody in this
room and everybody at home," Jordan said. "I know you guys want me to
do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me, so thank you, ...
and I’m going to keep stepping up."
Jordan also thanked everyone
who saw Sinners and "made this movie what it is."
Autumn Durald Arkapaw,
winner of the award for cinematography for "Sinners," poses in the
press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los
Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Additionally, Autumn Durald
Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography, for
her work on Sinners, and got a standing ovation as she walked up to the stage.
And the film's director, Ryan Coogler, carried her son, Aidan, down so he could
be closer to the stage to see his mom accept the award.
During her speech, Arkapaw
asked all the women in the room to stand up.
"I don't get here
without you guys," she said. "I have felt so much love from all the
women on this whole campaign and gotten to meet so many people, and I just feel
like moments like this happen because of you guys."
Conan O'Brien on Timothée
Chalamet backlash
O'Brien kicked off the event
with a skit, dressing as Amy Madigan's Weapons character, Aunt Gladys, running
through all the Oscar-nominated films.
To start the opening
monologue, he said he's happy to be "the last human host of the Academy
Awards."
"Next year, it's going
to be a Waymo in a tux," the comedian said.
It also didn't take long for
O'Brien to reference the ongoing backlash to Timothée Chalamet, who's nominated
for Best Actor for his role in Marty Supreme, saying that "no one"
cares about ballet and opera.
"Security is extremely
tight tonight. ... We're told there are concerns about attacks from both the
opera and ballet communities," O'Brien said, as the camera shows Chalamet
and his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, laughing in the crowd.
Making fun of the
"All-American Halftime Show" for Super Bowl LX, O'Brien said that the
night will get political, and if anyone doesn't want to see that, there's an
alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock at Dave & Buster's.
As O'Brien started
mentioning the nominated movies, he said in Hamnet, Jessie Buckley's character
Agnes gives birth by herself in the woods, with the comedian saying that in the
U.S., that's called "affordable healthcare."
CANADIANS WIN BIG
Canadians won big at the
beginning of the awards ceremony, starting with KPop Demon Hunters winning Best
Animated Feature, created, co-written and co-directed by Canadian Maggie Kang,
with co-writer and co-director Chris Appelhans.
"For those of you who
look like me, I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like
this," Kang said. "But it is here, and that means that the next
generation don't have to go longing. This is for Korea and for Koreans
everywhere."
Appelhans added that music
and stories have the power to connect humans "across culture and
borders," and urged artists to "tell your stories, sing in your
voice, I promise the world is waiting."
Following that win, the
National Film Board of Canada (NFB) movie, the Montreal-set film The Girl Who
Cried Pearls, won Best Animated Short Film, with director Maciek Szczerbowski
and Chris Lavis thanking Canada, specifically Montreal.
"This award is a
tribute to all the artists who shared this labour with us. They are not just
names in the credits, they are our community, and their extraordinary talent
and hard work made this possible," a statement from Lavis and
Szczerbowski, provided by the NFB, reads.
"We’d especially like
to thank the National Film Board of Canada for their enduring support, and the
Academy for continuing to champion short animated film ... The support we’ve
gotten from friends and family these past weeks has been overwhelming. We can’t
express how meaningful it’s been. Now we may finally get a free beer from our
local pub."
Hair and make-up artists
(L/R) Jordan Samuel, Mike Hill and Cliona Furey speak onstage after winning the
And that's not all.
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein won the Oscar for Best Makeup and
Hairstyling, with the team including two Canadian talents, Toronto-based Cliona
Furey and Jordan Samuel, who accepted their awards on-stage at the ceremony.
REMEMBERING ROB REINER,
ROBERT REDFORD, CATHERINE O'HARA AND DIANE KEATON
The In Memoriam segment of
the Oscars was particularly emotional this year, including a tribute to Rob
Reiner from Billy Crystal.
"My friend Rob's movies
will last for lifetimes because they were about what makes us laugh, and cry,
and what we aspire to be. Far better in his eyes, far kinder, far funnier and
far more human," Crystal said. "And when Michele Singer entered his
life, they were unstoppable. ... It was her energy that had them work
tirelessly to fight social injustice in the country that they both loved. ...
Rob and Michele Reiner became the driving force in the landmark decision for
marriage equality across the United States, and their loss is
immeasurable."
"To the millions who
have enjoyed his films all these years, I want you to know, here and around the
world, ... Rob told me that it meant everything to him that this work meant
something to you. And for us, who had the privilege of working with and knowing
him and loving him, all we can say is, buddy, what fun we had storming the
castle."
Then, Barbra Streisand took
the stage to talk about Robert Redford, who was he costar in The Way We Were.
"After I read the first
script of The Way We Were, I could only imagine one man in the role of Hubbell,
and that was Robert Redford. But he turned it down because he said the
character has no backbone, ... and he was right," Streisand said, adding
that he finally agreed after several rewrites.
"Bob had real backbone
on and off the screen. He spoke up to defend freedom of the press, protect the
environment, and encourage new voices at his Sundance Institute. ... He was
thoughtful and bold, I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own
trail. ... I miss him now more than ever, even though he loved teasing me. He'd
call me 'Babs' and I'd say, 'Bob, do I look like a Babs?' ... The way he said
it made me laugh, and many years later we were chatting on the phone about the
usual, politics, art, ... and as we were hanging up, he said, 'Babs, I love you
dearly and I always will.' And in the last note I ever wrote to Bob I ended it
with, 'I love you too,' and I signed it Babs."
Streisand ended her tribute
by singing her song, "The Way We Were."
Rachel McAdams also spoke
about the women in film we lost over the past year, particularly fellow
Canadian Catherine O'Hara, whom she called "a comedic genius," and
her former costar, Diane Keaton, who she said is "a legend with no end.
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT TIE
In a rare tie at the Oscars,
the Best Live Action Short went to The Singers and Two People Exchanging
Saliva, with the teams behind each film having their own moment on stage to
accept their awards. But in another odd situation, when filmmaker Alexandre
Singh from Two People Exchanging Saliva began speaking, the microphone started
retracting, prompting host O'Brien to laugh on the side of the stage.
This is the seventh tie in
Oscars history, the first in 1932 for Best Actor, when both Wallace Beery (The
Champ) and Fredric March (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) won. The last time it
happened was in 2012, when Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty both won for sound
editing.
AWARD WINNERS AND PRESENTERS
HAVE MESSAGES FOR WORLD LEADERS
Throughout the night, a
number of celebrities who took the stage had strong statements and jabs for
world leaders, with some references to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Jimmy Kimmel was a presenter
at the Oscars, and before presenting the award for Best Documentary Short Film,
he spoke about courage, saying, "Telling a story that could get you killed
for telling it is real courage."
"As you know, there are
some countries whose leaders don't support free speech. I'm not at liberty to
say which," Kimmel said. "Let's just leave it at North Korea and
CBS."
The award went to the film
All The Empty Rooms, a film about school shootings, with the mother of a
nine-year-old girl, Jacklyn "Jackie" Cazares, who was killed in 2022
shooting in Uvalde on the stage.
"Since that day, her
bedroom has been frozen in time," she said, adding that gun violence is
now the number one cause of death in kids and teens.
"We believe that if the
world could see their empty bedrooms, we'd be a different America."
Kimmel also presented the
award for Best Documentary Feature Film. The late-night host, whose public feud
with Trump got his show suspended for part of last year, mocked Trump
suggesting he would be livid that his wife's documentary, Melania, was not
nominated for an Oscar.
The award ultimately went to
Mr Nobody Against Putin, with director, David Borenstein, saying that the film
is about "how you lose your country."
"You lose it through
countless small little acts of complicity. When we act complicit when a
government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don't say
anything when oligarchs take over the media and control how we can produce it
and consume it," Borenstein said. "Even a nobody is more important
than you think."
When Joachim Trier won the
Oscar for Best International Feature Film for Sentimental Value, he paraphrased
the words of James Baldwin and said, "All adults are responsible for all
children, and let’s not vote for politicians who don’t take this seriously into
account."
And before Javier Bardem
presented the award for Best International Feature Film, with Priyanka Chopra
Jonas, he said, "No to war, and Free Palestine."
'BRIDESMAIDS' 15TH
ANNIVERSARY REUNION
The Bridesmaids cast,
Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne and Ellie Kemper, presented
the award for Best Original Score, but first had a fun moment where they read
fake messages they received from stars in the audience.
"First of all, you
ladies look extremely beautiful tonight," Rudolph read. "You’re all
aging well. Signed Stellan Skarsgård."
"Rose, can you please
stop looking at me. The eye contact is too much," Byrne read, coming from
Leonardo DiCaprio.
“Hi, I’m with Stellan
Skarsgård. ... The things you’ve done to your faces are very tasteful. Yours
truly, Elle Fanning. … Just kidding, it's me again Stellan Skarsgård,"
McCarthy said.
"You guys have been
talking for a long time. This bit could have been a lot shorter," Wig read
from Benicio del Toro.
And finally, Kemper had a
message from the young Hamnet star Jacobi Jupe, "I'm tired, and I want to
go home," and also mentioned that there's no pizza at the event.
Jimmy Kimmel Roasts
President Donald Trump at the Oscars: “Oh Man Is He Going to Be Mad His Wife
Wasn’t Nominated”
Jimmy Kimmel took the
opportunity to make a joke about First Lady Melania Trump and her recent
documentary, saying, “there are also documentaries where you walk around the
White House… The post Jimmy Kimmel Roasts President Donald Trump at the Oscars:
“Oh Man Is He Going to Be Mad His Wife Wasn’t Nominated” appeared first on
Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews &
More.
DWAYNE JOHNSON & JASON
MOMOA’S $714 MILLION ACTION MOVIE STREAMS TODAY ON PEACOCK
One of Universal Pictures‘
popular globe-trotting action movies starring DCEU alums Dwayne Johnson and
Jason Momoa has finally found a new streaming home. As of today, 2023’s hit
action sequel Fast X is now officially available to stream on Peacock.
A7 X51
FROM the NEW YORK TIMES (See charts,
graphs, photographs and miscellania here)
Highlights From the
2026 Oscars: ‘One Battle After Another’ Wins Six Awards, Including Best Picture
Paul
Thomas Anderson’s film also took best director and best supporting actor for
Sean Penn. Michael B. Jordan won best actor for “Sinners,” and Jessie Buckley
was named best actress for “Hamnet.”
Published March
15, 2026 Updated March 16, 2026, 3:30 p.m. ET
By
Brooks Barnes
“One Battle After Another” won six
Oscars at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, including those for best picture
and best director, at long last cementing Paul Thomas Anderson’s status as one of
the foremost filmmakers of his generation.
A primal scream about authoritarianism
and citizen resistance, “One Battle After Another” was also honored for
Anderson’s adapted screenplay, giving the 55-year-old auteur three statuettes
to take home after 28 years of nominations but no wins. (His first career nod was for “Boogie Nights”
in 1998.) “One Battle After Another” added statuettes for best supporting actor
(a no-show Sean Penn), casting and editing.
“What a night!” Anderson said from the
stage. “Let’s have a martini.”
The camera cut to the audience, where a hooting Steven Spielberg was using his
hands like a megaphone.
But
the evening was not a sweep. “Sinners,”
a period horror fantasia about African American identity and trauma, received
four Oscars, including one for Ryan Coogler’s original screenplay. The film
added trophies for its score, lead actor (Michael B. Jordan, another first-time
winner) and cinematography.
Jordan played the diabolical twins
Smoke and Stack. He thanked Warner Bros. and Coogler for “betting on original
ideas and original artistry.”
With
her victory in the cinematography
category for “Sinners,” Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to receive
the honor in academy history. During her acceptance speech, she asked
the women in the room to stand. “I feel like I don’t get here without you,” she
said.
Here
are other takeaways from the show:
·
Big night for Warner Bros.: “One
Battle After Another,” which collected $210 million worldwide, and “Sinners,”
which sold $369 million, both came from the same studio: Warner Bros. Most of Hollywood’s old-line movie companies
have become fixated on sequels and remakes, but Warner has also gambled on
highly original, big-budget movies, with “One Battle” and “Sinners” as prime
examples. Netflix and Paramount
Skydance spent recent months trying to acquire Warner and related corporate
assets. Paramount Skydance, which notably had no Oscar nominations on Sunday
night, emerged as the winner. If the acquisition clears a regulatory review
later this year, the Oscars will be the end of an era for Warner — its end as a
stand-alone movie company. Plus Hollywood dis
for Ellison/Trump
·
Tough night for indies: Netflix left the ceremony with seven Oscars,
the most in its history, according to Ted Sarandos, the streaming services’s
co-chief executive. Those wins — along with the love showered on Warner’s
auteur blockbusters — came at the expense of indie darlings like A24’s “Marty Supreme,” which starred
Timothée Chalamet and left empty-handed despite having nine nominations. (The
voter backlash to Chalamet’s swaggering antics on the Oscar campaign trail has
been real.) Also blanked were “The Secret Agent,” a Brazilian film, and
the absurdist “Bugonia,” each of which had four nominations.
·
Best
actress: The Irish
actress Jessie Buckley completed an awards season sweep (the Golden Globes, the
BAFTAs, various guild ceremonies) by winning the best actress Oscar. She was
honored for her performance of a mother shattered by grief in “Hamnet.”
It was the specialty film’s only victory out of eight nominations.
·
Three
wins for ‘Frankenstein’: “Frankenstein,” a lavish period drama on Netflix, won the best costume
category. It also won the Oscar for makeup and hairstyling. Anne
Hathaway and a surprisingly funny Anna Wintour, the Condé Nast czarina,
appeared as the presenters in a scripted marketing moment for the coming 20th
Century Studios movie “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” (ABC, which broadcasts the
Oscars, is owned by Disney, which also owns 20th Century. Welcome to today’s
corporately consolidated Hollywood.) The film also won for production design.
·
Casting
gets a statue: For the
first time, the Academy Awards gave a casting director a little gold man,
honoring Cassandra Kulukundis for helping to put together the sprawling
ensemble of “One Battle After Another.” It was an upset: Going into the
ceremony, Francine Maisler had been a favorite for her work on “Sinners.”
·
Supporting
actress: Amy Madigan received the supporting actress Oscar for her
unhinged Aunt Gladys in “Weapons.” It was a late-career triumph for Madigan,
75, who has been a character actress since 1982. “He just wrote a dream part
and let me just grab it by the throat,” Madigan said from the stage, thanking
Zach Cregger, who wrote and directed the film.
·
‘KPop Demon Hunters’: The film was named best animated movie, and
it also won for best song. Maggie Kang, one of the film’s directors,
used her acceptance speech to encourage diversity in filmmaking. “This is for
Korea, and for Koreans everywhere,” she said.
·
And
the award goes to … two!: In a rarity at the Oscars, one category — live-action short — resulted
in a tie between “Two People Exchanging Saliva” and “The Singers.” The outcome
resulted in an awkward moment, when producers for the show tried to move things
along by turning off stage lights during an acceptance speech; the microphone
also began to retract into the stage.
·
In memoriam: Billy Crystal opened the in memoriam segment by
honoring the director Rob
Reiner. Barbra Streisand later briefly sang in tribute to Robert Redford, with
words projected on the wall above the orchestra: “The glory of art is that it
cannot only survive change, it can lead it.”
·
Documentary
winners: Jimmy Kimmel — taking a comedic swipe at Melania Trump’s recent
vanity documentary — presented the Oscars for nonfiction filmmaking. “All the Empty Rooms,”
about the bedrooms left behind by children killed in school shootings, won for
short documentary, while the feature prize went to “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” about Russia’s
efforts to control public perception during its war with Ukraine.
·
The host: Conan
O’Brien, hosting for the second consecutive year, opened the show with a parody of
“Weapons,” appearing in drag as that film’s terrifying Aunt Gladys in a pre-taped
segment. The stars ate it up, giving him a standing ovation. As the telecast
went on — for more than three and a half hours — a relaxed O’Brien mixed barbed Hollywood
jokes with goofy sight gags, keeping the ceremony loose and occasionally ridiculous.
References to politics were relatively few.
March 15, 2026, 4:30 p.m.
Sarah Bahr
MEET OUR TEAM COVERING THE
OSCARS.
At about 6:30 tonight,
sandwiches will arrive at The New York Times’s newsroom in Manhattan. It’s a
recent Oscars night tradition, fuel to feed the dozen or so reporters and
editors covering the event for the live blog.
“As the biggest night in
Hollywood, the Oscars are essentially our Super Bowl,” said Stephanie Goodman,
the film editor for The Times’s Culture desk, who has overseen coverage of the
ceremony since 2012. “The night gives a lot of opportunity to better understand
Hollywood — who and what are important to the industry tastemakers, for
instance.”
Roughly 60 journalists from
the Culture, Styles, National and Business desks will contribute to our live
coverage. Here’s a guide to some of the names you’ll see tonight.
Our Reporting Team
These reporters,
photographers and videographers will be covering the Oscars:
• Kyle Buchanan, our Los Angeles-based awards season columnist
(and unofficial awards show food documenter). He’ll be reporting on the red
carpet and watching the ceremony from the second balcony in the auditorium.
• Nicole Sperling, a Business reporter based in Los Angeles.
She’ll be seated next to Buchanan and popping into the lobby bar, where many
attendees hang out.
• Livia Albeck-Ripka, who is based in Los Angeles and covers
California news. She’ll be stationed in the interview room, talking to winners
after they deliver their speeches.
• Emmanuel Morgan, who writes about pop culture from Los
Angeles. He’ll also be in the interview room.
• Callie Holtermann, a New York-based Styles reporter who
writes about pop culture and nightlife. She’ll take readers inside the parties.
• Philip Cheung, a Los Angeles-based photojournalist. He’ll be
inside the theater, capturing both the ceremony itself and candid celebrity
moments.
• Nina Westervelt, a New York-based photojournalist. She’ll be
on the red carpet, then move to the interview room.
• Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet, a New York-based photojournalist.
She’ll be on the other end of the red carpet.
• Sinna Nasseri, a Los Angeles-based photojournalist. He’ll be
roaming the red carpet, then shooting the Governors’ Ball, the academy’s
official after-party.
• Amanda Webster, The Times’s photo editor for film. She’ll be
managing the photographers and editing photos on the red carpet.
• Edward Vega, who works with reporters to create videos for
The Times.
You’ll see their dispatches
mixed with some names watching from New York:
• Vanessa Friedman, our chief fashion critic.
• Jacob Gallagher, a reporter covering fashion and style.
• Alissa Wilkinson, a movie critic.
• Melena Ryzik, a Culture reporter and profile writer.
• Wesley Morris, a critic at large and host of the “Cannonball”
podcast.
• Reggie Ugwu, a Culture reporter and feature writer.
March 15, 2026, 4:05 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
What to expect on Sunday.
After a well-received debut
last year, Conan O’Brien, center, is back as the Oscars host.Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
Some Oscar seasons end with
little suspense, with the major races all but decided before the ceremony even
begins.
Not this year.
This has been an unusually
fluid season in which several categories still feel wide open as we head into
tonight’s show. Though I’m about to tell you what to expect from the broadcast,
you can count on a few upsets and surprises, too.
A ‘Battle’ royale with
‘Sinners’
“One Battle After Another”
has dominated the season, winning top prizes from the Golden Globes and key
Hollywood guilds, and a best-picture path for that film could also see Oscar
wins for the actors Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor as well as the writer-director
Paul Thomas Anderson. But you can’t count out Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” which
broke the record for the most Oscar nominations and gained momentum at the
Screen Actors Guild’s Actor Awards, where its lead, Michael B. Jordan,
prevailed. This one could be close.
The best actor bloodbath
Speaking of Jordan, he’s
considered the very tenuous front-runner in a best-actor race in which any
nominee has a shot at winning. The “Marty Supreme” star Timothée Chalamet
notched some early wins at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards but has
faded since. Leonardo DiCaprio could benefit if “One Battle After Another”
sweeps the whole ticket. And with the race so tight, a dark-horse winner could
emerge from either Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) or Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”).
Conan’s return
After a well-received
hosting stint last year, Conan O’Brien will resume his Oscar duties for a
second time on Sunday. I’d expect that this gig is O’Brien’s for the
foreseeable future, given how long ABC and the academy stuck with the four-time
host Jimmy Kimmel.
A massive In Memoriam
The annual In Memoriam
segment, honoring people from the movie industry who died in the past year,
looks to be particularly supersized on Sunday, with the montage expected to
include stars like Diane Keaton, Val Kilmer, Robert Duvall and Catherine
O’Hara. It’s rumored the segment will also feature Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal
honoring their “When Harry Met Sally” director Rob Reiner, as well as Barbra
Streisand performing a tribute to her former co-star Robert Redford.
March 15, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
Sarah Bahr
How to watch the ceremony
tonight.
Oscar gets shined up before
the ceremony.Credit...Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
If you somehow missed the
memo about last year’s early start, don’t make that mistake again. This year’s
ceremony is another one for the early birds: It’s scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Eastern, 4 p.m. Pacific, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
On TV, ABC is the official
broadcaster. Online, you can watch the show live on the ABC app, which is free
to download, or at abc.com, though you’ll need to sign in using the credentials
from your cable provider. A number of live TV streaming services also offer
access to ABC, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV and FuboTV, which
all require subscriptions.
March
15, 2026, 10:44 p.m.
Wesley
Morris
Thanks,
everybody. Talk to you next year. (Meanwhile, I think they just Lockjawed Conan
O’Brien. So hopefully he’s doing OK.)
March
15, 2026, 10:42 p.m.
Alissa
Wilkinson
Happy
to announce that my best picture of the year was the best
picture of the year, according to the academy, which rarely happens. Thanks for
hanging out with us. Sure hope that historic and vaunted studio that made “One Battle
After Another” and “Sinners,” Warner Bros., can pull it off again next year!
OSCAR WINS
7 One Battle After
Another 6 Sinners 4 Frankenstein 3 KPop Demon Hunters 2
March 15, 2026, 10:41 p.m.
Matt Stevens
Free speech and wars are
noted from the Oscars stage.
Jimmy Kimmel delivered one
of the sharpest political jokes of Oscars night while introducing the
documentary awards.
One of the most pointed
jokes of the Oscars came from Jimmy Kimmel. And he was not even hosting.
While introducing the films
nominated in the documentary categories, Kimmel remarked: “We hear a lot about
courage at shows like this, but telling a story that could get you killed for
telling it is real courage.”
“As you know," added
Kimmel, who was abruptly pulled off the air last fall after he made a comment
about the assassination of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, “there are
some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to
say which.”
“Let’s just leave it at
North Korea and CBS,” he said.
(CBS, whose owner is
Paramount, is part of a groundshaking merger with Warner Bros., at a time when
its late-night host, Stephen Colbert, and a veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent
have complained about political meddling. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs on ABC.)
Kimmel’s joke was in line
with the approach for the evening from the professional comedian class. Conan
O’Brien — who was, in fact, the ceremony’s host — also took some thinly veiled
shots at President Trump without mentioning him by name.
But in his opening monologue,
O’Brien also offered a solemn note about how everyone watching was “all too
aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times.”
A few of the winners who
followed spoke about those events.
“‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’
is about how you lose your country,” one of the documentary’s directors, David
Borenstein, said while accepting an Oscar. “And what we saw when working with
this footage — it’s that you lose it through countless small little acts of
complicity.”
“When we act complicit,”
Borenstein continued, “when a government murders people on the streets of our
major cities, when we don’t say anything, when oligarchs take over the media
and control how we could produce it and consume it, we all face a moral
choice.”
Pavel Talankin, the primary
schoolteacher featured in the documentary and its co-director, put it even more
bluntly: “In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop
all of these wars now,” he said through an interpreter.
Later in the evening, Javier
Bardem, who was onstage to present the award for best international film, was
perhaps the most direct of all. He came to the mic and began his remarks with a
statement: “No to war — and free Palestine.”
March 15, 2026, 10:40 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I feel like Anderson really
missed an opportunity to say “Let’s have a few small beers.”
March 15, 2026, 10:40 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“One Battle After Another”
was atop most prognosticators’ lists, but it’s clear from the reaction in the
room and the hardware that “Sinners” picked up that it was likely a close
contest. P.T.A. says, “What a night, you guys. Let’s have a martini.”
March 15, 2026, 10:38 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
Teyana Taylor, Paul Thomas
Anderson’s effervescent hype woman all awards season, put him in a headlock on
the way to the stage for what has become a capstone evening for his long
career.
March 15, 2026, 10:37 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
And there we have it: “One
Battle After Another” is the best picture winner! Chase Infiniti looks like she
might explode with happiness.
March 15, 2026, 10:36 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Paul Thomas Anderson and the
producer Sara Murphy accepted the Oscar for best picture as cast and crew
members watched.
“One Battle After Another” won
best picture at the Oscars on Sunday night, completing a dominant awards-season
run for the comedy-drama about an ex-revolutionary searching for his teenage
daughter.
The movie also won Oscars
for best director for Paul Thomas Anderson (who picked up his first Oscars
after 11 nominations), supporting actor (Sean Penn), adapted screenplay,
editing and casting.
Accepting the Oscar a few
moments after winning best director, Anderson noted that the best picture
nominees from 1975 were “Dog Day Afternoon,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,”
“Jaws,” “Nashville” and “Barry Lyndon,” then added: “There is no best among
them. There is just what the mood might be that day, but we’re happy to be part
of this, a wonderful, wonderful journey with our fellow nominees.”
Anderson went on to thank
his cast, especially Chase Infiniti, who made her feature debut as one of the
leads of the film.
After winning the top prizes
at almost every major awards show this season — including the Golden Globes,
BAFTAs, and the directors and producers guild ceremonies — “One Battle After
Another” was considered the front-runner going into Oscar night. Still, the
movie faced formidable competition from “Sinners,” the hit vampire drama from
writer-director Ryan Coogler.
In January, “Sinners” broke
the record for most Oscar nominations earned by a single film, and that
momentum carried it to a big victory at the Actor Awards, where it won the cast
prize and a best-actor trophy for lead Michael B. Jordan. Though it ultimately
could not topple “One Battle After Another” at the Oscars, “Sinners” still won
best actor (for Jordan), original screenplay, cinematography and score.
Unlike last year’s big
winner “Anora,” one of the lowest-grossing films to ever take best picture,
“One Battle After Another” grossed a hefty $209 million worldwide. That’s
significantly more than Anderson’s past efforts like “There Will Be Blood” and
“Phantom Thread,” but because of its reported $130 million budget and huge
marketing costs, the film did not make its money back at the box office.
Still, its best-picture
victory caps a significant year for Warner Bros., the storied Hollywood studio
that produced “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners” and “Weapons” (which saw
Amy Madigan win best supporting actress).
Although it’s not unusual
for a studio to have more than one contender, it’s rare that it was responsible
for both front-runners and that the studio itself is undergoing a major
transition. The studio’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, was the
subject of a bidding war between Netflix and Paramount that seemed to be
resolved in the streamer’s favor until last month, when Paramount raised its
offer to the winning bid of $111 billion.
March 15, 2026, 10:35 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
This is such a genuinely fun
group of best picture nominees. Even if it’s felt like a two-horse race, I’ve
loved the true variety of films represented, from weird little indie films to
big crowd-pleasers to international stunners to even a vroom-vroom cars movie.
March 15, 2026, 10:35 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Buckley has won just about
every trophy this awards season and given a charmingly rambling speech at each
one. This one is comparatively dialed in, though she does tell her partner that
she’d like to have 20,000 more children with him. “It’s Mother’s Day in the
U.K. today,” she notes, as she dedicates the award to the beautiful chaos in a
mother’s heart. She closes with a few words in Irish.
March 15, 2026, 10:31 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I have been on the Jessie
Buckley train since I saw her in “Wild Rose” back in 2018, and it has been a
distinct pleasure to watch a whole lot of other people board it in the last
year or so.
March 15, 2026, 10:30 p.m.
Esther Zuckerman
Jessie Buckley wins best
actress for ‘Hamnet.’
Jessie Buckley capped off a
dominant awards season with an Oscar for her lead performance in “Hamnet.”
Buckley won just about every major award for her portrayal of Agnes, the wife
of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), in Chloé Zhao’s film based on Maggie
O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel.
Buckley’s performance is a
visceral exploration of motherhood and grief. Agnes’s son, the title character,
dies of the plague, and she falls into crippling sorrow. But perhaps her most
praised sequence arrives in the movie’s final beats when she watches “Hamlet,”
the play her husband composed in the wake of the tragedy.
As a performer, Buckley has
been on the rise since her breakout role in the 2019 musical drama “Wild Rose.”
She earned her first Oscar nomination for “The Lost Daughter” (2021), an Elena
Ferrante adaptation directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Gyllenhaal also cast Buckley
in the title role of her spin on “Frankenstein,” “The Bride!,” which opened
earlier this month.
Buckley bested a field of
nominees that included Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” Kate Hudson
for “Song Sung Blue,” Renate Reinsve for “Sentimental Value” and Emma Stone for
“Bugonia.”
March 15, 2026, 10:27 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Michael B. Jordan also
thanked people who went to see “Sinners” in theaters three, four, even five
times. I went back to see it in a theater last fall and was astounded that it
was sold out — and that was after it had been streaming for a while. That’s
what they call a movie with legs.
March 15, 2026, 10:26 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
A remarkable win for Jordan
on his first Oscar nomination, which almost never happens with a handsome young
A-lister in this category. Voters usually like to make a man wait longer for
it, as Leonardo DiCaprio can attest. Bradley Cooper and Timothée Chalamet are
still waiting.
March 15, 2026, 10:25 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“I know you guys want me to
do well, and I want to do that,” Michael B. Jordan said, calling out his fans.
March 15, 2026, 10:24 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
Jordan was not considered a front-runner
in this category until very late in the race, when he won at the Actor Awards
(and gave an endearing speech) during the height of Oscar voting. It’s a major
coup for both the actor (a relatively young 39) and “Sinners.”
March 15, 2026, 10:24 p.m.
Emmanuel Morgan
When Michael B. Jordan said
“God is good” in his acceptance speech, a few journalists in the interview room
responded “all the time,” a traditional callback in church congregations.
March 15, 2026, 10:23 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Wallace from “The Wire” has
an OSCAR. (I am typing this sideways from the floor.)
March 15, 2026, 10:21 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Michael B. Jordan should
really be winning two best actor awards, but tonight he’ll settle for one, and
with pleasure.
March 15, 2026, 10:21 p.m.
Maya Salam
Michael B. Jordan wins best
actor for ‘Sinners.’
Michael B. Jordan, who
played twins in “Sinners,” won the Oscar for best actor on Sunday night.
Michael B. Jordan won his
first Oscar on Sunday, for playing the twins Smoke and Stack in “Sinners,” Ryan
Coogler’s blockbuster vampire allegory about race in America. It was also
Jordan’s first Oscar nomination.
Jordan triumphed over
Timothée Chalamet for “Marty Supreme,” Ethan Hawke for “Blue Moon,” Wagner
Moura for “The Secret Agent” and Leonardo DiCaprio for “One Battle After
Another.” The win makes him the sixth Black man ever to prevail in the category
after Will Smith in 2022, Forest Whitaker in 2007, Jamie Foxx in 2005, Denzel
Washington in 2002 and Sidney Poitier in 1964.
Jordan, 39, listed all those
men in his acceptance speech, along with Halle Berry, who won the best actress
Oscar in 2002 for her performance in “Monster’s Ball,” making her the first and
only Black woman to win in the category.
“I stand here because of the
people that came before me,” he said. “To be amongst those giants, amongst
those greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guides. Thank you everybody in
this room and everybody at home for supporting me over my career, I feel it. I
know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on
me. So thank you for keeping betting on me.”
Jordan, who won his first
Oscar for best actor on Sunday for his role in “Sinners,” celebrated his win at
In-N-Out Burger.
The odds didn’t seem to be in
Jordan’s favor at first; Moura and Chalamet took home best actor trophies at
the Golden Globes (which splits winners into drama and comedy categories), and
Chalamet won the Critic’s Choice Award. But Jordan’s best actor win this month
at the Actor Awards, formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards, seemed to have
reset his prospects.
With 16 nominations,
“Sinners” holds the record as the most Oscar-nominated film of all time. It was
contending in many of the major categories — best film, best director, best
actor, and best supporting actor and actress — as well as several of the
technical categories, including best cinematography and the academy’s newest
category, best casting.
Before Jordan’s win, the
movie had won three of them — for original screenplay, original score and
cinematography — with the best picture award still to be announced.
March 15, 2026, 10:20 p.m.
Esther Zuckerman
Paul Thomas Anderson wins
best director.
Paul Thomas Anderson has won
his long-awaited best director Oscar for “One Battle After Another.” Widely
recognized as one of the most celebrated and influential filmmakers of his
generation, Anderson has been nominated for this prize three times previously.
His first nomination for best director came in 2008 for “There Will Be Blood,”
with subsequent nominations for “Phantom Thread” and “Licorice Pizza.” He
received his first ever Oscar nomination for his second film, an original
screenplay nod for his breakout drama “Boogie Nights” in 1998. His first Oscar
victory came earlier tonight when he won for best adapted screenplay.
“You make a guy work hard
for one of these,” Anderson said while accepting his award.
“One Battle After Another”
finds Anderson loosely adapting Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland” to tell a modern
story about a paranoid former revolutionary, Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio),
who is shaken out of his stoned stupor when his daughter (Chase Infiniti) is
pursued by the villainous Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn). Anderson
previously adapted Pynchon’s “Inherent Vice” (2014).
Anderson won most major
precursor awards for his work on “One Battle,” including the Golden Globe, the
BAFTA and the Directors Guild of America prize. At the Oscars, he triumphed
over a field that also included Ryan Coogler for “Sinners,” Josh Safdie for “Marty
Supreme,” Chloé Zhao for “Hamnet” and Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value.”
March 15, 2026, 10:19 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
In his acceptance speech,
Paul Thomas Anderson pays tribute to the producer Adam Somner, Anderson’s
longtime collaborator whose final film was “One Battle After Another.” Somner
died in 2024.
March 15, 2026, 10:18 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
P.T.A. gets in a little dig:
“You make a guy work for hard for one of these. I really appreciate it.”
March 15, 2026, 10:16 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
And Paul Thomas Anderson
wins his second Oscar ever, for directing “One Battle After Another.”
March 15, 2026, 10:14 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Before their acceptance
speech was cut off, Ejae said, “Growing up everyone made fun of me for liking
K-pop. And now everyone is singing our song.” But she says the song is not
about success, it’s about resilience.
March 15, 2026, 10:14 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Look, we’re nearing the end
of the show. Why bother cutting off people’s speeches and going to commercial break
on such a sour note?
March 15, 2026, 10:11 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“Golden” has now become the
first K-pop song to win a Grammy and an Oscar. (Can a song EGOT?)
March 15, 2026, 10:09 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
Although it has always been
considered a longshot for best picture, voters clearly admired “Sentimental
Value” and its strong cast: All four of its major performers were nominated
tonight.
March 15, 2026, 10:08 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
The “Sentimental Value”
director Joachim Trier paraphrases James Baldwin to close his speech, saying
that all adults are responsible for all children, and “let’s not vote for
politicians who don’t take this seriously into account.”
March 15, 2026, 10:06 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
“The Secret Agent” mounted a
late surge for international film, but ultimately, “Sentimental Value” won the
sole Oscar it’s likely to take tonight.
March 15, 2026, 10:06 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
The Oscar for best
international feature goes to “Sentimental Value,” probably the least political
of all five nominees in the category but also the most nominated of the bunch.
March 15, 2026, 10:04 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
The presenter Javier
Bardem’s comment (“No to war and free Palestine”) got big cheers in the Oscar
theater.
March 15, 2026, 10:03 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
“One Battle After Another”
has pulled ahead of the pack with four wins to the three achieved by “Sinners,”
while “Frankenstein” has also collected a respectable three trophies, thanks to
a strong showing in the decorative categories. Joining a well-balanced winners
circle were the popcorn-friendly hits “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “F1,” for
visual effects and sound. Meanwhile, the deadpan cast of “Bridesmaids” and an
endearingly oblivious Grogu — the moon-eyed alien puppet from “The Mandalorian”
— brought some levity after an emotional and lengthy in memoriam segment.
March 15, 2026, 10:02 p.m.
Wesley Morris
These two musical numbers
don’t exactly make the case for restoring performances for all the nominees.
They’re over before they begin, and live, the songs, strangely, make less sense
removed from their movies’ contexts. And yes: I realize, with “Golden,” I’m
saying this about a huge, inescapable hit. These numbers need more crazy or
complete reinterpretations or something.
March 15, 2026, 9:58 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Despite being one of the
movie’s songwriters, Ejae, who sings Rumi, was initially not interested in
actually performing. “I love being behind the scenes,” she told me last year.
“Golden,” especially, is a challenging vocal performance that is not in her
usual register. But she agreed because, she said, “I know the nuances and how
to sell the song. I was confident about that.”
March 15, 2026, 9:58 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Now we have the much-hyped
“Golden” performance, a.k.a. every 6-year-old’s favorite part of the show.
March 15, 2026, 9:56 p.m.
Wesley Morris
You could see Demi Moore,
who presented, really congratulating Autumn Durald Arkapaw when she reached the
stage. I loved that moment as much as I loved the speech.
March 15, 2026, 9:56 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Autumn Durald Arkapaw is
getting an overwhelming ovation. We get a brief glimpse of the 10-year-old son
she shares with Adam Arkapaw, another cinematographer, carried in on the arms of
Ryan Coogler. She calls out fellow cinematographers Ellen Kuras and Rachel
Morrison, and asks that all the women in the room stand up, saying she couldn’t
have gotten there without all of them. She is cool and heartfelt.
March 15, 2026, 9:52 p.m.
Alisha Haridasani Gupta
Absent from the red carpet?
Dramatic makeup.
The Oscar nominee Wunmi
Mosaku had a pop of color at the corner of her eyes but an otherwise natural
glow.
For Hollywood’s biggest, most
glamorous night, the makeup that celebrities wore was distinctly understated.
At the Oscars on Sunday,
Chase Infiniti, who stars in “One Battle After Another,” turned up to the Dolby
Theater in Los Angeles with a quiet pop of lilac on her eyes, matching her
custom lilac Louis Vuitton gown. Wunmi Mosaku, who was nominated for best
supporting actress for her role in “Sinners,” showed off the tiniest splash of
emerald at the corner of her eyes. Renate Reinsve and Jessie Buckley, both
nominees for best actress, seemed to have little more on their faces than red
lipstick. And others, including Demi Moore and Kate Hudson, looked almost
barefaced.
Chase Infiniti’s subtle
makeup matched her custom Louis Vuitton lilac gown.Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
The Oscar nominee Renate
Reinsve with a simple splash of color on her lips.Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
Of course, the no-makeup
makeup look isn’t new. But for several years, the red carpet was dominated by
celebrities using makeup for dramatic effect, leaning on smoky eyes, long
lashes or theatrical hair dos. Consider, for example, Cher’s memorable look for
the Oscars in 1986 that drew together a feathered headdress and bold eyes. Even
Nicole Kidman, who has a history of memorable Oscar looks, including bright red
lips in 2017, chose a more subdued color palate on Sunday.
The re-emergence in recent
years of a more subtle look has been fueled, in part, by Nina Park, a makeup
artist who specializes in making celebrities look as natural as possible. In
fact, her work has become so popular on social media that her particular style,
seen on clients like Emma Stone and Zoë Kravitz, is being framed as the Nina
Park Effect.
While some were keen to show
their faces in a natural light, one nominee’s makeup choice was harder to
gauge: Chloé Zhao, director of “Hamnet,” turned up to the red carpet with a
black, translucent veil over her face.
March 15, 2026, 9:51 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
Again the applause is huge
in the lobby as “Sinners” nabs this historic win.
March 15, 2026, 9:51 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the
director of photography on “Sinners,” shot in 65mm, using two unwieldy (and
often noisy) cameras — a large-format IMAX and an Ultra Panavision 70. Was it
harder to do it this way? Undoubtedly. “But look at the results,” she told me
last month. “It’s worth it.”
March 15, 2026, 9:50 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Autumn Durald Arkapaw makes
history as the first woman to win best cinematography.
With her win for best
cinematography for “Sinners,” Autumn Durald Arkapaw has made Oscar history as
the first woman, and first woman of color, to win that category.
After citing predecessors
like Ellen Kuras and Rachel Morrison, Durald Arkapaw said, “I’m so honored to
be here and I really want all the women in the room to stand up because I feel
like I don’t get here without you guys.”
She had already set a record
as the first woman of color to be nominated for the prize, and in an interview
last month, Durald Arkapaw told us, “I’ve always wanted to make big movies.”
Still, an expensive original story like “Sinners,” with bravura scenes like
this one set in a juke joint, wasn’t an easy sell in Hollywood. “We don’t see
movies made like this, by people that look like us, with this format,” she
said, adding, “We all had a lot on the line.”
What also made the
production risky was the choice she and the director Ryan Coogler made to film
“Sinners” in IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70. Durald Arkapaw is the first woman to
shoot a film in large-format IMAX — and she mostly operated the 65-pound camera
herself.
Like Coogler, Durald Arkapaw
grew up in the Bay Area. Her mother is Filipino, and her father is of Black
Creole descent, with roots in New Orleans and Mississippi, where “Sinners” is set.
A paternal aunt even served as an extra, and Durald Arkapaw said she felt the
weight of family history when they were filming in the South: “You think about
your ancestors and what they felt like on that land.” Read more.
March 15, 2026, 9:48 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I won’t guess whether “One
Battle After Another” winning the Oscar for best editing means it has best
picture on lock, because I never know with the Oscars anymore, but I do know
that film is exquisitely edited. From the first moment, you know you’re in
great hands, and it just cruises to the end with perfect rhythm.
March 15, 2026, 9:47 p.m.
Livia Albeck-Ripka
There have now been seven
ties in Oscars history.
The live-action short films
“Two People Exchanging Saliva” and “The Singers” were both named winners at the
Oscars on Sunday evening, the seventh time there has been a tie at the Academy
Awards.
The most recent tie came in
2013, when “Skyfall” and “Zero Dark Thirty” both won in the category of best
sound editing. In 1969, Katharine Hepburn, star of “The Lion in Winter,” and
Barbra Streisand, star of “Funny Girl,” tied in the best actress category.
Other ties were in 1995,
also between two live-action short films; in 1987, in the feature documentary
category; in 1950, for short documentary; and in 1932, for best actor.
That tie, at the fifth
Academy Awards, was between the actors Fredric March, for his portrayal of the
dual titular personas in the film “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” and Wallace Beery,
who played an alcoholic boxer in “The Champ.” (It was not a true tie, with
March receiving one vote more than Beery. But the rules at the time stated that
if a nominee came within three votes of the winner, they would also receive the
award, according to the academy.)
At this year’s Oscars, even
the winners seemed stumped by the realization that they were both walking away
with a gold statuette. “I didn’t know that was a thing,” Sam Davis, who
directed “The Singers,” said as he accepted the award.
Natalie Musteata and
Alexandre Singh, the co-directors of “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” also said
they were thrilled to share the award. “It’s such a dream,” Musteata said as
she addressed the news media backstage. “Someone on Reddit asked us if we’d be
happy to share the award,” she added, “and we were like, ‘Heck yeah.’”
March 15, 2026, 9:45 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I’m sorry, this is the first
moment I realized that Lewis Pullman — who is absolutely tremendous in one of
my favorite movies from last year, “The Testament of Ann Lee” — is Bill
Pullman’s son.
March 15, 2026, 9:44 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Wait, we’re not getting any
footage of the honorary Oscar recipients’ ceremony, which honored Debbie Allen,
Wynn Thomas, Dolly Parton and some guy named Tom Cruise? I mean, I want to see Allen
but this broadcast just denied us 60 seconds of watching Tom Cruise mingling
with Dolly and Debbie.
March 15, 2026, 9:44 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Our wristbands have begun to
pulse colors, which implies a “Golden” performance is close at hand.
March 15, 2026, 9:44 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
Joe Alywn is standing next
to Hudson Williams from “Heated Rivalry” at the bar. And in a strange twist,
the crowds are circling around Hudson. Men are introducing their wives to him,
posing for selfies.
March 15, 2026, 9:36 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
This was Ludwig Goransson’s
third Academy Award, after winning for “Oppenheimer” and “Black Panther.” At
just 41, he’s ahead of Hans Zimmer (two) and a couple shy of John Williams
(five). [Correction: An earlier version of this update misstated the number of
Oscars that Goransson has won. It is three, not two.]
March 15, 2026, 9:34 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Ludwig Goransson and Ryan
Coogler are film-school friends, and they have worked together since Coogler
was making shorts at U.S.C.
@begin
March 15, 2026, 9:34 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Best score goes to
“Sinners,” which is not unexpected, though some people might not have realized
that score came from a guy named Ludwig Goransson from Sweden. You can
practically dance to the whole film.
Original Score
“Sinners”
Wins for best original
score.
March 15, 2026, 9:31 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
For those who may have
forgotten, “Bridesmaids” was a two-time Oscar nominee: best supporting actress,
for Melissa McCarthy, and best original screenplay, for Kristen Wiig and Annie
Mumolo. Its stars are onstage to present best original score.
March 15, 2026, 9:28 p.m.
Michaela Towfighi
A rare Oscars tie made for
hectic moments onstage.
Kumail Nanjiani announces one
of the two winners for best live action short.
Kumail Nanjiani was not
joking as he read the Oscar winners for best live action short film.
Yes, winners.
In a tie, an award was
presented to both “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva.”
“I’m not joking. It’s
actually a tie,” Nanjiani said on Sunday. “So everyone calm down. We’re going
to get through this.”
He said he would announce
the first winner, who would come to the stage and accept the award before he
would announce the next winner. (The tie was the seventh in Oscars history, and
the first since 2013.)
First up: “The Singers.” In
a speech, Sam A. Davis, the film’s director, said that he did not know a tie
was possible, and that the short film was a story “about the power of music and
art to bring us together in a moment when we live in an increasingly isolated
world.”
Nanjiani then returned to
the stage to announce the category’s other winner: “Two People Exchanging
Saliva.” One of its directors, Natalie Musteata, gave an impassioned acceptance
speech before the other, Alexandre Singh, went for the microphone. But the
sound cut out and the cameras panned to the show’s host, Conan O’Brien, who had
a look of amused befuddlement on his face.
The directors of “Two People
Exchanging Saliva” accept their shared Oscar.
Once Singh’s microphone was
restored, he thanked the academy for rewarding a “French film by a Franco
Indian Brit, a Romanian American, an Argentinian, an Italian,” with actresses
from Luxembourg, Kosovo and Iran. He said that “in a world that is dark and
absurd and ridiculous and horrifying,” art is a vehicle for change. And he even
took a beat to emphasize that could be done “through theater and ballet”
(Sorry, Timothée Chalamet).
“I just want to say
congratulations to both winners,” O’Brien said. “You just ruined 22 million
Oscar pools.”
March 15, 2026, 9:26 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Given we just had a lengthy
tribute to Robert Redford, founder of the Sundance Institute, it’s worth noting
that all five of the documentary nominees premiered at the Sundance Film
Festival in 2025. (So did one of the best picture nominees, “Train Dreams.”)
March 15, 2026, 9:24 p.m.
Wesley Morris
“Stop all of these wars now,”
says the subject of “Mr. Nobody.” That’s how you close a speech.
March 15, 2026, 9:24 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
is about a Russian teacher deciding to subvert a state-mandated curriculum
requiring pro-war messages in his classroom, which he’d have to prove he was
teaching by filming his lessons. He decided to resist by using his footage to
make a documentary on the sly about propaganda in the classroom: this film.
March 15, 2026, 9:21 p.m.
Michaela Towfighi
Barbra Streisand honors
Robert Redford, her ‘The Way We Were’ co-star.
“He was thoughtful and
bold,” Barbra Streisand said of Robert Redford. “I called him an intellectual
cowboy who blazed his own trail.”
Barbra Streisand celebrated
Robert Redford, her “The Way We Were” co-star who died last year, at the
Academy Awards on Sunday, ending her remembrance by singing a few bars from
that movie’s theme song.
Streisand and Redford played
diametrically opposite college friends who fall in love in “The Way We Were”
(1973), which won Oscars for best song and best score, and was the impetus for
their decades-long friendship.
She recalled that Redford
initially turned down the role because the character “had no backbone.” Citing
the actor’s real-life political activism and work on behalf of independent
filmmakers through the Sundance Institute, Streisand said: “He was thoughtful
and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail.”
Then Streisand broke into
the strains of “The Way We Were” as Redford’s words were projected onstage:
“The glory of art is that it cannot only survive change, it can lead it.”
Redford, who preferred his
home in Utah instead of the glitz of Hollywood, was 89 when he died in
September. He was nominated for only one acting Oscar, for his lead performance
in “The Sting” (1973), about Depression-era grifters.
Redford won a best director
Oscar for his debut feature, “Ordinary People” (1980), about a family death
that reflected his own childhood. In 2002, Streisand presented Redford with an
honorary Academy Award for his work as a director, producer and champion of
independent filmmaking, namely through the Sundance Film Festival.
Sunday night’s In Memoriam
segment, which recognizes people in the film industry who have died in the past
year, also honored Rob Reiner and Diane Keaton.
March 15, 2026, 9:21 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Jimmy Kimmel made a few digs
at “Melania,” which he called a documentary where “you walk around the White House
trying on shoes.” Meanwhile, the speech from the mother of a 9-year-old who was
killed in Uvalde, Texas — a subject of “All the Empty Rooms,” about the spaces
left behind after school shootings — felt like a heart-catching moment.
March 15, 2026, 9:20 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
The best documentary feature
race felt incredibly tight all year, and my guess was as good as yours (or
anyone’s) pretty much all season. But the Oscar goes to “Mr. Nobody Against
Putin,” and I did not see that coming!
Documentary Feature
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
Wins for best documentary
feature.
March 15, 2026, 9:17 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Best documentary short goes
to “All the Empty Rooms,” which follows a reporter and photographer’s project
to document the rooms of children who were killed in school shootings. It’s a
pretty emotional watch.
March 15, 2026, 9:17 p.m.
Michaela Towfighi
Billy Crystal and actors
from Rob Reiner movies honor the slain director.
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele
Singer Reiner, were killed in December.Credit...Frederic J. Brown/Agence
France-Presse — Getty s
Billy Crystal honored the
director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, at the Oscars on Sunday,
three months after they were murdered in their Los Angeles home.
Crystal opened the In
Memoriam segment recounting Reiner’s hits: a string of beloved movies in the
1980s and early 1990s, including “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand by Me,” “The
Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “Misery.”
“It was a thrill to see him
evolve from a great comic actor to a master storyteller,” said Crystal, who met
Reiner when he was cast as his best friend in an episode of “All in The
Family.”
Crystal said Reiner could
have stopped after “This Is Spinal Tap,” calling it a “hilarious and brilliant
mockumentary where the comedy was turned up to 11.” But instead he went on to
direct a coming-of-age story, a “tale of true love and rodents of unusual
size,” an Oscar-nominated Nora Ephron script, a psychodrama and a courtroom
thriller.
“My friends, Rob’s movies
will last for lifetimes because they were about what makes us laugh and cry and
what we aspire to be: far better in his eyes, far kinder, far funnier and far
more human,” Crystal said.
He earned his only Academy
Award nomination, for best picture, as a producer of “A Few Good Men,” which he
also directed.
Crystal was joined onstage
by more than a dozen stars from Reiner’s films, including Demi Moore, Kevin
Pollak, Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Michael McKean, Annette Bening, Kathy Bates,
Mandy Patinkin, Jerry O’Connell, Cary Elwes, Daphne Zuniga, Wil Wheaton,
Christopher Guest, Carol Kane and Kiefer Sutherland.
In the romantic comedy “When
Harry Met Sally …” (1989), Crystal and Ryan played two friends questioning
whether male and female relationships could be strictly platonic.
It was a movie inspired in
part by the director’s romantic life; to write the screenplay, Nora Ephron
interviewed Reiner about dating after his divorce. While making the film,
Reiner met Michele Singer, a New York photographer, a romance that inspired him
to change its ending.
“A gifted photographer, she
not only produced films with Rob, but it was her energy that had them working
tirelessly to fight social injustice in the country that they both loved,”
Crystal said.
The Academy Awards’s In
Memoriam segment, which recognizes people in the film industry who have died
over the past year, also honored Diane Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Isiah Whitlock
Jr. and Graham Greene. Barbra Streisand performed the title song from “The Way
We Were,” in which she starred with Robert Redford.
Hours after their Reiners’
bodies were found in December, the couple’s youngest son, Nick Reiner, was
arrested. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
Rob Reiner, 78, was the son
of a pioneering television comedian, Carl Reiner, and found his place behind
the camera after portraying the character Meathead in “All in the Family.”
Michele Singer Reiner, 70, was the daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, which
inspired a life of civic responsibility, including championing environmental
causes and gay marriage.
The couple was last seen
attending a holiday party with their son at the home of the comedian Conan
O’Brien, who hosted the Oscars.
Documentary Short
“All the Empty Rooms”
Wins for best documentary
short.
March 15, 2026, 9:16 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Jimmy Kimmel is presenting
the Oscar for both documentary categories, and there are big cheers for docs
again, apparently from the upper mezzanine in the theater. I would love to know
who is spearheading these cheers, as I am not in the room to join in.
March 15, 2026, 9:12 p.m.
Wesley Morris
I have to make my annual plea
to whoever does the seating for this night that every nominee deserves to sit
in the main part of the house, not in the caboose. It’s kind of sad, that
journey from the rear of the theater to the stage.
March 15, 2026, 9:10 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
“Frankenstein” is having a
night very reminiscent of “Poor Things” in 2024 — another impressively executed
fantasy drama that won for production design, costumes and hair and makeup,
despite not being a favorite to take best picture.
March 15, 2026, 9:09 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
The “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
star Sigourney Weaver looks happy to announce that the visual effects Oscar
goes to “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
Visual Effects
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
Wins for best visual
effects.
March 15, 2026, 9:07 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Production design going to a
Guillermo del Toro movie is not a shocker, and boy is “Frankenstein” production
designed. (I am a “Frankenstein” booster; this is a compliment from me.)
Production Design
“Frankenstein”
Wins for best production
design.
March 15, 2026, 9:04 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Let that super-sized “In
Memoriam” segment prove that the length of the Oscar broadcast doesn’t matter
as long as that length is filled well.
In Case You Missed It
March 15, 2026, 9:01 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
The face-off between the two
top competitors of the evening, “Sinners” (a record-breaking 16 nominations)
and “One Battle After Another” (13), is officially underway. “One Battle” has
picked up three so far: the first ever casting award, for Cassandra Kulukundis;
best adapted screenplay for its writer-director, Paul Thomas Anderson; and best
supporting actor for Sean Penn. And “Sinners” has one, for the writer-director
Ryan Coogler’s original screenplay. Other winners at the end of the show’s
second hour are “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” in a tie for
best live-action short.
March 15, 2026, 9:00 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
As Barbra Streisand sings in
tribute to Redford, his words are projected on the wall above the orchestra:
“The glory of art is that it can not only survive change, it can lead it.”
Seems like it might be intended as a little more than just a tribute.
March 15, 2026, 8:59 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Streisand’s very personal tribute
makes a small mention of the Sundance Institute, Redford’s baby and lasting
contribution to film. She notes that he liked teasing her: “He called me Babs,
and I’d say, Bob, do I look like a Babs?’” And yes, she sings.
March 15, 2026, 8:57 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Anna Wintour at the Oscars:
In on the joke, out of her sunglasses.
Borrowing a joke from the
beloved fashion world sendup, Anna Wintour called Anne Hathaway “Emily" at
one point as they presented the awards for best costume design and best makeup
and hairstyling.
The bob was intact, but the
sunglasses, at least at first, were absent.
In a bit of tacit but
obvious promotion, Anna Wintour, the Vogue empress, appeared onstage at the
Academy Awards on Sunday to present the awards for best costume design and best
makeup and hairstyling alongside Anne Hathaway. This spring, in a sequel to
“The Devil Wears Prada,” Ms. Hathaway will reprise her role as a publishing
world striver who stumbles into the web of a fashion editor very much in the
mold of Ms. Wintour.
To her credit, Ms. Wintour
hasn’t shied from “The Devil Wears Prada.” In 2006, she attended the film’s
premiere wearing Prada. In doing so, she got in on the joke.
She was again in on the gag
at the Oscars. Or at least she tried to be. The setup of her appearance with
Ms. Hathaway framed the actress, dressed in a strapless, floral Valentino gown
(yes, florals for spring, groundbreaking) as an eager aspirant, seeking
validation from the editor to her right.
Ms. Wintour in Dior on the
red carpet.Credit...Nina Westervelt for The New York Times
Ms. Wintour looked off to
the side, disinterested, in her lacy Dior jacket.
Ms. Wintour may be the
editor supreme of American media, but her acting skills were lacking here. It
was difficult to tell at first if it was a bit or if Ms. Wintour was genuinely
unsure of where to look from the stage.
The uncanniness of the
moment was heightened by the fact that Ms. Wintour arrived onstage without her
omnipresent black sunglasses. It was probably the first time many had ever seen
Ms. Wintour’s eyes.
As she declined to comment
on Ms. Hathaway’s look, she put the glasses on, just before the pair announced
that the costume designer Kate Hawley had won for “Frankenstein.” The bit
reached its climax when Ms. Wintour, turning to the best makeup and hairstyling
award, referred to her onstage partner not as Anne, but as Emily, the name Ms.
Hathaway’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada” is mistakenly called. Ms.
Wintour sold that dismissive line convincingly.
March 15, 2026, 8:57 p.m.
Wesley Morris
I love the way they’re
presenting this in memoriam segment, letting it unspool almost at its own pace,
so that each name can really register and these actors like Crystal and McAdams
and now Streisand can do these personal tributes. It’s funereal, but elegant –
a memorial service.
March 15, 2026, 8:57 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Barbra Streisand notes that
her co-star in “The Way We Were,” Robert Redford, had “real backbone” offscreen
in his political activism and his work on behalf of independent filmmakers. “He
was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own
trail,” she says.
March 15, 2026, 8:54 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
We say this every year, but this
year felt especially brutal when it came to losing Hollywood legends, and this
in memoriam is really driving it home.
March 15, 2026, 8:53 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Rachel McAdams and Diane
Keaton were co-stars in “The Family Stone,” a perennial holiday favorite. She
is teary as she calls Keaton “a legend with no end,” quoting from an old Girl
Scout song that Keaton liked to sing.
March 15, 2026, 8:53 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Rachel McAdams is now paying
tribute to another group of women who died this year, including a lengthy
farewell to Diane Keaton.
March 15, 2026, 8:51 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
To memorialize Rob Reiner,
Billy Crystal enters to the strains of “It Had to Be You.” He talks briefly about
Reiner as a friend but segues into a catalog of his films and talks about his
work in social justice and advocacy, with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner.
Crystal’s tribute is elegant and controlled; he’s had practice at this, having
also memorialized his friend Robin Williams in 2015, on the Emmys.
March 15, 2026, 8:47 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
When I was a kid, I thought
Billy Crystal’s job (like, his whole job) was to host the Oscars. Now he’s here
paying tribute to his friend Rob Reiner, which among many other things is a
reminder of what an incredibly, improbably great filmmaker Reiner was.
March 15, 2026, 8:46 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
Ryan Coogler took a big
gamble with “Sinners.” The R-rated musical vampire fantasia was his first film
based on an original idea in more than 10 years, after a string of I.P.-driven,
tentpole movies like “Creed” and “Black Panther.” It clearly paid off.
March 15, 2026, 8:44 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I’m thinking now about what
an interesting writer Ryan Coogler really is. He mostly gets talked about as a
director, but his writing is so versatile: “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed,” both
“Black Panther” movies and now “Sinners.” Those are all very different movies
that work with genre conventions in such unexpected, energetic, entertaining
and urgent ways.
March 15, 2026, 8:42 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
We’re breaking glass here in
the lobby bar over this “Sinners” win! DJ D-Nice, who performed during the “Sinners”
number, was responsible for the glass, but it was reflective of the ebullience
felt over Ryan Coogler’s victory.
March 15, 2026, 8:40 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“I’m very nervous,” Ryan
Coogler begins his speech, “and they’re going to play me off. I grew up in
Oakland, Calif., and we can talk a lot.” But he is succinct, lingering on
thanks for his family.
March 15, 2026, 8:37 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
We’re one for one in the
contest for best picture, where the path usually runs through best screenplay,
with “Sinners” and “One Battle” both picking up awards.
March 15, 2026, 8:37 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Even up in the mezzanines,
Ryan Coogler’s win is getting a standing ovation.
Original Screenplay
“Sinners”
Wins for best original
screenplay.
March 15, 2026, 8:36 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
P.T.A. seems genuinely
gobsmacked, as he thanks his family, including his wife, Maya Rudolph. “I wrote
this movie for my kids, to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left this
world in.” And to thank them, he continues, for possibly doing better.
March 15, 2026, 8:35 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
“One Battle After Another”
really is the definition of an “adapted” screenplay — it’s a tremendously loose
take on Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” shifted decades later, into the
present day. That’s very much thematically in harmony with the film, a movie
about how each generation fights its own, well, battles — the ones left behind
by the previous generation.
March 15, 2026, 8:34 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
That’s also Paul Thomas
Anderson’s first Oscar after earning 14 nominations over the years.
March 15, 2026, 8:33 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Paul Thomas Anderson wins
his first of possibly several Oscars tonight, for adapting (loosely) a Thomas
Pynchon novel. He gets a standing ovation from the crowd.
Adapted Screenplay
“One Battle After Another”
Wins for best adapted
screenplay.
March 15, 2026, 8:29 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I’m sort of fascinated by how
many tech-driven developments in modern movie, uh, watching O’Brien is
covering. A.I.! Vertical video! Second-screen viewing! I’m not even sure what’s
coming next.
March 15, 2026, 8:28 p.m.
Jason Zinoman
ON COMEDY
Conan O’Brien delivers a
punchy cold open with his ‘Weapons’ parody.
Conan O’Brien, dressed as
Gladys in “Weapons,” led children on a chase through several movie scenes.
In the cold open to the 2009
premiere of his notoriously short tenure as host of “The Tonight Show,” Conan
O’Brien ran across the country, hurrying through fields and streets and over
bridges. With better long-term results, he began the Oscars with a similar
stunt, parodying the chase scene in “Weapons,” but in this case, he was done up
in the clownish makeup worn by Amy Madigan in that movie, fleeing from one
scene of a nominated movie to another, to the Beastie Boys track “Sabotage.”
O’Brien’s tall, gangly body,
with his signature shock of red hair, is one of his most reliable comic
weapons, and he used it to kick off the show with high-stepping dynamism. Then
he moved into a series of jokes that were less loopy and more punchy than last
year’s monologue. In his second effort as Oscars host, O’Brien looked more
assured in his delivery even when some jokes didn’t land (a gag about memes
with Leonardo DiCaprio fizzled).
Everyone knew he would make
a joke about Timothée Chalamet’s controversial comments on ballet and opera.
The only question was the angle. He went gentle on the actor: “Security is
extremely tight. I’m told there are concerns about attacks from both the opera
and ballet communities,” he said in a perfect deadpan, before leaning down to
intimately level with the actor: “They’re just mad you left out jazz.”
O’Brien nodded to politics,
but vaguely, saying that everything is going great, then letting the audience
fill in his meaning. And he ended with an ode to optimism that also seemed
underdeveloped. You got the sense that he wanted to keep things light but also
not ignore topicality — and got a little stuck in between. His strength was in
the jokes, their range, density and surprise. Highlights included a sharp jab
at Ted Sarandos (who took it gamely) and an especially funny Jeffrey Epstein
punchline that drew gasps. After pointing out that no British actors were
nominated, he said: “A British spokesperson said, ‘Yeah, well, at least we
arrest our pedophiles.’”
My favorite joke was perhaps
his nerdiest. “‘F1’ did so well they’re making a sequel: ‘Caps Lock.’” He
seemed to anticipate the crowd wouldn’t laugh loudly at this keyboard joke, but
I bet it did well at home. And you could tell it was one he loved. That delight
came across.
March 15, 2026, 8:27 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Well, now we’ll always have
to wonder what Sean Penn would have said about playing this racist loony toon.
March 15, 2026, 8:23 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Sean Penn has skipped most
of this awards season. “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening — or didn’t
want to,” Kieran Culkin said, accepting on his behalf.
March 15, 2026, 8:22 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Sean Penn wins best
supporting actor — and he’s not there.
Best Supporting Actor
Sean Penn
Wins best supporting actor
for "One Battle After Another."
March 15, 2026, 8:21 p.m.
Jacob Bernstein
Sean Penn wins best
supporting actor but opts for Ukraine, not the Oscars.
Sean Penn at a French
festival in October.Credit...Arnaud Finistre/Agence France-Presse — Getty s
Sean Penn won the Academy
Award for best supporting actor for his turn as a military zealot in Paul
Thomas Anderson’s politically charged film “One Battle After Another.”
But he skipped the
proceedings on Sunday and headed to Europe, where his plan as of late last week
was to visit Ukraine, according to two people who spoke on the condition of
anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
The people did not specify
what he would be doing there or where precisely within the country he would be
going. There remained some possibility that although Penn had left the United
States by the time of the telecast, his itinerary might have changed.
A representative for Penn
declined to comment.
This was the sixth Oscar
nomination and third win for Penn, 65, who was a favorite to take home the
honor. The other contenders for best supporting actor were Stellan Skarsgard for
his self-involved father in “Sentimental Value”; Jacob Elordi for his depiction
of the doctor’s monstrous creation in “Frankenstein”; Delroy Lindo as a
vampire-fighting blues musician in “Sinners”; and Benicio Del Toro for his
portrayal of a karate instructor and revolutionary ally in “One Battle After
Another.”
During the ceremony, the
presenter for the supporting actor category, Kieran Culkin, said, “Sean Penn
couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the
award on his behalf.”
Penn’s performance garnered
a BAFTA and an Actor’s Award from the Screen Actors Guild. But he skipped both
of those ceremonies. With his win on Sunday, Penn joins a small club of actors
who have won three Oscars. They include Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jack
Nicholson and Ingrid Bergman.
Penn has spent significant
time in Ukraine since 2022, when he filmed a documentary, “Superpower,” about
Russia’s invasion of the country.
His long history with
activism has been fortified by his celebrity and propelled by his discomfort
with the attention that comes with it.
Penn’s father, Leo Penn, was
an actor whose movie career ended in the ’50s when he was blacklisted for
refusing to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee. (He
later became a highly successful TV director.)
Penn’s activism — along with
his scrapes with the paparazzi — has been public fodder at least since 1985,
when he became romantically involved with Madonna, his first wife. According to
the 2023 biography “Madonna: A Rebel Life,” Penn tried to help save a close
friend of the music star’s by buying H.I.V. drugs in Mexico that had not been
approved in the United States. (The friend, Martin Burgoyne, died of AIDS in
November 1986.)
In 2002, Penn took out an ad
in The Washington Post opposing George W. Bush’s plan to go to war in Iraq. Two
months later, he visited Baghdad, where he was quoted saying that Iraq had no
weapons of mass destruction. And when Penn won the Oscar for best actor in 2004
for his role in “Mystic River,” he took to the stage and said, “If there’s one
thing actors know, other than that there weren’t any W.M.D.s, it’s that there’s
no such thing as best in acting.”
In 2005, Penn operated a rescue
boat in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and in 2010 he
formed an organization now known as Core, which established a camp in Haiti for
more than 50,000 displaced people.
The year before, Penn won
his second best actor Oscar, for playing the gay rights activist Harvey Milk.
In an acceptance speech in which he acknowledged, “I know how hard I make it to
appreciate me,” he went on to criticize “those who voted for the ban against
gay marriage,” saying that it was a “good time for them to sit and reflect and
anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if
they continue that way of support.
“We’ve got to have equal
rights for everyone,” he continued.
When Russia invaded Ukraine
in 2022, Penn called it the “tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of
dreams,” adding, “If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.”
He formed a friendship with
Zelensky and, during one visit, pulled one of his Oscars out of a duffel bag
and gave it to him as a gift. Penn said he could return it when the war was
won.
Livia Albeck-Ripka
contributed reporting.
A correction was made on
March 15, 2026
:
An earlier version of this
article misstated the awards Sean Penn won for his turn in “One Battle After
Another.” He did not win a Golden Globe for that performance.
March 15, 2026, 8:21 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
The tie is causing some
technical havoc as the broadcast briefly cuts from the second winners to Conan,
watching silently from a different part of the stage. Conan later congratulates
both winners: “You just ruined 22 million Oscar pools.”
March 15, 2026, 8:21 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Barbra Streisand and
Katharine Hepburn tied back in, what, ’69, for best actress?
March 15, 2026, 8:18 p.m.
Livia Albeck-Ripka
This is the seventh time
there’s been a tie at the Oscars, the last being at the 2013 Academy Awards in
the sound editing category between “Skyfall” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”
March 15, 2026, 8:17 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
“I didn’t know that was a thing,
a tie,” says the director of one of the winners, “The Singers,” speaking for a
lot of us.
Live-Action Short
“Two People Exchanging
Saliva” (tie)
Wins for best live-action
short.
Live-Action Short
“The Singers” (tie)
Wins for best live-action short.
March 15, 2026, 8:16 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
So many voters told me they
skipped the short film categories this year, and I’d bet the much smaller
totals helped contribute to that very rare tie.
March 15, 2026, 8:16 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Oh, a tie! For best live
action short film. Well, this is very exciting and also somewhat ironic since
it will take twice as long for this acceptance to happen.
March 15, 2026, 8:14 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Kumail Nanjiani says that many
feature-length films would be better as short films, and you know what? Some
days, I cannot disagree. (He names a few: “The King’s Tweet.” “Some of That
Jazz.” “No County for Old Man.” “One Battle.”)
March 15, 2026, 8:10 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Of note: Cassandra
Kulukundis was an intern (!) on Paul Thomas Anderson’s first feature, “Hard
Eight,” which came out way back in 1996 — and now she has an Oscar for casting
“One Battle After Another.”
March 15, 2026, 8:09 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Second place for me was the
casting for “The Secret Agent,” which has a comparably impossible mix of the
professional and the new-to-acting.
March 15, 2026, 8:08 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
The “One Battle” casting
winner, Cassandra Kulukundis, dedicates the award to the casting directors who
never got acknowledged, either at the Oscars or even in a movie’s credits.
March 15, 2026, 8:06 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
It’s not merely about the
film with the best cast, but the process itself. The Academy’s official definition
of casting (I looked it up) is: “The process by which a casting director
collaborates with a film’s director and producers on the creative
consideration, and selection of actors who comprise the acting ensemble of a
film.”
March 15, 2026, 8:05 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
“One Battle After Another”
took the first ever casting award, which almost all pundits expected to go to
“Sinners.” That may presage the ultimate best picture outcome.
Casting
“One Battle after Another”
Wins for best casting.
March 15, 2026, 8:03 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I like that they are giving
the new Oscar for best casting a lot of air time, especially to give casting
directors — who have long been the unsung heroes of the movies — their due.
(But spacing these actors out this way onstage is gave me a brief
social-distancing-era Oscar flashback.)
March 15, 2026, 8:03 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Paul Mescal, Wagner Moura,
Gwyneth Paltrow, Delroy Lindo and Chase Infiniti are paying tribute to the
nominated casting directors from their films.
In Case You Missed It
March 15, 2026, 7:58 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
After a zesty introduction
from the host Conan O’Brien, who appeared in a montage dressed in a wig and
clown makeup inspired by Amy Madigan’s villainous character from “Weapons,” Madigan
herself took the stage to accept the first award of the night, best supporting
actress. Her fellow early winners included “KPop Demon Hunters” for animated
feature, “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” for animated short and a crafty pair for
“Frankenstein”: costume design and makeup and hairstyling.
March 15, 2026, 7:57 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
There has been a remarkable
amount of Internet thirst over Frankenstein’s creature, which you can likely
attribute as much to the makeup and hairstyling team from “Frankenstein” as to
Jacob Elordi himself.
March 15, 2026, 7:54 p.m.
Esther Zuckerman
All about the new Oscar for
casting.
Sandra Bernhard, left, and
Fran Drescher are among the stars of “Marty Supreme.”Credit...A24
This year, for the first
time in its 98-year history, the Oscars have introduced a prize for casting.
The trophy will be handed out to one of five nominated casting directors: Nina
Gold of “Hamnet,” Jennifer Venditti of “Marty Supreme,” Cassandra Kulukundis of
“One Battle After Another,” Gabriel Domingues of “The Secret Agent” or Francine
Maisler of “Sinners.”
The official rules define
casting as “the process by which a casting director collaborates with a film’s
director and producers on the creative consideration, and selection of actors who
comprise the acting ensemble of a film.” Crucially, the prize is not for the
acting ensemble, like the one given out by SAG-AFTRA’s Actor Awards.
“We’re recognizing the
individual or the team that actually did the casting work,” Bernard Telsey, a
former governor of the academy’s casting branch, told The New York Times.
The members of the casting
branch first determined a shortlist of 10 potential nominees, who were
announced in December. Then the academy held a “bake-off” for the shortlisted
films, which included five-minute presentations of scenes the potential
contenders thought were representative of their work. While just the casting
branch was responsible for picking the final nominees, all members could watch
the bake-off.
What constitutes good casting
is in the eye of the beholder, but one of the current governors, Debra Zane,
said, “When I don’t notice the casting, that’s good casting.”
Makeup and Hairstyling
“Frankenstein”
Wins for best makeup and
hairstyling.
March 15, 2026, 7:53 p.m.
Philip Cheung
Photographer at the Oscars
The “Sinners” ensemble.
March 15, 2026, 7:53 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I admit, I have thought a
lot about that blood-soaked dress Mia Goth ends up wearing in “Frankenstein.”
March 15, 2026, 7:51 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
As an elder millennial film
critic, a “Devil Wears Prada” bit at the Oscars is straight out of my culture.
Can’t wait for the sequel.
Costume Design
“Frankenstein”
Wins for best costume
design.
March 15, 2026, 7:50 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
The surprise reveal of
presenter Anna Wintour earned some murmured wows in my section.
March 15, 2026, 7:50 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
I think this is Anna
Wintour’s first Oscars appearance.
March 15, 2026, 7:50 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Conan does another bit
poking fun at the changing tech platforms of filmgoing, with a spoof on a
company that makes movies “very tall and very skinny” for viewing on a screen.
It ends with a cameo of a game Martin Scorsese.
March 15, 2026, 7:48 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
You’ve got to smile at
bringing Misty Copeland on to perform right in front of Timothée Chalamet after
his ballet comment kerfuffle. Copeland remarked during a panel for Aveeno a few
days ago that Chalamet “wouldn’t be an actor and have the opportunities he has
as a movie star if it weren’t for opera and ballet and their relevance in that
medium. So all of these mediums have a space and we shouldn’t be comparing
them.”
March 15, 2026, 7:47 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
Last year, song performances
were banished from the show entirely, an effort to save time. But that
“Sinners” ensemble made a strong case for bringing the beat back.
March 15, 2026, 7:47 p.m.
Wesley Morris
I’m going to say that
“Sinners” number needed way more chintz, way more “too much” — way more Debbie
Allen. (Of course, I’m one of those folks who doesn’t think it doesn’t work in
the movie, either.)
March 15, 2026, 7:45 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
That performance kept on
going once they cut for commercial break with another 30 seconds of singing and
dancing. Clearly gathering that group together was a phenomenal idea, but they
weren’t finished!
March 15, 2026, 7:43 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
It looks like they’ve got practically
the whole cast of “Sinners” on stage for this, and that’s Misty Copeland.
March 15, 2026, 7:42 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Is that Rhiannon Giddens
with Christone Kingfish Ingram and Brittany Howard playing up there in all of
this chaos? And Shaboozey?
March 15, 2026, 7:40 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
The “Sinners” montage across
musical genres and eras is one of only two musical performances tonight. (The
other is, of course, “Golden” from the newly minted Oscar winner “KPop Demon
Hunters.”)
March 15, 2026, 7:39 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
You knew they’d have to find
a way to stage the Scene of the Year from “Sinners” at these Oscars.
March 15, 2026, 7:38 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
“The Girl Who Cried Pearls,”
which is a stop-motion film, is the second Oscar-nominated animated short for
its directors, Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, but the first win, and a
love letter to Montreal.
March 15, 2026, 7:38 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
“Animation is more than a
prompt, it’s an art form that needs to be protected!” Will Arnett says, to
applause. It was a bit (he was trying to one-up his co-presenter Channing
Tatum), but the crowd was here for it.
March 15, 2026, 7:36 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
The Oscar for “KPop Demon
Hunters” is no surprise tonight, but it sure was a surprise hit last year for
its studio, Netflix, for which it became one of its most popular and successful
films ever.
March 15, 2026, 7:35 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Those serene, moving “KPop” speeches
were inversely proportional to how insanely funny and insanely inspired movie
their movie is.
Animated Short
“The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
Wins for best animated
short.
March 15, 2026, 7:35 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“For those of you who look
like me, I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie that looks
like this,” Maggie Kang says while accepting the best feature animation award.
“This is for Korea, and Koreans everywhere.”
March 15, 2026, 7:33 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“KPop Demon Hunters” was
born when the co-director Maggie Kang was pregnant; she came up with the name
Rumi for the film, and then gave it to her daughter. Once she hit on the idea
of merging demon hunters and K-pop, she realized that “this silly K-pop movie
idea could represent so many aspects of my culture,” as she told me a few
months ago. “Once I realized that, it was full force, making the most Korean
movie I could make.”
Animated Feature
“KPop Demon Hunters”
Wins for best animated
feature.
March 15, 2026, 7:31 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Channing Tatum is roasting
Will Arnett as they present the best animated feature award, and I am here for
it.
March 15, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Wesley Morris
I never saw Amy Madigan
being the first Oscar winner in her marriage with Ed Harris, who’s lost four
acting Oscars. It was also one of those performances that, the minute Madigan
shows up, you’re like, “This already excellent movie is about to lose its
mind.” And mostly it does.
March 15, 2026, 7:29 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
It was the sole nomination
for “Weapons” tonight, a critical favorite and box office hit that may have
suffered from the Academy’s aversion to horror.
March 15, 2026, 7:26 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
In her speech, Amy Madigan
notes that she was last nominated about 40 years ago. What’s different now, she
says, “is that I got this little gold guy!” She thanks the writer-director Zach
Cregger, who got his start in alternative comedy and made the year’s most
startling horror-comedy. “I’m flummoxed,” Madigan says in her heartfelt speech.
“My legs are shaking.”
March 15, 2026, 7:24 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
I’m so pleased they’re
showing clips of the acting nominees again, although I would have cleaved some seconds
from the presenter Zoe Saldaña’s boilerplate introduction to make even more
room for them.
March 15, 2026, 7:23 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Accepting the Oscar for best
supporting actress, Amy Madigan notes that thanking people who “nobody knows
who they are” is important because the winners wouldn’t be onstage without
them. And it’s true! These are, in the end, industry awards.
March 15, 2026, 7:23 p.m.
Emmanuel Morgan
Amy Madigan wins best
supporting actress for ‘Weapons.’
Amy Madigan accepting the
supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Weapons.”
Amy Madigan has won the
supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Weapons.”
In the horror film, Madigan,
75, portrays the villainous Aunt Gladys, a parasitic witch who drains the life
force energy of people to survive.
“She’s really needy in the
sense that she needs all these people, she can’t do it on her own, and I found
that really intriguing about her,” Madigan said about the role in an interview
with The Times.
The award is Madigan’s first
Oscar and her second supporting actress nomination — she received a nod in 1986
for the drama “Twice in a Lifetime,” which starred Gene Hackman.
Madigan, who won a SAG Actor
Award earlier this month for her “Weapons” performance, was up against Teyana
Taylor for “One Battle After Another,” Wunmi Mosaku for “Sinners,” Elle Fanning
for “Sentimental Value” and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for “Sentimental Value.”
March 15, 2026, 7:22 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Well, Amy Madigan is
cackling! And so is her jacket!
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Madigan
Wins best supporting actress
for "Weapons."
March 15, 2026, 7:20 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
O’Brien pointing out that 31
countries across six continents are represented this evening at the Oscars is notable
for a few reasons, one of which is that the Academy has been expanding its
global membership rapidly over the past decade or so, which helps account for
its changing taste in recent years. (For the most part better taste, too, in my
book!)
March 15, 2026, 7:18 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Without mentioning any
conflict directly, Conan O’Brien also gets serious as he talks about why film
and Oscars matter at a turbulent time: Many countries and languages are
represented, highlighting “the ideals of global artistry, collaboration,
patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today, optimism.”
March 15, 2026, 7:17 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
That’s an awfully nice
message of optimism from Conan, who spoke with what felt like authentic love of
art and movies. (You don’t always get that from some awards-show hosts, who
feel like they haven’t even bothered to watch the nominees.)
March 15, 2026, 7:16 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Leonardo DiCaprio this
evening has what is striking me as one of Jack Nicholson’s Oscars mustaches.
March 15, 2026, 7:14 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
“Every seat filler tonight
will be Michael B. Jordan,” O’Brien jokes, and on TV at least, we see Jordan in
a bunch of seats. (Jordan plays two roles in “Sinners,” and brilliantly.)
March 15, 2026, 7:14 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I forgot until now that
O’Brien is in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” — for which Rose Byrne is nominated
in the best actress category — and it’s not just a cameo, either. It’s a big
part, and he’s very good in it.
March 15, 2026, 7:14 p.m.
Reggie Ugwu
“Why isn’t the website I
order toilet paper from winning more Oscars?” Conan jokes, about Amazon’s lack
of nominations tonight. It’s his second jab at tech’s takeover of Hollywood in
this monologue, after earlier roasting the Netflix chief Ted Sarandos.
March 15, 2026, 7:11 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
You know who’s actually
wearing a classic tux? Conan. The just-peaked-enough lapels, the visible
cufflinks, the prominent bowtie. He’s dressed like he could’ve hosted the show
25, 35 years ago. I like it.
March 15, 2026, 7:10 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
O’Brien’s joke about the
sequel to best pic nominee “F1” being “Caps Lock” is, he says, a joke for himself.
Conan, that is a joke for me too.
March 15, 2026, 7:09 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Rose Byrne on the red
carpet.
Video
Bobby Cannavale and Rose
Byrne, a nominee for best actress in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”
March 15, 2026, 7:09 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Kylie Jenner, who did not
walk the red carpet with Timothée Chalamet, her partner, is sitting next to him
in poured-on red Schiaparelli, with a keyhole at the deep vee of her halter
neckline. Because, you know, he has the key to her heart, and all that.
March 15, 2026, 7:09 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Conan O’Brien cracks jokes
about A.I., threats from the opera and ballet communities (a joke about
Timothée Chalamet’s late-breaking comments about those disciplines) and about
an alternate Oscars hosted by Kid Rock, plus Netflix boss Ted Sarandos’s “first
time in a theater.” Off to a good topical start!
March 15, 2026, 7:08 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”
director.
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 7:07 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
“I am honored to be the last
human host of the Academy Awards,” Conan quips, in what’s sure to be one of
many A.I. jokes.
March 15, 2026, 7:06 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
Well that video intro played
like gangbusters in the audience, with the biggest cheers going up for
“Sinners.”
March 15, 2026, 7:06 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
I was enjoying this opening
montage of Conan O’Brien dressed as Amy Madigan’s character in “Weapons,”
running through a number of the nominees, and got very excited when he showed
up chatting in Norwegian with Stellan Skarsgard in “Sentimental Value.” That
will never not be funny. But you’ve got to admit his natural form is as an
Irish vampire in “Sinners.”
March 15, 2026, 7:04 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Hello everybody, and thank
you for joining us for our annual Oscars ceremony watchfest! Follow along for
all the winners, highlights, lowlights and hot takes, delivered in real time
(or as fast as our streaming connections can carry us). Hope you enjoy the
show!
March 15, 2026, 7:04 p.m.
Wesley Morris
Hi crew. An honor be here
with y’all. Just so you know who you’re dealing with this evening: I’m a Kate Hudson-Wagner
Moura-“Secret Agent”-Wunmi Mosaku-Benicio del Toro-Paul Thomas Anderson/Ryan
Coogler person. Plus I’m pulling for a blasphemous “I Lied to You” upset over
“Golden,” even though “KPop Demon Hunters” is the funniest-on-purpose movie of
2025.
March 15, 2026, 7:04 p.m.
Alissa Wilkinson
Hi all! I’m here with you
tonight too, ready to put this Oscars season to rest and see who finally comes
out on top. What a good year of movies it’s been. Let’s get started!
March 15, 2026, 6:59 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Kieran Culkin arriving on
the red carpet.
Video
March 15, 2026, 6:58 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Emma Stone, Spike Lee, Tonya
Lewis Lee and Zoe Saldaña arriving at the Oscars.
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:58 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
During the preshow, the announcer
Matt Berry just welcomed us to “the Oscars, or the winter Ozempics.”
March 15, 2026, 6:58 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Chanel, which does not
officially have a men’s wear line, has recently proved a hit with some men,
including ASAP Rocky (who is an official friend of the house), Harry Styles
and, tonight, Pedro Pascal, who eschewed a jacket and instead went with a big
white flower on his white shirt.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:57 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
After going very classic for
the run-up awards in suits that easily could’ve been out of “Marty Supreme,”
Timothée Chalamet ebbed back to his more audacious style tonight. He went
head-to-toe white in a Givenchy by Sarah Burton suit and matching alabaster
Chelsea boots. A stark (maybe too stark) swerve against all the black tie. With
his shaggy haircut and blacked-out shades, the look was honestly a bit ’N Sync.
March 15, 2026, 6:51 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
I’m seated inside the Dolby
Theater, where there’s a light-up bracelet attached to every seat. Perhaps
they’ll glow “Golden” later on?
March 15, 2026, 6:49 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Isabela Merced on the red
carpet.
Video
March 15, 2026, 6:46 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Omar Benson Miller from
“Sinners” arriving at the Oscars.
Video
March 15, 2026, 6:41 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
Listen, I admire any red
carpet risk, but Joe Alwyn’s Valentino ribbon tie is reminiscent of one thing
and one thing only: Colonel Sanders.
Credit...Nina Westervelt for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:40 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Chase Infiniti on the red
carpet.
Video
Chase Infiniti from “One
Battle After Another.”
March 15, 2026, 6:32 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Chanel-the-brand is associated
with a lot of adjectives — elegance, chic, liberating — but sexy is not usually
one of them. Teyana Taylor, in black and white Chanel with sheer bodice and
fringed skirt, may be about to change all that.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:32 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
What’s up with the feathers?
Nicole Kidman, in Chanel, is like the white swan to Demi Moore’s Gucci-clad
poison green/black swan.
Credit...Nina Westervelt for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Jessie Buckley, Li Jun Li
and Renate Reinsve on the red carpet.
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Maya Salam
Matt Berry will be this
year’s ‘Voice of God.’
Matt Berry may be best known
for “What We Do in the Shadows.”Credit...Jae C. Hong/Invision, via Associated Press
Fans of the debauched
vampire comedy “What We Do in the Shadows” will recognize a familiar booming
voice at tonight’s Oscars: Matt Berry, who will lend his baritone and
distinctive pronunciation — prepare for a zhuzhed-up “Timothée Chalamet” — as
the show’s announcer, or the “voice of God” as it’s often called.
The job of the Oscars
announcer is essentially to narrate the show by introducing presenters and
nominees while adding helpful context and maintaining the ceremony’s pacing.
He’ll act as a complement to Conan O’Brien, this year’s host.
Within hours of the
announcement on Wednesday, Reddit threads had popped up anticipating the names
and titles that Berry, 51, will probably say and how entertaining his delivery
will be.
On “What We Do,” Berry played
the 300-year-old bon vivant bloodsucker Laszlo Cravensworth, a role that earned
him an Emmy nomination in 2024, the year the FX sitcom concluded after six
seasons.
Outside the United States,
Berry, a prolific British actor and singer-songwriter, is best known for cult
comedies like “Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace” and “Toast of London,” a performance
that won him a BAFTA in 2015.
Last year’s announcer was
Nick Offerman, of “Parks and Recreation” fame, and the year before that, it was
the Tony-nominated David Alan Grier.
March 15, 2026, 6:26 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Damson Idris just announced
that he also does not use a stylist — he wants to save some money, he said.
Whatever you think of his padded Prada jacket with faux fur collar, again, I
appreciate him trusting his own taste.
March 15, 2026, 6:23 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
No one ever accused a guy
who calls himself “Mr. Wonderful” of being subtle. Kevin O’Leary, the millionaire
“Shark Tank” host / “Marty Supreme” actor / guy who appears in ads about gold
arrived on the carpet wearing a dinner jacket coated in silver-embroidered
Roman figures, like a wearable relic from the ruins of Alexandria. Around his
neck was a graded basketball card attached to a thick chain, in case there was
any doubt that this is a guy who worships expensive things.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:21 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Representing the tradition
of fairy-tale princess gowns: Elle Fanning in white and silver Givenchy by
Sarah Burton. Cinderella would be jealous.
Credit...Nina Westervelt for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:17 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Kristen Wiig is wearing
essentially a very fancy beaded tank top and very fancy boho deluxe skirt, by
Elie Saab. She looks great — and also comfortable, which is not a word often
used in the context of red carpet fashion. (It’s usually more like: “Wow! Can
she even sit down in that?”) Like Odessa A’zion’s decision to style herself,
this seems like a more modern approach.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:16 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
To see Megan Falley, the
subject of the best documentary feature nominee “Come See Me in the Good Light”
and the poet Andrea Gibson’s widow, in attendance here is a testament to
processing grief through community. A poet herself, she’s been on a pretty
comprehensive press tour since the film was nominated. “I wish everyone could
process their grief this way,” she said.
March 15, 2026, 6:12 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Demi Moore made a lot of news
two weeks ago when she appeared at the Gucci show in Milan for the designer
Demna’s runway debut — and seemed to have cut her hair into a lob. Well, here
she is again wearing Gucci — and her hair is back to waist-length. Turns out
the lob was a wig. Surprise!
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:08 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Wunmi Mosaku really knows
how to do red-carpet pregnancy style; just look at her emerald green,
free-form, figure-hugging dress.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 6:07 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
It feels as if every male
actor has the same brilliant idea when they want to do something different on
the carpet: go for brown. Kieran Culkin, Miles Caton, Domhnall Gleeson — we’re
seeing lots of sepia and sienna tux experiments tonight.
March 15, 2026, 6:06 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
In Hollywood, there is
always a more elite circle. You may have a coveted ticket to the Oscars, but if
you are not seated in the lowest level, you are not allowed to hang out in the
lower-level lobby that’s far less crowded, with more passed appetizers and
glasses of champagne — not to mention some tables and chairs where women can
rest their already tired feet. Sissy Spacek may want to head down there; the
actress was just spotted in the bathroom talking about her tired tootsies. She
may get access to the bottom lobby, but even still, stars, they’re just like
us.
March 15, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Brooks Barnes
Best picture nominees had
mixed box office firepower.
Credit...Sahiba
Chawdhary/Reuters
The best picture category
has declined in box office power for four consecutive years.
In 2023, the 10 nominees
took in a collective $4.4 billion at theaters worldwide. In 2024, the total for
the 10 fell to $2.9 billion. In 2025, the group managed $1.8 billion.
This year’s total is $1.7
billion.
For context, “Titanic”
arrived at the 1998 Oscars having sold roughly $1.3 billion in tickets by
itself. Adjusted for inflation, that figure soars to $2.6 billion. Add in the
adjusted totals for the other best picture nominees that year — there were only
five — and the tally reaches $4.5 billion.
The best picture category
declined again this year, in part, because two of the nominated films, “Train
Dreams” and “Frankenstein,” had no ticket sales at all. (Netflix gave the films
limited Oscar-qualifying runs in theaters — so limited that ticket sales are
not disclosed.) In 2025, only one of the 10 nominated films came from a
streaming service.
Two more nominees,
“Sentimental Value” and “The Secret Agent,” barely registered at the box
office, taking in a respective $22 million and $18 million or so, according to
Comscore, which compiles box office data. (They’re both small-budget
foreign-language films.)
“Bugonia” added about $43
million; “Hamnet” about $96 million.
That left four widely seen
nominees to pick up the slack: “F1: The Movie” was the top performer, selling
about $633 million in tickets, followed by “Sinners” ($369 million), “Marty
Supreme” ($274.5 million) and “One Battle After Another” ($209 million).
But it wasn’t quite enough.
March 15, 2026, 5:58 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Jessie Buckley is wearing a
Chanel ruby and pink silk dress with a train inspired by a style Grace Kelly
wore to the Oscars in 1956. Why? Not entirely clear, since Kelly was a presenter
in 1956, not a nominee, but she is a perennial style reference. In case you
were wondering, Edith Head designed the original.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:57 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
Shout-out to Wagner Moura of
“The Secret Agent,” who used his interview on CNN & Variety’s red carpet
broadcast to speak out against suits with big shoulder pads. That’s the kind of
fashion criticism we need on the carpet!
March 15, 2026, 5:51 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Diane Warren is an Oscar
perennial, having been nominated in the original-song category for each of the
past nine years. Still, her song “Dear Me” won’t be performed tonight, as the
show has cut all nominated musical performances except those from “Sinners” and
“KPop Demon Hunters.” Warren said she was happy to be recognized, but admitted,
“It would have been nice to see Kesha perform the song,” which is featured in a
documentary about Warren herself. She hopes that when the Oscars move to
YouTube in a few years, they won’t be as eager to trim nominated performances
from the broadcast: “They’ll have more time, right? And by the way, the Oscars
always go over time.”
March 15, 2026, 5:48 p.m.
Sinna Nasseri
Photographer at the Oscars
Hudson Williams arriving at
the Oscars.
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:48 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Odessa A’zion is one of the
few celebs who styles herself, rather than hiring someone to do it for her. Her
taste isn’t safe, and sometimes it’s pretty wacky — see, for example, tonight’s
starry Valentino pants-’n’-robe look — but it’s clearly her own, and frankly,
it’s refreshing to see someone take some risks. Would that more of her peers
follow her example.
March 15, 2026, 5:39 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Audrey Nuna, one of the
voices behind “KPop Demon Hunters,” has been making waves on the red carpet all
season; she was at the Yohji Yamamoto fashion show in Paris a week ago, raising
some suspicions about whether she would wear that designer tonight. Now we have
our answer: nope. But she is wearing an oceanic Thom Browne gown, with a gold
beaded jacket. Let’s just say she’s not afraid of raising the volume.
March 15, 2026, 5:39 p.m.
Livia Albeck-RipkaEmmanuel
Morgan and Matt Stevens
The reporters, based in Los
Angeles, offered observations from their trip to the ceremony on Sunday.
Tight security measures
include ‘eyes everywhere.’
Los Angeles police officers
patrolling outside the Dolby Theater on Sunday.Credit...Blake Fagan/Agence
France-Presse — Getty s
To get to the Academy
Awards, even as a reporter, you must park at a shuttered cinema, take a bus to
Hollywood Boulevard, travel along streets lined with concrete slabs and manned
by traffic controllers, and then, finally, pass through bag checks, two metal
detectors and a dog with a well-honed nose.
Security is always paramount
at the Oscars, and repeat attendees will tell you the checkpoints are nothing
new. But this year, as the United States wages a war with Iran, there is extra
attention on the security measures put in place for the Academy Awards.
“It’s the same because it’s
been effective,” said Detective Jerry Arrieta of the Los Angeles Police
Department.
“There’s eyes everywhere,”
he added, as he and other officers patrolled the perimeter on Sunday afternoon.
A security alert from the
F.B.I. about possible retaliation from Iran raised alarm in California last
week, but top state and local officials made clear there were no specific
imminent threats. The team running the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theater
emphasized the importance of safety without disclosing specific precautions.
“Every year we monitor
what’s going on in the world,” the showrunner Raj Kapoor told reporters last
week. He added, “This show has to run like clockwork” and “We want everybody to
feel safe and protected and welcome.”
The Police Department said
in a statement that security planning for this year’s Oscars had been
“extensive” and included “layered security perimeters, traffic management plans
and a highly visible police presence throughout the Hollywood area.”
March 15, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
Some men wear ties. Fewer
wear cravats. Lewis Pullman is wearing both. It’s a styling move that Saint
Laurent toyed with on the runway a couple months ago. On Pullman tonight, the
cravat just kind of makes it looks like he’s wearing two shirts over each
other, a la Steve Bannon.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:29 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
The singer Josh Groban is at
the Oscars to participate in a comedic bit with the host Conan O’Brien. “I
think some people thought I was doing something serious like ‘In Memoriam,’”
Groban said. He’s a big Oscar fan who watches every year, and he’s eager to
meet the cast of “Sinners,” though he joked about playing one of the film’s
Irish vampires should a sequel be made: “Sinners 2: Still Sinning After All
These Years,” he pitched.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:28 p.m.
Nicole Sperling
Sitting at a checkpoint in
my car. Windows rolled down, hood and trunk opened up for officers and a
bomb-sniffing dog to inspect my vehicle. An officer with the Los Angeles Police
Department said it was using more drones this year.
March 15, 2026, 5:26 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
Gap, or, ahem, Gap Studio,
continues to nose its way onto the red carpet, dressing Barbie Ferreira tonight
in a blueberry moiré gown with a pronounced corseted cinch. Under the creative
director Zac Posen (who always has the touch when it comes to befriending
celebs), the mall brand has strived — diligently, and honestly, with some
success — to be taken seriously as a red carpet outfitter.
Credit...Nina Westervelt for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:22 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
If the Oscars didn’t realize
the power of Brazilian fandom, they certainly know it now after back-to-back
best picture nominations for “I’m Still Here” and now “The Secret Agent.”
Peruse any social-media mention of the awards, and you’re likely to find the
replies spammed with Brazilian-flag emojis. “Brazilians are super
well-connected to the internet,” said Kleber Mendonça Filho, who directed “The
Secret Agent.” “But the main thing is I think Brazilians know how cool Brazil
is. Abroad, maybe people don’t quite get that idea, so when there’s a cool
piece of music or art, Brazilians tend to be very vocal and passionate.”
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:11 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
I have a nomination for
best-dressed, and the red carpet has barely begun. Renate Reinsve in a
completely plain strapless red Louis Vuitton column, cut almost to the hip on
one side, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail and just some red lipstick,
perfectly embodies the current return of ’90s minimalism. It’s not a typical
red carpet look, but in this case, less is a lot more.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:08 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Jewelry has become a very
lucrative sideline for many celebs on the red carpet (they are often paid not
just to wear clothes, but also for their watches, bags, etc.). To wit: Hudson
Williams, in a Balenciaga suit and Bulgari watch and pin, being very deliberate
about posing with his wrist up and bracelet visible. He knows the game.
Credit...Nina Westervelt for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 4:59 p.m.
Vanessa Friedman
Fashion director and chief
fashion critic
Chase Infiniti has arrived,
in lilac mermaid-meets-can-can-girl Louis Vuitton (she is a friend of the
brand). Vuitton is one of the brands that should be very well-represented
tonight, given their many contractual relationships with stars like Emma Stone
and Renate Reinsve.
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 4:55 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
The director Paul Feig is
here in a natty aubergine suit to celebrate the cast members of his film “Bridesmaids,”
who are reuniting at the Oscars for its 15th anniversary. When did he realize
that comedy would become an Oscar contender for original screenplay and its
supporting actress Melissa McCarthy? “When you make a movie where someone is
[pooping] in the sink and in the street, you don’t think Oscars are coming your
way,” he joked. “But it taught me a great lesson: Don’t make movies to try to
win awards. Make movies to entertain an audience.”
Credit...Jutharat
Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
Are there any recent
comedies he wish got more Oscar attention? “As far as I’m concerned, ‘Weapons’
should have been up for best picture,” Feig said of the horror hit, which
received one nomination for the supporting actress Amy Madigan. “That’s my kind
of comedy.”
March 15, 2026, 4:45 p.m.
Melena Ryzik
Anti-ICE campaign takes to
the streets near the ceremony.
“ICE Out” messages were
projected in Los Angeles ahead of the Oscars.Credit...Maremoto
The organizations behind the
ICE Out and Be Good pins that some celebrities have been sporting during awards
season took their message to the streets on the evening before the Oscars,
projecting messages on the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, the Loews Hollywood
Hotel and other buildings.
The unauthorized,
guerrilla-style campaign displayed statements like “ICE is building an army to
deport our neighbors,” “ICE is building an AI powered police state” and “ICE
OUT of LA.” Some messages included photos of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who
were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis in January. Others invited
observers to “Join Us” and displayed a QR code linking to a new website for the
campaign.
The A.C.L.U., MoveOn,
Working Families Power and the National Domestic Workers Alliance are among the
organizations behind the initiative, which began early this year. “We will
continue to take our demands to every possible stage,” said Jess Morales
Rocketto, executive director of Maremoto, a Latino civic advocacy group that is
another partner in the campaign. “Awards season is ending but our demand
remains the same: ICE OUT.”
March 15, 2026, 4:42 p.m.
Jacob Gallagher
Reporter covering fashion
and style
It’s very early but I’d say
we already have the fashion swerve of the evening: Buddy Guy in some black
leather overalls. When you’re 89, go ahead and interpret black tie however you
want.
Credit...Sinna Nasseri for
The New York Times
March 15, 2026, 4:36 p.m.
Kyle Buchanan
On the red carpet, the “Voice
of Hind Rajab” director Kaouther Ben Hania was joined by actors from her
international-film nominee, though its Palestinian lead, Motaz Malhees, was
unable to enter the U.S. “He’s banned by Mr. Trump,” she said. “For me, this is
the most racist thing.” Ben Hania noted that although her fact-based film about
a young Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza was an award winner
at Venice, Hollywood studios did not besiege her with offers. But she wanted to
focus on something positive, the Justice for Hind Rajab Act recently introduced
in the House of Representatives: “This is for us. We already won.”
LOOKING INWARDS...
X09 Daily Mail UK 3/16 0040
A8X09 X09 FROM DAILY MAIL UK
PAINFULLY
AWKWARD OSCARS MOMENTS THAT UPSTAGED 'BORING' AWARDS, FROM
ON-STAGE SNUBS TO STARS BEING CUT OFF MID-SPEECH
By Carly Johnson, Us Senior
Reporter Published: 00:40 Edt, 16 March
2026 | Updated: 09:20 Edt, 16 March 2026
The latest and greatest in Hollywood
flocked to the Dolby Theatre to attend the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday.
It featured well-deserved
wins, shock snubs, emotional tributes and ruthless jokes dished out by Conan
O'Brien, who returned as host for the second consecutive year.
The fates of the nominations
across 24 competitive categories were revealed during a live broadcast on ABC,
with Hamnet's Jessie Buckley and Sinners' Michael B Jordan becoming first-time
Oscar winners.
Boasting a three-hour
runtime, the ceremony offered plenty of opportunity for awkward A-list antics
on and off the Oscars stage.
Barbra Streisand's tearful
singing for the late Robert Redford was among the most viral moments at the
2026 Oscars on Sunday night
Leonardo DiCaprio's amused
yet bewildered look to the camera after hearing a joke from host Conan O'Brien
quickly became an internet meme
The KPop Demon Hunters
songwriting team was cut
off mid-speech as they accepted the award for Best Original Song for the
hit Golden, which was presented by Lionel Richie
Timothee Chalamet's shock
loss and humiliation at the hands of host Conan O'Brien sparked major chatter
from fans during the three-hour show
TRENDING @get/see website for links
Teyana Taylor breaks silence
after being 'shoved' at 2026 Oscars
Woman in romance with
Timothee Chalamet: He blindsided me with Kylie
Jane Fonda takes a swipe at
Barbra Streisand over Robert Redford
Barbra Streisand's tearful
song for the late Robert Redford
Barbra Streisand teared up
before bursting into song during her emotional tribute to the late Robert
Redford during the ceremony.
The EGOT winner, 83, took to
the stage to speak about her close bond with her The Way We Were co-star, who
died at the age of 89 in September.
Streisand began by
reflecting on her work with Redford, who she called an 'intellectual cowboy,'
on the 1973 film, as well as on his decades-long career.
She revealed the fond
nickname Redford had for her and recalled the 'final note' she penned to him
before his death. 'In the last note I ever wrote to Bob, I ended it with, I
love you, too, and I signed it Babs,' she said.
But it was Streisand's
sudden performance of The Way We Were - the same song she sang at Redford's
October funeral - that proved most memorable to the audience, who flocked to
social media to react.
With a giant photo of
Redford in his prime projected on the screen behind her, Streisand belted the
lyrics, 'So, it's the laughter, the laughter we'll remember / Whenever we
remember the way we were / Oh, yes the way we were.'
The star, clad in a black
off-the-shoulder dress and tinted glasses, concluded the rendition with a
dramatic vocal run that earned loud applause from the celebrity audience.
While many people tuning in
to the ceremony on ABC were moved by Streisand's emotional performance, several
critiqued her typically impressive vocal abilities.
Streisand teared up before
bursting into song during her emotional tribute to Redford during the ceremony
Streisand and Redford in
2002. They were longtime friends and famously co-starred in the 1973 film The
Way We Were
Leonardo DiCaprio was
declared the 'king of memes' by O'Brien after years of his facial expressions
going viral on social media.
'He's the star of so many
movies and the king of memes. He's the king of memes, this guy,' O'Brien said.
O'Brien then forced DiCaprio
to create a 'new meme' in real time while he remained in his seat at the
Oscars.
The camera cut to DiCaprio,
who looked on awkwardly, as O'Brien captioned the living meme, 'That feeling
when you didn't agree to this.'
DiCaprio, proving to be a
total professional, turned his head to the camera nearest to him and offered a
playful smirk and a shrug.
Fan fury over KPop Demon
Hunters' big win gets CUT OFF
KPop Demon Hunters fans flew
into a fury online after its musical number Golden won Best Original Song at
the Oscars - only for the writers to be cut off mid-speech.
Singer EJAE, 34, proudly
took to the stage to accept the prize, which she shared with her co-writers
Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and
Teddy Park.
In floods of tears, she
shared: 'Growing up, people made fun of me for liking KPop, but now everyone is
singing our song and all the Korean lyrics and I'm so proud.'
After thanking a variety of people,
both in her personal life and those involved with the movie, she asked: 'Is
there anyone else?'
Lee then approached the
microphone and began to thank someone, but before the audience could find out
who, the play-off music drowned out his voice.
Social media erupted with
outrage, as one viewer fumed: 'Alright f*** the Oscars for cutting off Best
Original Song for Golden KPop Demon Hunters. Absolute disrespect and
disgraceful to the creatives behind the biggest song of the year.'
The KPop Demon Hunters cast,
including singer EJAE, won Best Original Song - only for some of them to be cut
off mid-speech
EJAE, 34, took the stage to
accept the prize, which she shared with her co-writers Mark Sonnenblick, Joong
Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park
THE ROAST OF TIMOTHEE
CHALAMET
Conan O'Brien had Timothee
Chalamet squirming as he called out the Oscar nominee's 'opera and ballet' jab
controversy in front of his Hollywood peers.
The comedian, 62, returned as
host for the second year in a row after taking over the coveted role from
fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
And he wasted little time
putting Chalamet, who was up for Best Actor, on the spot in his opening
monologue for the star's recent bizarre declaration that 'no one cares' about
ballet and opera.
'Security is extremely tight
tonight. I'm just going to mention that,' tuxedo-clad O'Brien said to the crowd
inside Los Angeles' iconic Dolby Theatre.
He then quipped, 'I'm told
there's a concern about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.'
The camera then quickly cut
to Chalamet, who could be seen nervously smiling beside his busty girlfriend,
Kylie Jenner.
'They're just mad you left
out jazz,' O'Brien jokingly added.
O'Brien tried but failed to
make amends with Chalamet later in the night as he told the crowd he and the
Marty Supreme star were 'vibing.'
'We're vibing, right?' he
asked Chalamet, whose reply wasn't picked up by the event's microphones. 'He
doesn't think so.'
CHALAMET'S HUMILIATING
SNUB
Chalamet saw his years-long
Oscars dream go up in smoke on Sunday as he was brutally snubbed for Michael B.
Jordan in the Best Actor category.
The 30-year-old earned the
nomination for his performance in Josh Safdie's ping-pong drama film Marty Supreme.
This year's Best Actor
category was stacked. Chalamet was up against Jordan (Sinners), Leonardo
DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura
(The Secret Agent).
But it was Jordan who came
out on top and earned the honor over Chalamet at the 2026 ceremony.
Chalamet looked visibly
disappointed after 2025 Best Actor winner Adrien Brody read out Jordan's name
instead of his.
He offered Jordan polite
applause and appeared to mouth 'yay' as the stunned Sinners star leaned over to
hug his mother Donna before heading to the stage.
OSCARS CHAOS ERUPTS OVER
HISTORIC TIE
While announcing the winners
in the Best Live Action Short Film category, Kumail Nanjiani looked shocked to
reveal that there had been a tie.
The award was split between
the creators of the short films Two People Exchanging Saliva and The Singers.
'And the Oscar goes to -
it's a tie! I'm not joking, it's actually a tie,' the comedian said. 'Everyone,
calm down, we're going to get through this.'
It appears to be only the
seventh time that a draw has been announced in Academy Awards history.
While it occurred at the
2026 ceremony in one of the lower-profile categories, the most famous Oscars
tie occurred in 1969. Katharine Hepburn won for The Lion in Winter, as did
Barbra Streisand for her screen debut in Funny Girl.
The 2026 Oscars threw a
curveball on Sunday evening when one of the categories came down to a tie.
While announcing the winners in the Best Live Action Short Film category, (he)
looked shocked to reveal that there had been a tie.
To preserve the surprise of
the second winner, Nanjiani revealed that he would wait to announce the name
until after the first group had given its acceptance speech.
First up were directors Sam
A Davis and Jack Piatt, who won for The Singers.
Director Davis appeared
stunned by the reveal as he told the crowd, 'A tie, wow. I didn't know that was
a thing, a tie, but we're happy to be up here.'
After Davis and Piatt
wrapped up, Nanjiani then awarded the Oscar to the directing team of Alexandre
Singh and Natalie Musteata for Two People Exchanging Saliva.
Nanjiani quipped that it was
'ironic that the short film Oscar is going to take twice as long' to present.
Singh and Musteata said that
they were 'so happy to be sharing this Oscar with The Singers' and noted it was
a historical moment that has only happened a handful of times in Oscar history.
The award was split between
the creators of the short films The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva;
(From left) David Breschel, Mike Yung, Sam Davis and Jack Piatt accepting the
gong for The Singers
Nanjiani revealed that he
would announce only one film at a time to preserve the surprise for the second
group of winners. Directors Natalie Musteata (front left) and Alexandre Singh
(front right) accept for Two People Exchanging Saliva.
Nanjiani revealed that he
would announce only one film at a time to preserve the surprise for the second
group of winners. Directors Natalie Musteata (front left) and Alexandre Singh
(front right) accept for Two People Exchanging Saliva
BRIDESMAIDS REUNION
The cast of the beloved 2011
comedy film Bridesmaids reunited on the Oscars stage.
Melissa McCarthy, Rose
Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Ellie Kemper were on hand to present the
Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Sound.
However, one star was
noticeably missing: actress Wendi McLendon-Covey.
Bridesmaids director Paul
Feig said that McLendon-Covey was simply 'not available' for the reunion and
that there was no bad blood.
CONAN O'BRIEN'S CRINGE
OVERLOAD
The awards show fell flat
with some viewers as film enthusiasts claimed the ceremony was a 'joke' and
criticized Conan O'Brien's 'awful' hosting skills.
O'Brien kicked off the
ceremony with a skit inserting himself into all the films nominated for Best
Picture.
At one point, he transformed
into an even more horrifying version of Amy Madigan's Weapons character,
Gladys, an already creepy red-haired witch.
He then launched into a
lengthy opening monologue that concluded with an impromptu musical number about
what he would be like if he won an Oscar.
The skit, featuring the
vocal talents of Josh Groban, saw O'Brien put on a crown and King's robe as he
waltzed down the aisle inside the Dolby Theatre to the stage, where he climbed
a fake mountain and accepted an Oscar from a CGI messenger owl.
Later in the show, O'Brien
shocked viewers and the star-studded crowd with an on-the-nose joke about
pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The host used his opening monologue
to reference the fact that no British actors had been nominated in major
categories.
O'Brien said: 'It's the
first time since 2012 that there are no British actors nominated for Best Actor
or Best Actress.
'British spokesperson said,
"Yeah, well, at least we arrest our pedophiles," so they got that.'
At one point, he transformed
into an even more horrifying version of Amy Madigan's Weapons character Gladys,
who is an already creepy red-haired witch
He then launched into a
lengthy opening monologue that concluded with an impromptu musical number about
what he would be like if he won an Oscar
OUTRAGE OVER SCHINDLER'S
LIST JOKE
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani
sparked fury by cracking a joke about the Holocaust while presenting the award
for Best Live Action Short.
The 47-year-old attempted a
gag about movie titles being shorter.
'There is a real art to
making a short film. I think many full-length movies would do just as well, if
not better, as short films. We should take some of these feature films, remake
them as shorts. Save us some time.'
He then went on to rename
several famous films to shorter titles, changing It's A Wonderful Life to It's
A Wonderful Month, and The King's Speech to The King's Tweet.
He added 'Schindler's
Post-It' to the end of his list.
The 47-year-old made a
remark where he referred to the film as 'Schindler's Post-it' note
The 1993 film directed by
Steven Spielberg is based on the story of Oskar Schindler, portrayed by Liam
Neeson, who saved 1,200 Jews from the Nazis.
Not only did it fail to
raise laughs in the room, but viewers were disgusted.
'Can't say that Schindler's List joke was uh in any good taste,'
said one viewer.
Another added: 'A list isn't
a form of stationery, so 'Schindler's post-it' doesn't make any sense. bad
joke.'
'That was as CHEAP leftist antisemitic
comment by this f***, Kumail Nanjiani... Schindler's Post-It. Don't invite him
back', another said.
One other said: 'Why the
f*** would you make a joke about short films, Schindler's Post-it?'
KIERAN CULKIN THROWS SHADE
AT ABSENT SEAN PENN
Sean Penn was not in
attendance as he earned his third Oscar.
The 65-year-old A-lister's
name was announced by Kieran Culkin for the Best Supporting Actor Award for his
work in One Battle After Another but he was not in the building to accept.
The sharp-tongued Culkin
joked: 'Sean Penn couldn't be here this evening or didn't want to, so I'll be
accepting the award on his behalf.'
Sean Penn was not in
attendance as he earned his third Oscar
SHOCKING IN MEMORIAM SNUBS
Oscar viewers were left
upset over shocking omissions during the emotional In Memoriam segment at
Sunday's ceremony.
A number of late Hollywood
stars were honored at the ceremony including Diane Keaton, Catherine O'Hara and
Rob Reiner as their former castmates offered moving tributes on stage.
However, others that were
not among the list were Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek and Brigitte Bardot.
Dane passed away on February
19 following a battle with ALS at the age of 53 while Van Der Beek's death at age
48 was confirmed by his loved ones on social media days earlier on February 11.
Bardot, who was known for
films such as And God Created Woman, passed away on December 28, 2025 at the
age of 91.
A number of late Hollywood
stars were honored at the ceremony including Diane Keaton, Catherine O'Hara and
Rob Reiner as their former castmates offered moving tributes on stage
PEDRO PASCAL'S
UNRECOGNIZABLE MAKEOVER SPARKS CONCERN
Pedro Pascal ditched his
signature scruff for the 2026 Oscars.
The actor, , looked dapper
as he hit the Academy Awards red carpet on Sunday evening in a button-down
white shirt adorned with a large flower on the chest and a pair of high-waisted
black pants.
But the Materialists star
notably changed up his appearance for the event: he shaved off his signature
mustache.
Many fans were left stunned
over how different he looked without his facial hair, and took to X in droves
to discuss it.
Some were so shocked by his
new look that they wondered if he had been 'cloned' or if it was actually a
'wax figure' on the carpet.
'WTF happened to Pedro
Pascal?' asked one user.
'A wax figure of Pedro
Pascal was unveiled at tonight's Academy Awards,' joked someone else.
'Pedro looks so different,'
read a third post, while a fourth said: 'Not used to seeing a clean-shaven
Pedro! Had to double-take.'
The Materialists star
notably changed up his appearance for the event: He shaved off his signature
mustache
The Materialists star
notably changed up his appearance for the event: He shaved off his signature
mustache. Left at the Oscars and right in November
SIGOURNEY WEAVER FIRES OFF
ON KATE HUDSON
Sigourney Weaver jokingly
called Kate Hudson a 'b****' while presenting the award for Best Production
Design with Pedro Pascal.
As the award was presented,
the cameras cut to Hudson, who was sitting next to a Baby Yoda puppet. The
character is also known as Grogu from Pascal's show The Mandalorian.
Channeling her character
from the Alien movies, Weaver told Hudson, 'Get away from her, you b****.'
The cameras cut to Hudson,
who was sitting next to a Baby Yoda puppet. The character is also known as
Grogu from Pascal's show The Mandalorian
TEYANA TAYLOR'S BACKSTAGE
OUTBURST
Teyana Taylor was caught
erupting backstage after being 'shoved' on her way out.
In a video filmed in a
packed corridor at the Dolby Theatre, Taylor can be seen accusing a man of
getting physical with her as she tried to move through the crowd.
Pointing angrily at someone
off camera, the visibly upset star raised her voice and said: 'You're a man
putting his hands on a female.'
She continued, repeating:
'You're very rude. You're very rude. You're very rude.'
Turning to a concerned
attendee who approached the tense scene, Taylor explained the situation,
saying: 'Cause he put his hands on a female.'
The singer-turned-actress
then claimed the man had pushed her, adding: 'He literally shoved me. He was
damn near shoving her,' while referencing an unidentified woman nearby.
The clip ended with Taylor
making it clear why she was furious, telling those around her: 'Do not touch
me, do not shove me, do not push me.'
One Battle After Another
ended the 2026 awards season by winning Best Picture on a night where Michael B
Jordan and Jessie Buckley earned top acting prizes.
Jordan, 39, shocked the
world at the 98th Academy Awards as he upset Timothee Chalamet to win Best
Actor for Sinners as Buckley, 36, took home Best Actress for her work in Hamnet
at the event held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Paul Thomas Anderson
accepted the top prize of the night alongside Teyana Taylor and the rest of the
cast and crew as the film earned the most wins of the night with six.
The American black comedy
action-thriller film triumphed over a massive, competitive, field including:
Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent, Sentimental
Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams.
The Leonardo DiCaprio-led
film One Battle After Another is centered around a group of ex-revolutionaries
who reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own as their enemy
resurfaces after 16 years.
The most talked about moment
of the night will surely be that Jordan, 39, earned the top honor Best Actor
for his leading role in Ryan Coogler film Sinners.
He upset the favorite
throughout award season 30-year-old, Chalamet, who starred in Marty Supreme, as
the field included: Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke -
Blue Moon, and Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent.
Jordan was in disbelief as
he walked up to the stage and was greeted by last year's winner Adrien Brody.
Sinners is centered around
two brothers who return to their hometown to start again only to discover that
an even greater evil - in the form of vampires - is waiting to welcome them
back.
Jordan portrayed both
brothers in the film: older and more serious twin Elijah 'Smoke' Moore in
addition to younger and more cheerful sibling Elias 'Stack' Moore.
JESSIE BUCKLEY CONTINUED HER
WINNING WAYS AS SHE EARNED BEST ACTRESS FOR HER ROLE IN HAMNET.
The 36-year-old Irish
actress beat out Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson - Song
Sung Blue, Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value, and Emma Stone - Bugonia.
Hamnet takes place after
Agnes and William Shakespeare (Buckley and Paul Mescal) lose their son Hamnet
to the plague and grapple with grief in 16th-century England, based on the
novel of the same name.
Agnes is a healer who must
find strength to care for her surviving children while processing her
devastating loss.
One
Battle After Another was the biggest winner of the evening as Paul Thomas
Anderson earned both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay
KPop
Demon Hunters earned Best Animated Feature Film (Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans
and Michelle LM Wong are seen left to right) and Best Original Song for Golden
AMY MADIGAN TOOK HOME THE
FIRST AWARD AT THE OSCARS 2026 ON SUNDAY NIGHT.
The 75-year-old veteran
actress earned Best Supporting Actress for her work in Zach Creggar's
supernatural mystery horror film Weapons.
It was one of the most
contentious categories of the night as she was up against Elle Fanning -
Sentimental Value, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value, Wunmi Mosaku -
Sinners, and Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another.
THE SECOND AWARD OF THE
NIGHT WAS GROUNDBREAKING AS KPOP DEMON HUNTERS EARNED BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
FILM.
The Netflix film triumphed
over Arco, Elio, Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2.
Later on in the night the
film made history once again as KPop Demon Hunters earned Best Original Song
for the smash hit song Golden.
It beat out Dear Me - Diane
Warren: Relentless, I Lied to You - Sinners, Sweet Dreams of Joy - Viva Verdi!,
and Train Dreams - Train Dreams.
The Netflix film is centered
around the members of a world-renowned KPop girl group who balance their lives
in the spotlight with their secret identities as demon hunters.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM
OSCARS 2026: HORROR WINS, TECH LOSES AND POLITICS IS HARD TO IGNORE
Mon 16 Mar 2026 00.56 EDT
This
year saw some Chalamet exhaustion, wins for Warner Bros and memorable music
while one winner was nowhere to be seen
One Battle After Another sweeps the Oscars as Michael B Jordan and Jessie
Buckley win big
Oscars 2026 winners: the full list
Adrian Horton, Benjamin Lee and Owen Myers
It
was always going to be a banner Oscars year for Warner Bros,
leading the race with the two major films of the season – Sinners and One
Battle After Another – the perfect end to a perfect year of critical and
commercial hits for the studio. But with 11 wins tonight, by far the biggest
tally for any company, the evening really did serve as a reminder of how much
Warners has achieved in its year of greenlighting dangerously, at least at this
risk-averse time. It couldn’t come at a more depressing intersection for the
studio as it prepares to fall under the ownership of Paramount-Skydance and the
Ellisons, its future looking unsure. Paramount might have been a major
contender back in the day with best picture winners including The Godfather,
Ordinary People and Forrest Gump, but its been mostly absent of late, bar Top
Gun: Maverick. Hard to imagine the studio which now relies almost exclusively
on reanimating rusty IP will care much about auteurs and awards. Benjamin
Lee
CONAN PITCHES FOR LIFETIME APPOINTMENT
‘Next
year, it’s going to be a Waymo in a tux’: the best quotes from Oscars 2026
If
Conan O’Brien is one thing, it is game: down to be the butt of the joke, to
commit fully to an inane bit, to try harder and do more than anyone for a
laugh. Look no further than his opening pre-taped segment this year, in which
he donned Weapons-style makeup and flailed about the (slickly edited) sets of
several movies while chased by a horde of children. The comedian’s second
outing as Oscars host was a step up from his solid start last year: looser,
sillier, more confident, deftly threading the needle between politically aware
and good-natured, and never without an obvious appreciation for the art of
movies and jokes. A mid-show appearance by former longtime host Jimmy Kimmel to
present the documentary awards served only to underscore how much better-suited
Conan is for this job; Kimmel, with his pointed and gratuitous jabs at a president
who will always take the bait and stays the center of attention, may be right,
but he is not nearly as fun. A post-show bit riffing on Sean
Penn’s fate in One Battle After Another facetiously proclaimed Conan “Oscars
host for life” for a punchline. But I think that, unlike him, we should take
this seriously: please, make this a permanent appointment. Adrian
Horton
CHALAMET-ED OUT
It’s
odd that even at the age of 30, people had been claiming it was finally Timothée
Chalamet’s time to win an Oscar. It wasn’t just that the actor had been
nominated twice before, for Call Me by Your Name and A Complete Unknown or had
starred in contenders such as the Dune films, Lady Bird and Little Women, but
he had just been so very present throughout each campaign, increasingly
inescapable and doing the one thing actors aren’t supposed to do: admit that he
really wanted to win. His all-guns-blazing performance in Marty Supreme was
rightly acclaimed by all, and as the film became a surprise box office hit over
Christmas, it seemed like it was his to lose. But the line between his
obnoxious character and the actor himself started to blur as press tour turned
into awards tour and we reached the umpteenth month of the longest Oscar season
on record, and the more voters saw and heard from him, the less likely his win
became, with Michael B Jordan taking best actor award home instead. Chalamet
surely has an Oscar in him (just ask Chalamet), but the Academy loves to make
younger male heartthrobs wait their turn. Just ask DiCaprio … Benjamin
Lee
VILLAINS COME OUT ON TOP
Aunt
Gladys is a real piece of work. The flame-haired Weapons antagonist is a
textbook villain, preying on children so that she can steal their lifeforce
through a black magic ritual that involves locks of hair, a spiky wand and
other witchy accoutrements that she carries in her carpet bag. In Amy Madigan’s
brilliantly dotty – and even touching – portrayal, she’s also the kind of
character that can power a breathtaking awards season run all the way to a best
supporting actress Oscar. No one could have seen Madigan’s win coming 12 months
ago. A surer bet would have been Sean Penn’s Steven J Lockjaw, the militant
racist of One Battle After Another whose villainy seems much closer to home.
You can imagine Penn’s brilliant embodiment of the loathsome Lockjaw as being a
sure awards season bet no matter the year, but Madigan’s win points to a future
where a freaky performance in a genre film isn’t a strike against you on
Hollywood’s biggest night. Owen Myers
SCARY GOOD NIGHT FOR HORROR
Just
last year it had seemed like the horror genre was set for a major breakthrough
at the Oscars. But films like The Substance and Nosferatu could only scrape
together one win between their combined nine nominations (the former nabbing
just makeup and hairstyling). Cut to this year, and things are far less
frightening. Sinners took
home four, Frankenstein won three and Weapons grabbed one with two of this
year’s major acting wins coming from scary movies. It’s served as the year that
horror fans had been waiting for (especially those who still smart over
performances such as Toni Collette in Hereditary or Lupita Nyong’o in Us being
snubbed entirely) with any snobbery older voters might have once had over
rewarding witches, vampires and monsters seemingly slaughtered by the newer,
less easily scared Academy. Benjamin Lee
tech
POLITICS WAS CENTRE-STAGE
For
years, it seemed to be a given that politics and Hollywood’s biggest night
simply didn’t mix, despite impactful moments from Marlon Brando in 1973 (when
Sacheen Littlefeather collected the best actor Oscar on his behalf) to Jonathan
Glazer in 2024 (the director compared the Israel-Gaza conflict to the
Holocaust). This year seemed to signal a new attitude. Here we had Javier
Bardem saying “free Palestine” while presenting to whoops from the audience,
Joachim Trier criticizing politicians who don’t have the next generation’s best
interests at heart, and best picture winner Paul Thomas Anderson denouncing the
“housekeeping mess” that we have left the world in. Judging by the reaction in
the Dolby Theatre, they were far from the only ones who felt the same. Owen
Myers
Free Palestine and ICE out: how this year’s Oscars got political
BIG TECH IS A BIG LOSER
In
a year when the encroachment of generative AI on Hollywood has become
impossible to ignore – just ask Ben Affleck, whose furtive “film-maker focused”
AI company was just bought by Netflix – there was a notable
undercurrent of anti-tech resistance, or at least skepticism, coursing
throughout the Oscars, starting with O’Brien’s opening joke of the telecast
about being “the last human host” of the show. There were good-natured but
still pointed jabs at Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos (“It’s his first time in a
theater!”) and the futility of chopping up classics for TikTok, as well as a
bit spoofing the (reported) mandate from streaming companies to keep
reiterating the characters and plot for distracted, phone-addled viewers. Most
pointed was Will Arnett presenting for animation, a genre many an AI
professional believes can and should be fully ceded to the machine: “Tonight,
we are celebrating people, not AI, because animation, it’s more than a prompt.
It’s an art form and it needs to be protected.” We’ll see if the hearty cheers
Arnett received for that line actually translate into meaningful action. Adrian
Horton
GOODBYE, OSCARBAIT?
Ever
since the Miramax machine dominated the Oscars from the late 90s into
the 00s, the idea of Oscarbait highlighted the difference between what the
Academy thought was worthy and what the rest of us did. Stodgy biopics,
laboured actorly transformations, ungainly adaptations, anything directed by
Lasse Hallstrom … it was all a far cry from edgier winners of the past like
Midnight Cowboy or The French Connection or The Lost Weekend. But the diversified Academy with
more voters who are female, international and of colour, has changed our
concept of what an Oscar movie now is. So in the year after Anora swept
the main categories, now we’ve had One Battle After Another and Sinners win
big, two daring, hard-to-define films that do not in any way represent
Oscarbait. It’s not as if this year’s nominees don’t fall into that category,
it’s just that voters are less likely to pick them with films like Hamnet
winning just one award and Train Dreams winning zero. Benjamin Lee
MUSICAL MOMENTS STOLE THE SHOW
After
making a shameless play for gen Z viewers with a James Bond medley last year,
tonight’s musical performances felt both modern and worthy of
Hollywood’s biggest stage. Dancers and musicians flooded the stage in an
ambitious recreation of Sinners’ Pierce the Veil sequence, with guests
including musician Brittany Howard and ballet dancer Misty Copeland. At the
center, Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq shone through the curated chaos, which
is no small feat. And while we’ve seen the KPop Demon Hunters trio of Ejae,
Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami pop up on a seeming daily basis this awards season,
their performance of best original song Golden was inventive as well as
deserved victory lap, with dancers gliding across the stage wearing traditional
Korean hanbok. But my
personal pick for musical moment of the night goes to Barbra Streisand.
After a touching spoken tribute to Robert Redford, Streisand picked up the mic
and sang a few bars of The Way We Were, the theme from the 1973 romance of the
same name. Her voice, changed with time, seemed to give the familiar song a new
kind of touching power. Owen Myers
TRUST PRECURSORS OVER A VIBE SHIFT
It
was a race that had seemed impossible to call for some and in the last few
weeks, many had started to bet that Sinners was going to come out on top. Odds
had improved and pundits for major publications, including our own, had put
their chips on Ryan Coogler’s vampire saga to take home the top prize. The vibe
shift had been largely the result of Sag’s Actor awards, which saw Sinners take
the ensemble prize as well as a surprise best actor win for Michael B Jordan.
But the ensemble award is rarely a surefire predictor of best picture success
(previous winners have included The Trial of the Chicago 7, Hidden Figures,
Black Panther, Three Billboards, American Hustle and last year Conclave), and
instead, every other more reliable precursor confirmed what many had long
known: it was always going to be One Battle After Another. It had won the
Golden Globe, the PGA, the DGA, the Bafta and the Critics Choice award and
while the race is far less mathematically predictable than it once was, a
season-long sweep is hard to ignore. Benjamin Lee
WOMEN WERE CENTRAL
The
Oscars always nod to and sentimentally celebrate the trailblazers who came
before, but there was a particular resonance this year in tributes to women who
broke barriers old and new, many of whom never got their flowers. There was
Cassandra Kulukundis, the first-ever Oscar-winning casting director for
One Battle After Another, who shouted out the many casting directors before her
who never received Academy recognition. Rachel McAdams, who honored the life of the incomparable Diane
Keaton and reminded: “There isn’t an actress of my generation who is not
inspired by and enthralled with her absolute singularity.” Jessie Buckley, now
the first Irish winner of best actress, who
thanked “all the incredible women that I stand beside. I am inspired by your
art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you.” And
notably, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the director of photography for Sinners, who
became the first woman ever to win for cinematography – yes, in 2026, we
are still breaking glass ceilings in major categories. “I’m so honored to be
here and I really want all the women in the room to stand up because I feel
like I don’t get here without you guys,” she said, in perhaps the most pointed,
and generous, of many nods to female solidarity throughout the night. Adrian
Horton
INTERNATIONAL FEATURES FAILED TO BREAK THROUGH
After
strong showings for international film in recent years with Anatomy of a Fall’s
original screenplay win in 2024 and four Oscars for All Quiet on the Western
Front the year before, it seemed like we were due for another banner year for
foreign language features. Norway’s Sentimental Value picked up nine
nominations this year, while Brazil The Secret Agent was riding strong
tailwinds in the wake of Wagner Moura’s Golden Globe win. Ultimately, they
walked away with just one between them (best international feature for
Sentimental Value, awarded to Norway), which felt like short shrift for Moura’s
powerful performance as a world-weary former professor living through a
dictatorship. In another year, Moura as well as Sentimental Value’s Renate
Reinsve could have dominated the lead acting categories. It’s some consolation
that more film fans than ever have experienced their brilliance. Owen
Myers
And where was Sean Penn?
In
a surprise to few, Sean Penn won for best supporting actor, for his singularly
repulsive, undeniable performance in One Battle After Another. In a surprise to
maybe just as few, he was not there to collect his third Oscar. (He previously
won best actor twice, for Mystic River in 2004 and for Milk in 2009.) The
65-year-old actor and activist, long uncomfortable with the spotlight and
ambivalent about awards season, opted to skip the ceremony, instead flying to
Europe for a planned trip to Ukraine, according to two unidentified sources who
spoke with the New York Times. It’s not that uncharacteristic a move
for Penn, who has befriended the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and,
more infamously, El Chapo (on assignment for Rolling Stone in 2016). The thoughts on his
absence at the Dolby Theatre could perhaps best be summed up by presenter
Kieran Culkin, who said with a smirk and a shrug: “Sean Penn couldn’t be here
this evening, or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the award on his
behalf.” Adrian Horton
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SINNERS’ OSCAR
TRIUMPHS SHOW THAT BLACK CINEMA IS NOW A VITAL AND VALID PART OF HOLLYWOOD
Its wins
are a testament to Ryan Coogler’s vision. His highly personal film foregrounds
the Black experience and its essential humanity is a lesson for us all
By
Steve Rose Mon
16 Mar 2026 06.24 EDT
Congratulations to the Sinners camp on its Oscar night triumphs –
affirmation that cinema can be deep and entertaining at the same time. It might
not have swept the major awards as some of us had hoped, but it is still a
personal victory for Ryan Coogler, and also the validation that Black
cinema has long been denied. And despite handling heavy themes of racist
violence, Sinners will probably be remembered by history as a message of hope
and unity in a turbulent era.
Oscar winners 2026: the full list
Key takeaways: horror wins, tech loses and politics is hard to ignore
Nobody
could argue that Coogler’s film didn’t deserve its success. Sinners is a
complete, unified, all-round work of art. Everything seems to be in tune: the
story, the performances (not least Michael B Jordan’s technically demanding
dual role – justly rewarded with the best actor Oscar), the music, the costumes
, the production design, the visuals (a boundary-smashing award for Autumn
Durald Arkapaw – the first woman and the first Black winner of the best
cinematography Oscar). Sinners’ record 16 nominations and four wins were
confirmation that the Academy agreed.
It
all stems from the extraordinary vision and commitment of Coogler. Despite
taking in the epic sweep of early 20th-century Black history, Sinners is a
highly personal film. As the director explained to me last year, it was inspired by his
family’s Mississippi roots, his uncle’s love of the blues, his extensive
interviews with members of the “silent generation” who grew up in the era, even
his identical twin aunts. In the popular imagination, it takes military resolve
and lots of shouting through megaphones to marshal a project this complex to
fruition, but by all accounts Coogler is one of the most hard-working,
detail-oriented, even-tempered film-makers out there.
Sinners
honours and foregrounds the Black experience but it brings everyone else along
for the ride. It takes
care to include other minority groups in the 1930s deep south: Native American,
Chinese, Irish – all historically accurate. (White racists may feel hard done
by, though even they were probably tapping their feet to the soundtrack.)
But above all that, it’s entertaining in the broadest, most generous sense:
compelling character drama plus violent horror action; historic realism plus
genre thrills – these are the things we go to the cinema for. And it doesn’t
have to be one or the other: it can be both!
For
a long time, it felt as if the Academy treated Black cinema in the same way it
did foreign-language cinema: worthy of recognition on occasion (especially if
there was a sympathetic white character in the mix, or behind the camera), but
not really a commercial prospect. Coogler has blown that out of the water,
first with the Black Panther movies, now with this, the seventh highest grossing movie of 2025 in the US.
So much for “go woke, go broke”.
On
a deeper level, Sinners says something profound and poignant about art and
culture in the context of identity and race – and it does it through
music. Coogler, whose Oscar night get-up included guitar and treble clef
shapes woven into his braids, has called blues music “the most
important contribution America has made to global culture”, and his movie
celebrates it in that spirit (given the musical talent the movie assembles, it
would have been a crime if another film had won the best original score Oscar).
Blues
music is an expression of not just Black identity but Black history, memory,
suffering, stretching all the way back to Africa: “Blues wasn’t forced on us
like that religion,” says Delroy Lindo’s Delta Slim. “No, we brought this with
us.” You could say blues music was appropriated by white musicians, who made a
lot more money out of it than Black folks in the Mississippi Delta ever did,
and many have read Jack O’Connell’s folkie-vampire antagonist in this context;
the white interloper coming to get a piece of what Black folks have built.
(Significantly, Coogler secured a deal with his studio, Warners, whereby
full ownership of the movie reverts to him after 25 years – unlike
bluesman Robert Johnson, he didn’t have to sell his soul to the
devil; more of a long lease.)
But
it feels as if Sinners is saying something more nuanced: that blues music is
a contribution to culture. It’s not just a commodity; it’s
also a gift. It’s part of a conversation, part of what makes multiculturalism
work, a vital ingredient in the American melting pot, a way to connect to
emotion, history, other cultures, our essential humanity. By extension, cinema
can do the same – the story of Sinners suggests this; the success of Sinners
proves it. At this fractious time in global, and particularly American,
politics, this is a profound and poignant message.
7:37
best pic – One battle
7:47 highlight reel and out
X10 People 3/16 1026
A11X10 FROM PEOPLE
The Best, Worst and Most
Oops Moments of the 2026 Oscars
The 2026 awards season came
to an end with some surprises, a heartwarming In Memoriam and some possibly
questionable facial hair choices. See what earned our best, worst and most oops
designations of the night
By Alex Apatoff Updated on March 16, 2026 10:26AM EDT
The 2026 Academy Awards had
plenty to discuss for awards show fans, from the uniformly good red carpet
style on the women and men alike to the bits from host Conan O'Brien
reimagining movies for a more phone-oriented audience (we particularly liked
his funny take on Casablanca, as scripted by someone who knows people never
watch just one screen anymore). It moved quickly, had a few surprises and
brought the tears pretty much from the moment the In Memoriam began.
That's not to say it was
totally smooth sailing, however! Read on for what made us laugh, cry, cringe
and shout "Oh, c'mon!" at our TV screens at the 2026 Oscars.
01 BEST PRINTS CHARMING
Anne Hathaway; Rei Ami; Rose
Byrne
On a particularly good red
carpet, we were especially excited to see the stars who went for a higher level
of difficulty by choosing gowns with dramatic prints: Anne Hathaway's floral
mermaid gown, Rei Ami's golden phoenix-embroidered Rahul Mishra cape and Rose
Byrne's tiered embroidered Dior Haute Couture stunner.
02 BEST OF THE BEST: A GREAT
NIGHT FOR JEWELS
Zoe Saldana; Elle Fanning;
Ginnifer Goodwin
There were so many truly astonishing
necklaces worn on Oscars night we didn't have enough space to fit them all.
Marvel at Zoe Saldaña (in Cartier rubies and diamonds), Elle Fanning (in
vintage Cartier) and Ginnifer Goodwin (in Sabayaschi with a 10-carat central
emerald), then click over to the arrivals gallery to drool at even more
sickening sparklers on Anne Hathaway, Teyana Taylor, Gwyneth Paltrow, Priyanka
Chopra, Kate Hudson, Kristen Wiig...
03 WE'RE SPLIT ON THIS: THE LITTLE MUSTACHES
Leonardo-DiCaprio; Timothée
Chalamet
Kevin Mazur/Getty (2)
Some of us recoiled upon
seeing the very specific facial hair gracing the faces of best actor nominees
Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. Others were into it. The Slack channel
got contentious. Weigh in in the comments!
04 WORST NIGHTMARE FUEL:
CONAN IN THE 'WEAPONS' MAKEUP
In hindsight, we don't know
how we didn't predict this for the monologue. But once we saw it, we knew it
would be burned on the back of our eyelids for the foreseeable future.
05 BEST MOMENT FOR ME, PERSONALLY: ALL THE
MICHAEL B. JORDANS
Opening Monologue Michael B
Jordan's Oscars 2026
It's not weird if I print
this out and frame it, right?
06 BEST NIGHT FOR WHITE
Emma Stone; Timothee
Chalamet; Gwyneth Paltrow
Sometimes, the biggest statements
are the simplest — case in point, Emma Stone's empire-waist Louis Vuitton,
Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, all in head-to-toe stark white.
07 MOST IN MOURNING FOR
'BUFFY': CHLOÉ ZHAO
Chloe Zhao attends the 98th
Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California.
We were wearing our black
veils once we heard the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot (which she was set to
direct) wasn't happening, too.
08 OOPS! IS THAT REALLY YOU, LEO?
Leonardo DiCaprio Meme
Leonardo DiCaprio playing
along with Conan O'Brien's monologue joke and bringing a date who isn't his
mom? What's next — he declares there was room for him on that door all along?
09 THE LINDSEY VONN AWARD FOR PERFORMING THROUGH
THE PAIN
Misty Copeland performs onstage
during the 98th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood,
California on March 15, 2026.
Misty Copeland had hip
replacement surgery in December. Would anyone have guessed that, watching her
perform during the Sinners musical number?
10 BEST SURPRISE/WORST SUSPENSE: THE TIE!
Kumail Nanjiani announces
the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film onstage during the 98th Annual
Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2026.
Kumail Nanjiani announced
that the Best Live Action Short category had ended in a tie, and after
demanding that everyone calm down, he said he'd announce one winner at a time.
A fun Oscar moment (only the seventh tie in the show's history!) — but a sweaty
few minutes for the four remaining nominees after the winner for The Singers
took the stage. (Two People Exchanging Saliva eventually got their moment
next.)
11 SHADIEST SHADE: KIERAN
CULKIN ACCEPTS FOR SEAN PENN
This was a hotly contested
category, considering how many people made digs at Timothée Chalamet's comments
about ballet and opera — but Kieran Culkin ultimately emerged victorious after
accepting best actor in a supporting role on behalf of Sean Penn, who, as he
said with a shrug, "couldn't be here this evening, or didn't want to."
(The New York Times reported that Penn is in Ukraine.)
12 WORST NIGHT FOR OUR TEAR
DUCTS
Michael McKean, Christopher
Guest, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin,
Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin
Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga spoke
onstage during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre.
Between the heartfelt,
personal and funny tribute from Billy Crystal to his friends Rob Reiner and
Michelle Singer Reiner (followed by a united appearance from many stars from
Reiner's films), the sweet and thoughtful speech by Rachel McAdams about Diane
Keaton and Catherine O'Hara and the musical moment Barbra Streisand dedicated
to her friend Robert Redford, the In Memoriam segment had more than a few of us
going through a box or two of tissues.
US singer Barbra Streisand
speaks during an in memoriam segment onstage during the 98th Annual Academy
Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2026.
13 OOPS, YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE THE INTERNET MORE
WARNING THAN THAT
Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal can't just show
up clean shaven without giving us notice! That's the kind of thing that throws
the Internet into a tailspin — and indeed, Threads and X blew up instantly.
(This was a common sentiment.)
14 BEST EXCUSE FOR A FEW
MEMES
Kate Hudson and Grogu Oscars
2026
Are we more excited that we
got to see Baby Yoda a.k.a. Grogu coordinating with a very game Kate Hudson, or
that Sigourney Weaver got to go full Ripley from the Oscars stage ("Get
away from her, you bitch!")? Yes!
15 WORST READING OF THE
ROOM: THE OVERLY LOUD MUSIC CUT-OFFS
MAGGIE KANG, MICHELLE L.M.
WONG, CHRIS APPELHANS
For several of the
categories in which a few people came onstage to accept their awards (including
Best Animated Feature, pictured above) the orchestra jumped in the second a new
person began to speak. In some cases, the winners stood there stunned as the
mic lowered in front of them (O'Brien sarcastically declared this
"hilarious"), or just awkwardly waited for their chance to talk while
the lights went dim. By the time the music blared over the winners for
"Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters, the mutiny was brewing. We've all
accepted that awards shows run long! Let the winners speak — they may never be
up here again!
16 BEST SPEECH: JESSIE BUCKLEY
Jessie Buckley accepts the
Actress in a Leading Role award for "Hamnet" onstage during the 98th
Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California.
Though it was overall a pretty
good evening for speeches, Jessie Buckley — a winner for her role as a grieving
mother in Hamnet and mom to an eight-month-old daughter — carried the night
with her charming (Ireland paid for her family to fly to the awards!), loving
and meaningful tribute to familial bonds, and motherhood in particular.
"To get to know this
incandescent woman, and journey to understand the capacity of a mother’s love
is the greatest collision of my life," she said. "It’s Mother’s Day
in the U.K. today. So I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a
mother’s heart. We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create
against all odds."
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ONE NO-SHOW AFTER ANOTHER:
SEAN PENN JOINS AN EXCLUSIVE BAND OF OSCAR-WINNING REFUSENIKS
The
One Battle After Another star’s failure to collect his best supporting actor
award – because he was visiting Ukraine – only serves to burnish his reputation
By Stuart Heritage Mon 16 Mar 2026 12.05 PM EDT
Last night’s Oscars might have been
superficially modern (K-pop! Female cinematographers winning things! Jokes
about YouTube interstitial advertising!), but there was one slightly charming
old throwback: Sean Penn wasn’t there to collect his best supporting actor award.
Sure,
this sort of thing happens all the time in other awards shows – you can barely
get through a single Baftas without an A-lister revealing that they didn’t
fancy braving the London winter – but not the Oscars. The Oscars
are meant to represent the pinnacle of professional achievement. It’s your one
chance to look all of your peers in the eye as one in the knowledge that you
are better than the lot of them. Who’d turn down an opportunity that
irresistible?
Well,
Sean Penn, that’s who. Last night, after he opened the envelope and called out
Penn’s name, presenter Kieran Culkin was forced to apologetically carry the
statue offstage himself. The
reason for this, it transpires, is that Penn may have had a prior commitment in
Ukraine. After rumours suggested that the actor may have flown out to an
undisclosed part of the country late last week, he was photographed in Kyiv
on Monday “wearing sunglasses and carrying
a box of cigarettes”.
After that, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy posted a picture of them sitting together in his
office.
It’s a hell of a story, one that only serves
to burnish Penn’s reputation. The rest of Hollywood can have their little
party, yucking it up with Baby Yoda and the KPop Demon Hunters, but Penn has no
time for such fripperies. He is involved with important world events, trying to
move the needle on an issue bigger than mere entertainment.
This
hasn’t happened for a couple of years. The last time a winner skipped the
Oscars was in 2024, when Hayao Miyazaki couldn’t make it to pick up his award
for The Boy and the Heron. The excuse given then was that Miyazaki was getting
on in age, and he didn’t want to put his body under the stress of a
round-the-world flight.
But
before that, you have to go back a few years to find a star who couldn’t show
up. Aside from Woody Allen (who has always habitually skipped the ceremony,
citing prior commitments with his jazz band) and Heath Ledger (who died before
the ceremony) the last big
winner to skip the awards was Roman Polanski, who failed to turn up to collect
his best director statuette for The Pianist. The reason for this, of course, is
that he’s a fugitive who would have been arrested the moment he set foot
in the country.
However, back in the 20th century,
missing the Oscars was seen as almost chic. In 1936 writer Dudley Nichols declined
his award because the Academy was engaged in a dispute with the Screen Writers’
Guild. In
1938, 1945 and 1982 Alice Brady, Joan Crawford and Henry Fonda missed the
Oscars due to sickness or injury. In 1963 Anne Bancroft failed to show up
because she had a prior stage commitment and, marvel that she was, chose to
honour that instead of messing up everyone’s schedule.
And
then there are the wilder excuses. In 1971 George C Scott refused his Oscar on the basis that the
ceremony was a “meat parade”, while in 1987 Paul Newman ducked out because he
found awards season too exhausting. Marlon Brando famously didn’t attend the
Oscars in 1973 in protest at Hollywood’s depiction of Native Americans, sending
Sacheen Littlefeather to reject the award in his place. And Katharine
Hepburn failed to show up for any of her four wins between 1934 and 1982,
putting her avoidance down to a simple case of personal preference.
My
favourite no-show, though, was in 1967 when Elizabeth Taylor won for Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and failed to accept it in person. This is rumoured to be because
her husband Richard Burton was also nominated for his role in the film, but was
expected to lose. His paranoia about being publicly declared a loser was so
great that Taylor apparently stayed at home in solidarity. Perhaps
unsurprisingly, they divorced each other – twice – within a decade.
So
this is the lineage that Penn now finds himself in. By not showing up on Sunday
night, he had joined a heady league of staunch refuseniks and nonconformists.
It’s actually pretty cool. Maybe this is the start of a new movement, and next
year other stars will follow his lead and not attend. Hey, anything that makes
the ceremony shorter is OK by me.
5:31 Adapted screenplay - PTA
5:36
Original screenplay - Coogler
5:44 Tributes – reiner, redfore (Streisand)
6:07 design - Frankenstein
6:09 visual efx Avatar
6:16 doc short “rooms”
6:24
doc “mr. nobody”
6:27
bridesmaids reunion
6:33
song – sinners
6:35
sound – F1
6@ - editing
6:46 cinematography
– sinners
Song – golden from kpop
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5 TAKEAWAYS FROM AN
OSCARS NIGHT THAT SPREAD THE LOVE
By
LINDA HOLMES March 16, 2026 12:34 AM ET
As
Sunday's Oscars ceremony approached, it seemed to be shaping up to be a
showdown between the vampires and the revolutionaries, between Sinners and One
Battle After Another. In the end, One Battle After Another won both best picture and best director,
but it was a very good night for Sinners, too, including an
original screenplay award for writer and director Ryan Coogler.
'One Battle After Another' takes best picture. Here's the full list of
Oscar winners
There
were some surprises over the course of the evening, including a rare tie in the
live action short category, a remembrance of Robert Redford that included Barbra Streisand singing a bit of "The Way We
Were," and Jimmy Kimmel stepping in just long
enough to make some pointed comments about media censorship. But let's go over
some of the major takeaways.
A celebrated director gets his Oscar.
'ONE
BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER' WANTS A REVOLUTION
Paul
Thomas Anderson won best director for One
Battle After Another after three previous nominations for There
Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread and Licorice Pizza.
Anderson had already won several major Oscar precursor awards this year,
including top directing prizes at the BAFTAs and from the Directors Guild of
America, so he was the odds-on favorite. The other nominees in the category
were relative newcomers: Ryan Coogler, Josh Safdie and Joachim Trier were all
first-time directing nominees; Chloé Zhao was nominated (and won) for Nomadland at
the ceremony in 2021.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN WON A RARE ACTING AWARD FOR
A GENRE MOVIE.
Sinners is a drama, but it's also very much a genre
film. It's horror. It's vampires. Those are not the kinds of films that most
often win Oscars for actors. But Jordan, with his first nomination, won over
performers from much more traditionally awards-friendly films. Three of those
actors (Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet and Ethan Hawke) already had
multiple acting nominations before this year.
'SINNERS' GIVES MICHAEL B. JORDAN TWO ROLES OF A LIFETIME
The
last actor to win for a genre film might have been Joaquin Phoenix for Joker,
since that was technically a comic-book movie, but that one did away with most
of its genre trappings and pressed itself into a dramatic mold, which Sinners emphatically
does not. Before that, while definitions of genre aren't bright lines, you
might have to go all the way back to ... Anthony Hopkins in The Silence
of the Lambs, if you consider that horror? Maybe even further? At any rate,
it's a great win for an actor who has been beloved at least since The
Wire almost 25 years ago, who's been doing rich and varied work ever
since. His victory is also a win for his lengthy and fruitful collaboration
with Ryan Coogler in Sinners, but also in Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black
Panther.
AMY MADIGAN, THE AWARD-WINNING STRAIGHT-UP
MONSTER.
(We don't mean Amy Madigan the person, of
course.) Madigan won best supporting actress for her deeply unsettling and
entirely singular performance as Aunt Gladys in Weapons, which is
even more fully a horror movie than Sinners. While the nominated
cast members from Sinners — Jordan, Delroy Lindo and Wunmi
Mosaku — play regular people who are swept into an unreal situation, Madigan is
playing, essentially, the boogeyman (boogeywoman?). It's thrilling to see the
Academy recognize a performance that is as weird and funny and scary
as just the last few minutes of what Madigan does in Zach Cregger's terrifying
story of a town that sees a whole classroom full of its children disappear.
THE CASTING OSCAR MAKES ITS DEBUT.
This
was the first year that there was an Oscar for casting, which is very much
overdue — there have been casting Emmys for ages. It was easy to argue for any
of the nominated casting directors. Marty Supreme and The
Secret Agent both deploy nontraditional actors in some roles, Sinners and One
Battle both use a wide variety of well-known and well-regarded stars
in interesting ways, and Hamnet places most of the weight of
an enormously heavy story on the shoulders of just a couple of performers,
including best actress winner Jessie Buckley.
AT
LAST, AN OSCAR FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE WHO GETS TO STAR
Cassandra
Kulukundis, who won for One Battle After Another, not only has been
working with Paul Thomas Anderson for ages, but she also worked on casting (get this) for both The Brutalist and Harold
& Kumar Go To White Castle. But all the nominees have tremendous
resumes. Francine Maisler, who was nominated for Sinners, was the
credited casting director for Arrival, Creed, Baby
Driver, Widows, and Challengers! Honestly, the
biggest problem in the category was that everybody couldn't win.
A FIRST IN THE CINEMATOGRAPHY CATEGORY.
Autumn
Durald Arkapaw, who won best cinematography for her work on Sinners,
was only the fourth woman, and the first woman of color, to be nominated in the category. She becomes the first woman to
win. Sinners is a sumptuously, inventively, beautifully
shot film, and the cinematography is one of the core crafts that makes it so
effective.
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The 2026 Oscars Embodied the Hard-Won
Optimism of One Battle After Another
By Judy Berman Mar 16, 2026 12:35 AM ET
Successfully host the Oscars once, and you’ve pulled off a
veritable showbiz miracle. Do it again, and you’re destined for Hollywood
sainthood. Conan O’Brien made an extremely strong case for canonization at
Sunday’s 98th Academy Awards, his second consecutive hosting gig. In 2025,
the preternaturally self-deprecating late night veteran balanced levity with
well-placed moments of seriousness, irreverence towards industry pomp with
respect for great movies and the people who make them. It was just the right
tone for a ceremony held just after wildfires ravaged cinema’s hometown.
As O’Brien noted this time, early in his opening monologue: “Last year, when I
hosted, Los Angeles was on fire. But this year, everything’s going great!”
You didn’t have to be familiar with his dry sense of humor to
know that O’Brien was being sarcastic. Nor did he need to recite the long list
of crises, in the U.S. and abroad, weighing on a global Oscars audience. Sure,
his monologue nodded towards the Epstein files (the British response to being
shut out of the lead acting categories: “Yeah, but at least we arrest our
pedophiles”); soaring health care costs (“In Hamnet, Shakespeare’s wife
gives birth by herself in the woods. Or what we call in America affordable
health care”); and the pettiness of right-wing contrarianism (“There’s an
alternate Oscars hosted by Kid Rock at the Dave and Busters down the street”).
What really set the tone for an evening that managed to feel
joyful without being blithe or apolitical, though, was an earnest aside in
which O’Brien explicitly addressed international viewers and the 31 countries
representing them among the nominees. “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. In many ways, as
winners, presenters, and performers echoed that sentiment and turned viewers’
attention to the future—and specifically to future generations—optimism became
the watchword of the evening.
The celebration of international cooperation, collaboration, and
cultural cross-pollination was undeniable, even more so than it has been in
years past. After O’Brien greeted viewers on three continents—including,
pointedly, in L.A.—in Spanish, we watched montages of Best Picture nominees in
Portuguese (The Secret Agent) and Norwegian (Sentimental Value), and heard
portions of acceptance speeches in multiple languages. A performance of Best
Original Song winner “Golden,” from KPop Demon Hunters, paid tribute to
both traditional and contemporary Korean culture.
Although centered on African American musical
traditions, Sinners’ climactic set piece for the movie’s own nominated
song encompasses thousands of years’ worth of music and dance from the U.S. and
Africa and beyond, all of which was reflected in a stunning and eclectic
all-star number for the telecast. Ludwig Göransson, the Swedish composer who
won Best Original Score for Sinners, reminisced about his own dad
listening to blues records halfway around the world. After an unfortunate
mishap in which his mic got cut off, Alexandre Singh, one of the filmmakers
behind live-action short co-winner “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” thanked the Academy for
“rewarding a French film made by a Franco-Indian Brit, a Romanian-American, an
Argentinian, an Italian,” and a long list of other nationalities, including
Iranian actor-producer Zar Amir. To Amir’s newborn daughter, he said: “You are
the hope in a world that is dark and absurd and ridiculous and horrifying.”
It’s worth noting how many other honorees—many of whom spoke to
or for the international community—used their time at the mic not just to
lament the inescapable tragedies of the present, but to encourage us to think
of the future and the generations that will inherit it. Delivering his speech
through a translator, Pavel Talankin, the protagonist and co-director of Best
Documentary Feature winner Mr. Nobody Against Putin, urged: “In the
name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these
wars—now.” Joachim Trier, who won Best International Feature for Sentimental
Value, paraphrased James Baldwin’s observation that all adults
are responsible for the children of the world.
One Battle After Another auteur Paul Thomas
Anderson, accepting an award for his adapted screenplay, explained that he
“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. But also with the encouragement
that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and
decency.” That’s precisely what I took away from his film—that the fight for a
better world unfolds on a timeline that spans not electoral cycles but
generations. It balances outrage at the sadism, absurdity, and injustice of the
present with optimism about what people committed to opposing those forces can
accomplish in the extreme long term. Which is what makes it such a timely Best
Picture.
As the gallows humor of One Battle suggests,
comedy and fun are useful tools in sustaining us through struggles we might not
live to see won. Sunday’s ceremony offered plenty of that, too. Whoever
suggested hiring What We Do in the Shadows’ hilarious Matt Berry as
announcer deserves a bonus; his unique pronunciation made every proper noun
(including “Basil Rathbone”) and Burger King plug an adventure. O’Brien nailed
a cold open that had him chased from Oscar movie to Oscar movie, made up like
Best Supporting Actress winner Amy Madigan in Weapons, pursued by a gaggle
of bewitched children. Madigan’s speech—which began “Ahahahahaha! This is
great!” and included mentions of shaving her legs ahead of the show (despite
ultimately wearing pants) and her “long-ass” marriage to Ed Harris—was also a
delight.
If you switched off the
behind-schedule telecast before the closing bit, in which O’Brien is declared
Oscar host for life (fine by me!) and then (spoiler alert) disposed of à la
Sean Penn in the denouement of One Battle, I recommend seeking out
the clip. His Trump jokes were rare, relatively oblique, and nicely
constructed: “Coming to you live from the Has a Small Penis Theater. Let’s see
him put his name in front of that!”
When veteran Oscars emcee and notable Trump foe Jimmy
Kimmel stepped up to present the documentary awards, his mini-monologue
was a glimpse of the alternate, preachier ceremony that could have been. “There
are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech,” he said, praising
documentarians who risk their lives to reveal the truth. “I’m not at liberty to
say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.” He made fun of the
FLOTUS hagiography Melania. There wasn’t anything wrong with these
jokes; they certainly weren’t irrelevant to the category. The evening’s true
lowlights were mostly technical: sound issues, ABC’s overeager cuts to
commercial, winners getting their mics cut with frustrating abruptness.
Still, if you want a whole evening’s worth of devastating news
headlines or late-night-style topical zingers or impassioned hand-wringing of
any variety, there are plenty of other places to find them, at all hours of
every day. It’s a much rarer gift to see a celebration of film artistry do what
art does better than almost anything else—propel us forward, towards a future
that’s more beautiful, more pleasurable, fairer, and funnier than the one we’re
living in today, one battle after another.
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TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET AND THE END—WE HOPE—OF THE GIMMICKY
OSCAR CAMPAIGN
By Stephanie Zacharek Mar 16, 2026 12:40 PM ET
Timothée Chalamet lost the Best
Actor Academy Award last night, and while that might be a disappointment for
him, it’s a small victory for every movie lover who has become weary of the
Oscar campaign machine.
At their purest, the Academy Awards are a celebration of what film
can be, and of the people who manage to do great work in what has always been a
tough business, and is only getting tougher. But the run-up to the awards has
become a slog.
It’s
not just that you see all the acting nominees gunning for Oscar gold
by making the rounds of every single talk show, some of them turning whatever
charm they’ve got into a tiresome spiel. It’s that the campaigns now seem to be
more carefully scrutinized than the performances themselves. Whether you loved
or loathed Chalamet in Marty Supreme—or even if you simply
didn’t see the movie—you
might have stronger feelings about Chalamet’s behavior on the campaign trail
than about the performance he put on the screen. And if that’s the case, then
the movies really are in trouble. Troller Derby - DJI
At the
end of last month, during a town hall event sponsored by Variety and
CNN and moderated by Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet publicly made a couple
of brash, dumb remarks, especially for a guy who grew up in federally
subsidized New York City housing known as a haven for artists. “I don’t want to
be working in ballet or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing
alive,’ even though no one cares about this anymore,” he said. And apparently
unaware that prefacing a statement with the phrase “All respect to” instantly
signals a total lack of respect, he added, “All respect to the ballet and opera
people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership.”
It was as if he’d tossed a lit match
onto a pile of gasoline-doused tutus. Artists involved in both disciplines spoke
up, loudly, as did people who simply love them as art forms. But on social
media there were also legions of staunch Chalamet defenders who claimed he
wasn’t totally wrong, or that we shouldn’t be scrutinizing every remark that
spills from his lips—we should just let him be an unmanicured young performer
who speaks his mind, despite the reality that every media appearance he's made
over the past three months has been excessively manicured.
The
more self-righteous among those defenders demanded to know how often those
complaining about Chalamet's remarks ever attended opera or ballet themselves.
In order to have feelings about an actor’s offscreen behavior, you’d better be
able to present the ticket stubs.
Almost
as bad were those who claimed Chalamet has zero talent to begin with, so what
did any of it matter? That logic is skewed as well—you don’t have to like what
Chalamet’s got, or dislike it, to recognize behavior that’s just unseemly and
ungenerous for any young actor. Then there’s another tier of half-checked-out
observers who don’t care at all—they’ve probably got the right idea.
But
Chalamet’s opera/ballet remark—which was made on Feb. 24, roughly eight days
before Academy Members’ votes were due, though it didn’t go viral until shortly
before the voting closed—actually came at the tail end of a long, seemingly calculated Oscar grab loaded
with braggadocio: Late last year, Chalamet told Vogue, “My
superpower is my fearlessness.” He adopted markers of Black
culture, like stomping around in Timberlands, to make himself seem more, you
know, down with the people. Late last year he climbed the Las Vegas sphere—it
had been transformed into an orange ping pong ball—and staged, as a stunt, an
outlandish Zoom pitch meeting with A24 executives. His shtick was that he was playing the role of an
arrogant veteran even though he’s still more or less a punk.
A pretty gifted punk, let’s add. His performance as Bob Dylan in
2024’s A Complete Unknown didn’t
have the false, brassy veneer of the one he gave in Marty
Supreme. It was a strange, complex performance—oddly enough, a potent
examination of the way one
great artist, still basically a kid, fumbled his way toward fame he wasn’t sure
he wanted. (I still think about that scene where Chalamet-as-Dylan, his
eyes seemingly as blank as those of a sleepy lizard, writes “Blowin’ in the
Wind” by idly strumming a guitar in a rumpled bed—wearing nothing but baggy
underpants.) With the exception of his excessively arch performance in Marty
Supreme, I’ve liked Chalamet quite a bit over the years; I’d rather he not behave like a
schmuck, especially before he's long past age 30.
Lots of
people now have decided that his public persona is jerky—and plenty of them, including
Juliette Binoche, pointed out that he shouldn’t be so smug about his chosen art
form: movies
themselves are in trouble, a diversion that’s no longer embraced by the masses.
And in a keynote conversation at SXSW, Steven Spielberg, a person who appears
to be genuinely eager never to offend, pushed back in his own way,
suggesting that the shared emotional experience of movies is the same as the
connection we feel at a concert, ballet, or opera.
But
there are also those who want to stand by Chalamet no matter what. When I put
up a post on social media gently chiding Chalamet for his oafishness
(“Timothée Chalamet is proof that an actor can be incredibly gifted and also a
TWERP”), one user took me to task for “misunderstanding” his campaign. I also
saw a number of vociferous defenses not of what he actually said, but of what, in my most generous mode, I
think he probably meant: that live productions of opera and ballet are
expensive to mount, which means costly tickets, which means most people of
average means can’t afford to attend regularly. If he’d said that, he wouldn’t
be wrong. It was the “no one cares about anymore” portion of his remark,
tossed off with so much obvious dismissiveness, that indicated how he really
feels.
Of
course we’re supposed to assess actors mostly through their work, and not how
they come off in the extracurricular moments when they’re supposedly appearing
as themselves. But we always have feelings about movie stars as people—that has
been true since the beginning of movies, and there’s no going back. Their
offscreen image is often part of how we perceive them on-screen; it's what
being a movie star is about. So when a young actor says something offensive, why are we required to
metacontextualize his remarks in the context of a prize he’s hoping to win?
Sometimes rude is just rude.
Meanwhile,
Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor Oscar—for his terrific performance in Ryan
Coogler's Sinners—with the exact opposite of a calculated campaign.
He doesn't seem to have sought to be anyone but himself. In the end,
though, maybe it’s a ballet dancer who gets the last laugh. Recently retired ballerina Misty
Copeland performed during the Oscars ceremony, in the musical number keyed
to Sinners; she underwent hip replacement
surgery only in December. For an artist who’s also essentially an athlete,
what kind of discipline does it take to come back so quickly? Copeland’s
recovery took roughly the same number of months as an Oscar campaign. It's not
hard to decide who put their time to better use.
A16X19 X19 FROM USA TODAY
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET'S
BALLET AND OPERA CONTROVERSY, EXPLAINED
by Nicole Fallert March 16, 2026 Updated March 17, 2026, 1:32
p.m. ET
@get “A” from website
Did
'Jeopardy!' reference Chalamet's ballet and opera comments in a category?
What
was Misty Copeland's response to Timothée Chalamet's remarks?
Why
do ballet and opera communities emphasize their cultural value despite low
popularity?
DID 'JEOPARDY!' REFERENCE
CHALAMET'S BALLET AND OPERA COMMENTS IN A CATEGORY?
Timothée Chalamet’s “no one
cares” comment about ballet and opera sparked a backlash from the classical‑arts
community, leading to public rebuttals, jokes at the Oscars, and a broader
discussion about celebrity‑fan parasocial relationships.
The ballet and opera world's
attention has been piquéd by a certain Hollywood star.
When Timothée Chalamet
said "no one cares" about ballet or opera during a CNN and Variety
town hall, posted on Feb. 24, it ignited a firestorm of rebuke among fans of
these classical art forms.
The controversy was center
stage at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, with jokes and even a famous
ballerina making a very clear counterpoint. Chalamet did not win in the Best
Actor category for "Marty Supreme" and played it cool despite
multiple references to the comments during the night.
Here's what to know about
how the conflict started in the first place and why it matters to everyday
fans.
THE VIDEO THAT STARTED IT
ALL
Social media erupted last
month when video surfaced of Chalamet in conversation with Matthew McConaughey,
in which Chalamet discussed Hollywood's business and the pressure to make
movies hit at the box office.
"I admire people, and
I've done it myself, who go on a talk show and say, 'Hey, we've got to keep
movie theaters alive, we've gotta keep this genre alive,' and another part of
me feels like if people want to see it, like 'Barbie,' like 'Oppenheimer,'
they're going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about
it," he told McConaughey.
He then went on to say the
words that would ignite fervor:
"I don't want to be
working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing
alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to all
the ballet and opera people out there," Chalamet told McConaughey.
THE BALLET AND OPERA WORLDS
RESPOND
As the clip of Chalamet's
words about ballet and opera circulated online, fans and performers of these
art forms made their frustration known. Ballet, a classical dance form, and
opera, a powerful genre of narrative vocal performance, may not be popular to
mass audiences, some argued, but their value to culture and society are proven
by the fact they have a long legacy. Both are highly physical performance
styles that require decades of specialized training and experience to master,
fans say, showing many people clearly "care."
In one response, Brazilian
ballet dancer, Victor Caixeta, defended ballet and opera's legacy that has
"survived for centuries," writing, "Let’s see if your movies are
still being watched in 300 years," he added.
Multiple theaters offered
discounted tickets with the code "Chalamet." "The Pitt"
star Katherine LaNasa shared a video of herself training in ballet. Pop star
Doja Cat clapped back, too.
"I'm sure you could
walk into an opera theater right now, seats would be filled out, and nobody is
saying a word as the performance is going because everybody has that much
respect for it," Doja Cat said.
CHALAMET, BALLET AND OPERA:
'JEOPARDY!' SUBTLY SHADES TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET WITH 'BALLET AND OPERA'
CATEGORY
Even Deepak Marwah, the head
of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in
New York, where Chalamet himself studied, chimed in via an open letter. He
expressed to the actor: "We know your heart, and we know you know
better."
Marwah and others mentioned
Chalamet's words come despite own legacy within the ballet world: His
grandmother, mother and sister danced with the New York City Ballet, he said in
an interview promoting "Marty Supreme."
"I grew up dreaming big
at the backstage at the Koch Theater in New York," he said, referencing
the New York City venue for ballet and dance.
Meanwhile, Misty Copeland,
one of America's premier ballerinas, said she was surprised by Chalamet's
remarks, particularly after he had asked for her help in promoting "Marty
Supreme."
"I think that it's
important that we acknowledge that, yes, this is an art form that's not
'popular' and a part of pop culture as movies are, but that doesn't mean it
doesn't have enduring relevance in culture," Copeland, 43, said during a
panel for the cosmetics company Aveeno.
ON STAGE AT THE OSCARS
The backlash marked
Chalamet's campaign for Best Actor leading up the 98th Academy Awards.
Chalamet attended the Oscars
with girlfriend Kylie Jenner in an all-white suit and displayed a cool
affection throughout the night, despite losing for Best Actor and multiple nods
during the show to the controversy.
"Security is extremely
tight tonight," host Conan O'Brien said. "I'm told there's concerns
about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities." He added:
"They're just mad you left out jazz."
The crowd erupted in
laughter, and the camera showed Chalamet cracking a smile.
CHALAMET AT THE OSCARS:
CHALAMET AND KYLIE JENNER TURN HEADS AT VANITY FAIR PARTY
Copeland also made a point
en pointe, spinning out of the shadows to perform ballet with Chalamet sitting
nearby during a simmering blues-rock fusion of “I Lied to You” from “Sinners."
Chalamet has not publicly
addressed the controversy.
WHY DO WE CARE?
Whether or not you're a
ballet or opera fan, the discourse struck a chord with many: Some on social
media defend his words, saying they were taken out of context. Others feel the
Chalamet they have come to love has betrayed them or grown "arrogant"
as his stardom booms.
Either way, the main reason
we feel so invested in the star's point of view is the parasocial relationship
we have with celebrities, which are the "illusion of friendship" with
high-profile people like Chalamet, sociology experts have explained to USA
TODAY.
If we feel Chalamet is a
person we know, it can make it extra hurtful when he says something unexpected,
the experts note. But it's important to remember parasocial connections are up
to us to discern: We'll never know the whole story of celebrities.
No matter how you feel about
the discourse, perhaps the energy around Chalamet's claims are just further
evidence of Marwah's words that ballet and opera are "very much
alive."
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SHOCKING OSCARS
AFTERMATH PIC EXPOSES CLIMATE HYPOCRISY OF CELEBS: ‘WHERE’S ALL THAT “PROTECT
THE PLANET” ENERGY NOW?’
By Zain
Khan Published March 16, 2026,
12:58 p.m. ET
The Oscars 2026 might be over, but fans’
fury over “dirty” celebrities is just getting started.
A
picture showing trash, including discarded water bottles and snack packets,
strewn across Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre has gone viral on social media —
sparking backlash over the hypocrisy of the elite, who grandstand about the
environment.
“Aren’t
some of them environmentalists?” one critic pointed out. “Where’s
all that ‘protect the planet’ energy now?”
A
viral pic posted online showed the garbage-strewn aftermath of the Academy
Awards in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.
(See photos at website and ZUMAPRESS.com here)
“Save
the mountains, keep them clean, blah blah blah … but look at the mess they
leave,” another chimed in of the hypocrisy.
“Nobody’s
buying it anymore. As the saying goes: A lion is revealed by where it lies.”
“Of course, we can’t expect immaculately dressed celebrities to clean
up after themselves,” yet another critic posted. “Also,
what’s with ‘No Plastic’ and all these celebrities’ ecological concerns?”
The
trash-filled pic has garnered nearly 4 million views, with the caption:
“Clean up on aisle ALL.”
A
source within the Academy insisted the social media post was taken out of
context and was a “misunderstanding.”
“Guests
were asked to leave boxes behind, and it wasn’t an issue for sustainability,”
the source told the California Post. “The Academy is dedicated to
sustainability.”
Other
detractors, meanwhile, took issue with the rich and famous leaving a mess for
others to clean up.
“Rich people leaving their dirt for
poor people, as always,” an angry commenter wrote.
“The
Elites make the mess and the lower class clears it after them,” a second echoed.
A
third agreed, posting, “The kind of people who
expect others to clean up after them. Unseen and unthanked.”
Stars
with a strong record of climate activism made their presence felt at the 98th
Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15.
Jane Fonda, Javier Bardem, and Leonardo DiCaprio were
among the high-profile attendees using the Oscars platform to highlight
environmental issues.
Still,
while fingers were being pointed at the stars for not taking their trash with them,
some blamed the problem on a planning oversight.
“The Oscars may have been glamorous, but the
aftermath shows a major planning oversight: not a single waste station in
sight! With thousands of guests enjoying food and drinks, accessible bins in
each aisle would have made ‘Clean up on aisle ALL’ a non-issue,” a commenter insisted.
The
Academy hires Dolby Theatre staff, among others, to handle cleanup after events
and reportedly made an announcement — though it was not aired — asking guests
to leave boxes behind. The Academy source told The Post that this is standard
practice.
7:17 directing - PTA
7:20
female actress – Jessie buckley for Hamnet
7:26 male actor – Michael
b. Jordan
X19 USA Today 3/16
1332
X05 AP News 3/16 1552
A18X05 from AP NEWS
In win for ‘One Battle After
Another,’ the Oscars meet an anxious moment
1 of 7 |
The great and the good of cinema gathered
in Los Angeles on Sunday night for the Oscars, but many of the stars had global
issues firmly in their minds and on the red carpet before the event started.
(March 16)
2 of 7 |
Host Conan O’Brien, dressed as the
character Gladys Lilly from “Weapons” is chased by children during the Oscars
on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris
Pizzello)
3 of 7 |
Jose Antonio Garcia, from left,
Florencia Martin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cassandra Kulukundis, Regina Hall, Shayna
McHale, Teyana Taylor, Michael Bauman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Anthony Carlino,
Will Weike, Sara Murphy, Chase Infiniti, Christopher Scarabosio, and Andy
Jurgensen accept the award for best picture award for “One Battle After
Another” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in
Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
4 of 7 |
Michael B. Jordan, left, winner of
the award for actor in a leading role for “Sinners,” and Ryan Coogler, winner
of the award for writing (original screenplay) for “Sinners,” pose in the press
room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los
Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
5 of 7 |
Paul Thomas Anderson, winner of
the awards for writing (adapted screenplay), directing, and best picture for
“One Battle After Another,” poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday,
March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan
Strauss/Invision/AP)
6 of 7 |
David Borenstein, from left,
Alžběta Karásková, Radovan Síbrt, Pavel Talankin, center left, Robin
Hessman, center right, Helle Faber accept the award for documentary feature
film for “Mr. Nobody against Putin” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15,
2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
7 of 7 |
Jessie Buckley accepts the award
for actress in a leading role for “Hamnet” during the Oscars on Sunday, March
15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
By JAKE
COYLE
Updated 3:52 PM EDT, March 16, 2026
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A horde of children
chased host Conan O’Brien onto the Dolby Theatre stage in
the opening moments of the 98th Academy Awards, and throughout an Oscar ceremony
that saw “One Battle After Another” win best picture, it was like they never
left.
A queasy future, both immediate and for
generations to come, pervaded an Academy Awards shadowed by war, political
turmoil and whatever might happen to the movies in an artificial
intelligence-supercharged tomorrow. These were the high anxiety Oscars. At
almost every turn, they seemed to be trying to rally a little optimism despite
omnipresent storm clouds.
“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,” O’Brien said in his opening monologue.
“We’re going to celebrate. Not because we think all is well, but because we
work, and hope for better.”
The last time the Oscars took place just after
a U.S. launch of war in the Middle East was 2003. Just days after the Iraq War
began, the musical “Chicago” won best picture.
But it was a different story Sunday. The
night’s big winner, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” a father-daughter saga
of revolution, immigrant detention and white supremacy, arrived uncommonly
tailored to the times. The film, which won six Oscars, triumphed in part
because it spoke to right now.
Related Stories
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songs and sad goodbyes
Who will win at the Oscars? AP’s film writers make their predictions
When asked about the movie’s relevancy and
America’s future backstage, Anderson, still reeling from the first Oscars —
including best director and best adapted screenplay — of his 30-year career,
was initially caught off guard. “I thought we were supposed to be partying,” he
joked
But then Anderson, who had largely avoided
speaking directly about the movie’s message during the film’s near-sweep of
awards season, granted that his film’s power lay partly in its timeliness.
“Our film obviously has a certain amount of
parallels to what’s happening in the news every day,” Anderson said.
“In terms of where it’s going, I don’t know,”
he added, shrugging his shoulders. “But I know that the end of our movie is our
hero, Willa, heading off to continue to fight against evil forces, and, I
think, like I said in my speech, bring at least common sense and decency back
into fashion.”
TECTONIC
SHIFTS IN HOLLYWOOD
The connection between what was on screen,
with current events off it, made the 98th Oscars an appropriately destabilized
affair. For the first time in a long time, the movies and the Oscars were
almost in step with the moment. That was true not only in “One Battle After
Another,” but also in the apocalyptic road movie “Sirāt,” the Iranian
revenge drama “It Was Just an Accident” and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” about the
forces that prey on Black culture.
But if “One Battle After Another” and
“Sinners” (four awards, including best actor for Michael B. Jordan and, in a
first for women and Black directors of photography, best cinematography for
Autumn Durald Arkapaw) maybe suggested a hopeful dawn for big-budget, original
American movies, their wins also reflected the rapidly shifting ground in
Hollywood.
Warner Bros., the studio behind those films,
took home a record-tying 11 Oscars. David Zaslav, in a memo Monday to staff,
called it “a remarkable moment for Warner Bros. Discovery.” It was also
potentially a last hurrah for Warner Bros. as a standalone studio. The studio
has agreed to be acquired by David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance in
a deal worth $111 billion.
The film industry, which has already seen MGM
gobbled up by Amazon and 20th Century Fox bought by The Walt Disney Co., knows
that contraction inevitably means fewer jobs. Film production in Los Angeles
has cratered in recent years.
O’Brien, himself, imagined he could be out of
a job soon, calling himself “the last human host” of the Oscars, which in three
years will move from ABC to YouTube. In comic bits throughout the broadcast,
O’Brien focused on the difficult plight of movies today. One segment spoofed
iconic widescreen films cut to fit the smartphone-friendly vertical format.
Another imagined “Casablanca” — a Warner Bros. film, by the way — dumbed down
with constant plot regurgitation for half-watching streaming audiences.
So it’s gotten a lot harder, on Hollywood’s
biggest night, to trot out the same song-and-dance pitch for the Dream Factory.
The Oscars are now more like a beleaguered pep talk to keep up the good fight.
Lost in the hoopla over Timothée Chalamet’s comment worrying about the movies
becoming like opera or ballet was a genuine concern for the marquee pop culture
medium’s future.
“The theatrical experience is something that’s
a little bit vulnerable right now,” director Joachim Trier told reporters
backstage after winning best international film for “Sentimental Value.” “So
I’m very proud that (for) our film … people have shown up.”
POLITICS
TURN PERSONAL
Many winners stayed clear of politics. Neither
the word “Iran” or the name of President Donald Trump were uttered during the
broadcast, though Jimmy Kimmel, a presenter, came close. Before reading the
best documentary nominees, Kimmel sarcastically referenced the absence of “Melania.”
“Oh, man,” Kimmel said. “Is he going to be mad
his wife wasn’t nominated for this.”
But after an awards season that often skirted
politics, many were more blunt. Presenter Javier Bardem strode up to the mic and
stated forthrightly: “No to war, and free Palestine.” While accepting the best
documentary Oscar for “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” Pavel Talankin, the
schoolteacher in the documentary, said through an interpreter: “In the name of
our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these wars now.”
Jessie Buckley, the best actress winner for her
grieving mother in “Hamnet,” likewise cast her eye to children, specifically
her eight-month-old daughter Isla “who has absolutely no idea what’s going on
and is probably dreaming of milk,” Buckley said.
Buckley was more upbeat than most about the
promise of the future. From the stage, she told her husband she wanted “20,000
more babies” with him. But, again and again, those who took home trophies
Sunday struggled to find the right words for a time of fraying American bonds
and expanding war, and instead returned to the subject of what kind of world a
younger generation would inherit. Trier, in his acceptance speech, paraphrased
James Baldwin.
“I want to end by paraphrasing the wonderful
American writer James Baldwin, who makes us remember that all adults are
responsible for all children,” he said. “Let’s not vote for politicians who
don’t take this seriously into account.”
In the end, the win for “One Battle After
Another” may have been all the more inevitable since it clearly represents
what’s on the minds of many. Anderson’s film ends with its young protagonist,
played by Chase Infiniti, rushing out the door to a protest, while the
uplifting chords of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” begin to chime.
“What happens when your parents, who are
damaged, have handed quite a difficult history to you, how do you manage that?”
Anderson said backstage. “That’s our story.”
Coyle has been a film critic and covered the
movie industry for The Associated Press since 2013. He is based in New York
City.
PEANUT
GALLERY
All Comments
1. Comment by halomusic2.
ha
halomusic21 hr ago
I usually like the Oscars, but not
this year. The atmosphere of problems that America finds itself mired in,
reminded me that only those with money can enjoy watching others with money pat
themselves on the back.
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2. Comment by JohnnyShamengi.
Jo
JohnnyShamengi1 hr ago
One Battle was an excellent film
and so was Flow - both all-time classic movies, imho
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3. Comment by Kowalski.
Ko
Kowalski1 hr ago
My wife and I sadly couldn’t watch
the Oscars this year, the first time in 37 years we couldn’t. We’re 100%
streaming now, without local channels so no ABC, no YouTube TV because it’s
much too expensive, and certainly no Hulu because it’s so devoid of content it’s
insanely expensive for what it offers.
My apologies but having to pay for
a subscription AND sit through ABC’s commercials is a no-go. They can either
fix this problem or say goodbye to a portion of the viewers. Maybe not a large
portion, but one with disposable income and willingness to watch the Oscars.
reply2 replies 1 1
share
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o
Reply by PhilK.
Ph
PhilK1 hr ago
Reply to Kowalski
Get the cheap Hulu and watch the
next day.
reply 2 1
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report
o
Reply by duhbbleohseven.
du
duhbbleohseven32 min ago
Reply to Kowalski
Apparently you don't have
disposable income; otherwise you would be watching and not complaining about
not being able to watch.
reply 0 0
share
report
X14 NY Post 3/16
1721
A19X14 X14 FROM NY POST
JAVIER BARDEM IS SLAMMED
FOR USING OSCARS TO ATTACK ISRAEL: ‘WHY WAS HE EVEN ON THE STAGE?’
By Zain Khan Published March 16, 2026, 5:21 p.m. ET
Oscar
award-winning actor Javier Bardem is facing backlash over comments he made during
the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday when he presented the Best International
Feature award.
“No
to war and Free Palestine,” Bardem said before announcing the winner while
wearing a “No a la Guerra” (No to War) pin — a symbol he previously wore to
oppose the U.S.’s “illegal war” against Iraq.
Critics
quickly slammed the actor for what they described as anti-Israel stances.
“It’s
no secret that Javier Bardem has spent years vilifying Israel on the world
stage,” one user wrote on X.
Some
even questioned why he was on stage.
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“Did
he have a new film that earned him a spot on the Academy Award stage tonight?
No. The Oscars chose him anyway, during an era that can only be described as
open hunting season on Jews worldwide,” Samantha Ettus noted.
While
Bardem was not directly nominated for an Oscar, his movie — the Formula One
racing drama F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski — was up for
awards. The film, an Apple Original starring Brad Pitt, received
four nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, winning Best Sound. It was also
nominated for Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Visual Effects, marking a
major showing for the racing film.
“You
know who didn’t deserve a spot at the awards today and didn’t get it? You,”
another user wrote.
Some
viewers were also frustrated that the ceremony had become political, with many
attendees wearing “Artists for Ceasefire” and “ICE Out” pins.
“I
can no longer bear to watch the Academy Awards, which used to be an event of
interest; now I know it will be an anti-Israel fest,” one frustrated fan on X
wrote. “Who would dare to
buck the trend of supporting Palestine, Hezbollah, Hamas & the Iranian regime,
among the lustrous celebs at the Dolby Theatre?”
Critics
quickly slammed the actor for what they described as anti-Israel stances.
This
is not Bardem’s first display of political advocacy at awards shows.
Bardem
said the pin was the same “No a la Guerra” badge he wore in 2003, linking his
past anti-war activism to current events. In September 2025, he also used
the Primetime Emmy Awards to spotlight the situation in Gaza, CNN
reported. In February 2026, he joined more than 80 others in signing an open letter
urging the Berlin International Film Festival to condemn Israel’s actions.
Critics
said Bardem was not the only one to blame, but also the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences itself.
“Bardem’s
record is ugly, but the most reprehensible actor here is @TheAcademy itself,
which decided that this is the moment to hand him a microphone and a global
platform,” Ettus said.
A20X08 X08 FROM ROLLING
STONE
Oscars 2026: Conan, Barbra,
‘Sinners,’ and One Awesomely Messy Night
The 98th Academy Awards were
marked by surprise wins, timely jokes, poignant speeches, and an unexpected
shout-out to Thomas Pynchon
By Rob Sheffield March 16, 2026
What was that secret
revolutionary password from One Battle After Another? Oh, yeah:
“Time doesn’t exist, but it controls us anyway.” Fitting words for this
year’s Oscars, especially when Adrien Brody was talking.
The 98th Academy Awards was the first ceremony in
years where the races had actual stakes in a showdown between Sinners and One
Battle After Another, two ambitious trips through American history.
Both movies came away big winners, which made it a real celebration of movie
culture — an Oscar night full of highs.
And lows. Lots of those.
First things first: Who the
hell decided to crank the music while Barbra Streisand was talking? That was a bad, bad decision.
There’s a legend trying to talk here, sharing her misty watercolor memories of Robert Redford, and
you drown her out? Then cut her off mid-sentence? For shame. It’s the shabbiest
treatment Barbra’s gotten from the Oscars since they stiffed her on the Prince
of Tides nomination in 1992.
Conan O’Brien hosted for the
second straight year, with the right amount of bratty irreverence. As he said,
“I’m honored to be the last human host of the Academy Awards!” (The telecast is
moving to YouTube in 2029.) He took shots at Timothée Chalamet: “Security is
tight tonight,” he warned. “I’m told there’s concern about attacks from both
the opera and ballet community.” But his funniest moment was also his bitchiest. Near the end,
he announced, “Our next presenter heroically saved last year’s Oscars from
running short. Please welcome Oscar winner Adrien Brody!”
The show kicked off in style
with a Sinners blues jam starring a host of music legends, including
Buddy Guy, who’s nearly as old as the Oscars. (He was born in 1936, the first
year they were actually called “Oscars.”) The all-star cast also had Christone
“Kingfish” Ingram, Brittany Howard, and ballerina Misty Copeland — which means
ballet got more stage time at the Oscars than Timothée did. It was a perfect
way to celebrate the musical achievement of Sinners — Ryan Coogler even
had a guitar braided into his hair.
The Best Supporting Actress
award went to the sentimental favorite Amy Madigan, 40 years after she got
nominated for Twice in a Lifetime, a movie where she plays Gene
Hackman’s daughter and Ally Sheedy’s mom. She won for her terrifying turn as
Aunt Gladys in Weapons. It was so sweet to see her husband, Ed
Harris, give her a flirty glance when her name got called — they’re now a
couple with matching Oscars, in the tradition of Laurence Olivier and Vivien
Leigh or Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz.
Sean Penn was a no-show, a
shame since he’s so reliably entertaining at the Academy Awards. (Remember the
year he got pissed at Chris Rock for making fun of Jude Law? Comedy gold.) Yet
there was something awesomely Spicoli-esque about not showing up for his win.
Kieran Culkin, who brought down the house last year with his hilarious speech,
announced, “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening — or didn’t want to — so
I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf.” He also showed the envelope with
Penn’s name to the camera, just for transparency.
The Best Actor race was a
nail-biter right down to the final seconds. But Michael B. Jordan’s win was an emotional highlight of the night, crowning
the Sinners triumph. His speech made connections between
history and the present, with his mother beaming proudly in the audience.
Fortunately, Brody didn’t try to kiss him — the camera wisely cut away when MBJ
gave a shout-out to Halle Berry. Jessie Buckley won
Best Actress for Hamnet, making a heavily emotional speech in her
County Kerry brogue, telling her husband, “I want to have 20,000 more babies
with you!”
Another highlight came when
Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win the Oscar for
Best Cinematography, as well as the first Black winner in the category. “All
the women in the room stand up,” she said. “Because I feel like I don’t get
here without you guys. I really, fully, truly mean that.” Ludwig Göransson was
another Sinners winner for Best Score, with a touching speech about his dad
buying a John Lee Hooker album in Sweden in 1964. And after so many
tributes to Coogler, it was great to see the man himself win for Best Original
Screenplay.
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Another’ Named Best Picture at 2026 Oscars
Anne Hathaway did a brilliant Devil
Wears Prada bit with Anna Wintour. Hathaway: “Anna, just curious, what
do you think of my dress tonight?” Wintour: “And the nominees are …” Poor Anne
hasn’t looked so forlorn and abandoned on the Oscar stage since the night they
made her co-host with James Franco.
Jimmy Kimmel made a welcome return to present
the documentary awards. “As you know, there are some countries whose leaders do
not support free speech,” he said, then quipping, “I’m not at liberty to say
which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.” Kumail Nanjiani presided
over a tie in the Best Live Action Short category, which raised the annual
question, “Why exactly do the Oscars have a Best Live Action Short
category?”
Nicole Kidman and Ewan
McGregor showed up to get sentimental over the 25th anniversary of Moulin
Rouge, joining their voices to sing the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.”
Hey, it’s also the 30th anniversary of Trainspotting, so too bad Ewan
didn’t bust out “Born Slippy.” It was a treat to see the Bridesmaids cast
strut down the stage — Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya
Rudolph, and Ellie Kemper. Too bad the moment got wasted with such a clunky
sketch. (The “Marty” joke was a bizarrely obscure callback to their Scorsese
drinking-game gag at the 2012 Oscars.) But Sigourney Weaver got to shine in her comedy bit,
catching Kate Hudson snuggling Baby Yoda and yelling, “Get away from him, you
bitch!” It was almost as surreal as Pedro Pascal’s psychedelic shirt.
When Priyanka Chopra
presented at the Golden Globes a couple of months ago, with Blackpink’s Lisa,
her introduction went, “One was in White Lotus, and the other one
wed a white Jonas!” Last night, with Javier Bardem, it was: “One is married to
a Jonas Brother, and the other pronounces it ‘YO-nas!’” People who write
Priyanka jokes for award shows: Try 20 or 30 seconds harder.
Are there any six words that
spark joy like “Please welcome Oscar winner Lionel Richie”? Lionel was once,
twice, three times happy to be there (“All right, I’m back!”) and remind
everyone he won 40 years ago for “Say You, Say Me,” declaring, “Stories cannot
be told without music.” Best Song went to the KPop Demon Hunters hit “Golden,” after an
upbeat live performance. It was the night’s least surprising win, so it’s hard
to explain why the songwriters were so totally unprepared to give a speech, but
the orchestra cut them off, “Takedown”-style. Least welcome voiceover of the
night: “To hear all of this year’s original song nominees, scan the QR code on
your screen now!”
Truth be told, Chalamet really should have won his long-a-thirsted
Oscar last year for his Bob Dylan movie — he played a similar brat in Marty
Supreme, just not a very fascinating one. Ironically, he showed up
in a white suit and a pencil-thin mustache, just like Dylan when he won his
Oscar 25 years ago. But the film got shut out, so either there was a
late-breaking backlash from opera and ballet fans, or the voters spent the
second half of Marty Supreme asking, “Wait, isn’t this the
funny ping-pong movie? Why the hell are we looking for a lost dog?” Better luck
next year, Tim. Maybe a Dylan sequel?
One Battle After
Another took Best Picture, with Paul Thomas Anderson finally winning after 14
nominations. He gave a shout-out to his inspiration, Thomas Pynchon, probably
an Oscars first. (Pynchon didn’t show up, unless he was disguised as Chalamet.)
“I wrote this movie for my kids,” he said, “to say sorry for the housekeeping
mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them.”
But it was funny to see PTA
flip the switch into OCD film-geek mode at the end of the night. “In 1975,” he
reminded us, “the Oscar nominees for Best Picture were Dog Day
Afternoon, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jaws, Nashville,
and Barry Lyndon. There is no ‘Best’ among them.” He clearly meant
to segue into a tribute to his fellow nominees — but he got so distracted by
those famous film titles, he simply forgot. It was an endearing moment. (Also,
sorry, but Dog Day Afternoon got robbed. Atticaaaa!)
Happy Gilmore 2 didn’t get nominated for anything, but when you think about it, it’s
basically the same movie as One Battle After Another.
A beloved Nineties icon of perpetual boyishness makes a serious comedy about
growing old and feeling washed-up, but returning to a passionate cause they
gave up years ago (golf for Sandler, the revolution for Leo) while being
comically rumpled and out of date and embarrassing to their teenage daughters?
But it all works out, because Dad means well and it’s a movie? (I love both
films, in very different ways, so it’s a compliment to both of them. RIP Bob
Barker.)
Until last night, Paul
Sorvino was probably the most legendary movie star (as opposed to TV star) ever
to get left out of the “In Memoriam” loop, though you could make a case for
Alain Delon. But Brigitte
Bardot stole the crown last night — just an astounding omission. (They
also skipped director Henry
Jaglom, but Bardot, wow.) There’s no precedent for skipping a movie star
anywhere near as famous as Bardot. It’s just never happened. Maybe they
censored her for not being a good role model, before or after her retirement,
but she’s a mighty strange place for the Oscars to begin drawing that line. (It can’t be her right-wing
politics, since they honored Robert Duvall.) When you’re in a Godard
movie, an Olivia Rodrigo song, and “We Didn’t Start the Fire,”
you’re overqualified. What happened?
Like the Grammys last month,
the Oscars stretched out the “In Memoriam” segment to a sizable chunk of the
show. Billy Crystal, the nine-time host who can claim credit for making Oscar
night the ritual it is today, began with a heartfelt tribute to his close
friend and frequent colleague Rob Reiner. Actors from Reiner’s movies gathered
onstage — although the camera didn’t catch their faces, a sadly clumsy
gaffe.
Rachel McAdams paid tribute
to her onscreen mom Diane Keaton, saying, “She wore so many hats — literally
and figuratively.” She also quoted Keaton singing the Girl Scouts’ “Make New
Friends” song — if you remember your trashy award-show lore, you probably
recall Keaton singing that one the night the Golden Globes gave a massively
awkward lifetime-achievement tribute to Woody Allen. (The “In Memoriam” montage
also had Marcel Ophuls, who directed The Sorrow and the Pity, then
later in the show Sigourney Weaver — so Annie Hall had a big
night. La-di-da, la-di-da.)
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But what could compare to Streisand’s
heart-twisting tribute to her muse Robert Redford? She spoke about their bond,
evoking the way he used to call her “Babs.” (“Bob, do I look like a Babs?”) She
called him “an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail.” But when she
started to sing “The Way We Were,” it was an all-out attack on the tear ducts.
She even had her own conductor in the aisle, because she rightly didn’t trust
the house orchestra to get this moment right — a very Streisand touch, and one
that Redford would have relished. StreisFord were one of the most iconic
20th-century screen couples, in The Way We Were, the Brooklyn
noodge versus the Santa Monica tennis jock. (As Pauline Kael wrote, “It’s good
to see Redford with a woman again after all that flirting with Paul Newman.”)
When Babs sang her farewell
to her Bob, it was the kind of Oscar magic that could only happen on this award
show. You couldn’t miss
the way they botched this moment, almost drowning her out with the soundtrack
— yet you also couldn’t miss the fact that Streisand was determined to fight
through it and make history anyway. It was the best and worst of the Oscars, in
one moment. Sing on forever, Barbra.
A21X19 X19 FROM USA TODAY
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET'S
BALLET AND OPERA CONTROVERSY, EXPLAINED
by Nicole Fallert March 16, 2026 Updated March 17, 2026, 1:32
p.m. ET
@get “A” from website
Did
'Jeopardy!' reference Chalamet's ballet and opera comments in a category?
What
was Misty Copeland's response to Timothée Chalamet's remarks?
Why
do ballet and opera communities emphasize their cultural value despite low
popularity?
DID 'JEOPARDY!' REFERENCE
CHALAMET'S BALLET AND OPERA COMMENTS IN A CATEGORY?
Timothée Chalamet’s “no one
cares” comment about ballet and opera sparked a backlash from the classical‑arts
community, leading to public rebuttals, jokes at the Oscars, and a broader
discussion about celebrity‑fan parasocial relationships.
The ballet and opera world's
attention has been piquéd by a certain Hollywood star.
When Timothée Chalamet
said "no one cares" about ballet or opera during a CNN and Variety
town hall, posted on Feb. 24, it ignited a firestorm of rebuke among fans of
these classical art forms.
The controversy was center
stage at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, with jokes and even a famous
ballerina making a very clear counterpoint. Chalamet did not win in the Best
Actor category for "Marty Supreme" and played it cool despite
multiple references to the comments during the night.
Here's what to know about
how the conflict started in the first place and why it matters to everyday
fans.
THE VIDEO THAT STARTED IT
ALL
Social media erupted last
month when video surfaced of Chalamet in conversation with Matthew McConaughey,
in which Chalamet discussed Hollywood's business and the pressure to make
movies hit at the box office.
"I admire people, and
I've done it myself, who go on a talk show and say, 'Hey, we've got to keep
movie theaters alive, we've gotta keep this genre alive,' and another part of
me feels like if people want to see it, like 'Barbie,' like 'Oppenheimer,'
they're going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about
it," he told McConaughey.
He then went on to say the
words that would ignite fervor:
"I don't want to be
working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing
alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to all
the ballet and opera people out there," Chalamet told McConaughey.
THE BALLET AND OPERA WORLDS
RESPOND
As the clip of Chalamet's
words about ballet and opera circulated online, fans and performers of these
art forms made their frustration known. Ballet, a classical dance form, and
opera, a powerful genre of narrative vocal performance, may not be popular to
mass audiences, some argued, but their value to culture and society are proven
by the fact they have a long legacy. Both are highly physical performance
styles that require decades of specialized training and experience to master,
fans say, showing many people clearly "care."
In one response, Brazilian
ballet dancer, Victor Caixeta, defended ballet and opera's legacy that has
"survived for centuries," writing, "Let’s see if your movies are
still being watched in 300 years," he added.
Multiple theaters offered
discounted tickets with the code "Chalamet." "The Pitt"
star Katherine LaNasa shared a video of herself training in ballet. Pop star
Doja Cat clapped back, too.
"I'm sure you could
walk into an opera theater right now, seats would be filled out, and nobody is
saying a word as the performance is going because everybody has that much
respect for it," Doja Cat said.
CHALAMET, BALLET AND OPERA:
'JEOPARDY!' SUBTLY SHADES TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET WITH 'BALLET AND OPERA'
CATEGORY
Even Deepak Marwah, the head
of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in
New York, where Chalamet himself studied, chimed in via an open letter. He
expressed to the actor: "We know your heart, and we know you know better."
Marwah and others mentioned
Chalamet's words come despite own legacy within the ballet world: His
grandmother, mother and sister danced with the New York City Ballet, he said in
an interview promoting "Marty Supreme."
"I grew up dreaming big
at the backstage at the Koch Theater in New York," he said, referencing
the New York City venue for ballet and dance.
Meanwhile, Misty Copeland,
one of America's premier ballerinas, said she was surprised by Chalamet's
remarks, particularly after he had asked for her help in promoting "Marty
Supreme."
"I think that it's
important that we acknowledge that, yes, this is an art form that's not
'popular' and a part of pop culture as movies are, but that doesn't mean it
doesn't have enduring relevance in culture," Copeland, 43, said during a
panel for the cosmetics company Aveeno.
ON STAGE AT THE OSCARS
The backlash marked
Chalamet's campaign for Best Actor leading up the 98th Academy Awards.
Chalamet attended the Oscars
with girlfriend Kylie Jenner in an all-white suit and displayed a cool
affection throughout the night, despite losing for Best Actor and multiple nods
during the show to the controversy.
"Security is extremely
tight tonight," host Conan O'Brien said. "I'm told there's concerns
about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities." He added:
"They're just mad you left out jazz."
The crowd erupted in
laughter, and the camera showed Chalamet cracking a smile.
CHALAMET AT THE OSCARS:
CHALAMET AND KYLIE JENNER TURN HEADS AT VANITY FAIR PARTY
Copeland also made a point
en pointe, spinning out of the shadows to perform ballet with Chalamet sitting
nearby during a simmering blues-rock fusion of “I Lied to You” from
“Sinners."
Chalamet has not publicly
addressed the controversy.
WHY DO WE CARE?
Whether or not you're a
ballet or opera fan, the discourse struck a chord with many: Some on social
media defend his words, saying they were taken out of context. Others feel the
Chalamet they have come to love has betrayed them or grown "arrogant"
as his stardom booms.
Either way, the main reason
we feel so invested in the star's point of view is the parasocial relationship
we have with celebrities, which are the "illusion of friendship" with
high-profile people like Chalamet, sociology experts have explained to USA
TODAY.
If we feel Chalamet is a
person we know, it can make it extra hurtful when he says something unexpected,
the experts note. But it's important to remember parasocial connections are up
to us to discern: We'll never know the whole story of celebrities.
No matter how you feel about
the discourse, perhaps the energy around Chalamet's claims are just further
evidence of Marwah's words that ballet and opera are "very much
alive."
A22X26 X 26 FROM PRESTIGE
HONG KONG
SOUTH KOREANS REVEL IN OSCARS TRIUMPH FOR KPOP
DEMON HUNTERS
By Prestige Online Thailand Published: Mar 17, 2026 04:27 PM
South Korean fans and media basked in the
success of KPop Demon Hunters on Monday, March 16, after the film
bagged two Oscars at the 2026 award ceremony and added to the country’s growing
pantheon of cultural hits.
The fantasy flick, a clash of good versus evil
drawing heavily on Korean mythology and driven by a pulsing K-pop
soundtrack, won the Academy Awards for best animated feature
and best original song at Sunday’s ceremony in Hollywood.
It had already built a massive global
following, becoming the most-watched original film of all time on streaming
giant Netflix and hoovering up accolades including a Grammy for lead track “Golden”, the first such win for a K-pop song.
South Koreans hailed their latest cultural
product to infect the world with “K-syndrome” — the irresistible surrender to
the country’s movies, music, books, fashion and cuisine.
“So the so-called K-syndrome is now going
into animated film as well,” wrote one viewer using the
YouTube handle Kim Chang-soo, echoing widespread pride online.
SOUTH
KOREA CELEBRATES OSCARS WON BY KPOP DEMON HUNTERS
Much of the domestic reaction centred on
Korean-Canadian co-director Maggie Kang’s emotional acceptance speech, with the
Seoul-born filmmaker dedicating the prizes to her motherland.
“The culture ministry should at least award
her a medal for that speech!” one internet user commented on a news portal.
A headline in the Hankook Ilbo newspaper
quoted Kang’s address directly, blaring: “This is for Korea and Koreans
everywhere”.
News channel YTN lavished praise on Kang’s
“heartfelt message to Korea”, referring to the movie by its affectionate
shorthand “Kedehun”, a combination of the title’s first three syllables.
THE FILM’S DUAL OSCARS TRIUMPH CAPS A REMARKABLE RUN SINCE ITS JUNE 2025 RELEASE ON
NETFLIX.
On the back of its blockbuster-style debut, the platform also released a
limited “sing-along” edition in North American cinemas for one weekend, which
topped the box-office chart.
Netflix has already announced a sequel, though no release date has been
set.
The film’s Grammy win for “Golden” was widely
viewed as a breakthrough moment for K-pop, marking the genre’s first victory at
an awards show that had eluded the industry despite its global popularity.
7:03
international feature – bardem to sent. value
A23X16 X16 FROM JACOBIN
JAVIER BARDEM WAS A BRIGHT SPOT AT THE OSCARS LAST
NIGHT
By Eileen Jones
At a time of profound unrest and the launch of
an insane new war, Hollywood mostly stuck to its “keep politics out” mandate at
this year’s Academy Awards. Javier Bardem, however, stood firm: no to war, and
freedom for Palestine.
What Zohran Can Learn From the Sewer Socialists
When the Leaning Tower Leaned Left
No War but Artisanal Doughnut War
America Can’t Build Homes Anymore
“No to
war and free Palestine,” said Spanish actor and Oscar presenter Javier Bardem,
who’s a mensch and a lefty stalwart. He got a big cheer from the audience at
the 98th Academy Awards ceremony last night, probably because it was a relief
to hear the most direct political statement of the evening.
And quite a mid evening it was. Mostly
predictable Oscar wins, including the pleasing ones — Paul Thomas Anderson for
Best Director; One Battle After Another for Best Picture;
Jessie Buckley for Best Actress; Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor — and the disheartening ones, such as Sean
Penn winning Best Supporting Actor over both Delroy Lindo and Benicio del Toro,
and then the bastard wasn’t even there to collect. And don’t even get me
started on Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice not even being
nominated for Best International Film, when it was a far greater cinematic
achievement than the winner of the award, Norway’s Sentimental Value,
and almost everything else getting honored this year.
There were some amusing gags from returning
host Conan O’Brien, who started strong wearing Amy Madigan’s monstrous hair and
makeup from the horror movie Weapons. “I look like Bette Davis with
lupus!” he shrilled, getting in an astute comical nod to a major figure of
Hollywood history before racing out chased by gleefully murderous children and
finding himself edited into other Oscar nominated films, such as solemn
Scandinavian exchanges with Stellan Skarsgård in Sentimental Value (“I
learned Norwegian for this!”). Though, as usual, some jokes died in pained
silence, especially the bum-drum bit referring to Timothée Chalamet’s spanking
in Marty Supreme.
The
carefully done “In Memorium” sequence was more effective than usual, especially
Billy Crystal’s extensive tribute to the late Rob Reiner. Though there were several technical mishaps
in the telecast, including apparently drunken camerawork throughout and
problems with sound that made inaudible the first half of Barbra Streisand’s
tribute to the late Robert Redford and their one costarring effort
together, The Way We Were (1973).
It seemed a little odd to see such a fervent
tribute to this glossy weeper of a film, which is notorious for having been
eviscerated of its left-wing political stance in the editing process, under
orders from timorous Columbia Pictures executives. Redford was supposed to be
playing a successful Hollywood screenwriter who knuckles under to the House
Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in the 1950s in order to avoid being
blacklisted, betraying his colleagues to save his own career, which is what
ultimately ends his marriage to Streisand’s character. She played an
impassioned leftist political organizer who becomes a liability to him in
McCarthy Era Hollywood, but good luck getting that out of watching The
Way We Were.
Streisand wrote extensively and indignantly
about it in her vast and detailed 2023 autobiography My Name is Barbra.
Yet there she was, praising Redford for objecting to the way the character he
was being asked to play “had no backbone.” Damn straight the character had no
backbone — that was supposed to be the point of the film. But it’s the Academy
Awards, so there was Streisand waxing maudlin about it and singing the
lugubrious crescendo from the title song, which won the Academy Award for Best
Original Song in 1974. Not a dry eye in the house, I’m sure.
That’s
Hollywood for you — the sentimentality as well as the amnesia. And in keeping
with such traditions, it was a mild-mannered evening, everyone behaving
decorously at a time when decorum just seems. . . strange. If ever there was a time for people to lose
their sense of propriety and rant about the madness we’re living in daily in
the United States, this was the year. There were occasional appropriately
heated remarks, but far too few. The winner of the Best Short Film Oscar
for Mr Nobody Against Putin, for example, offered a warning that
seemed appropriate for the occasion, specifying that the film is “about how you
lose your country — through countless acts of complicity.”
Though it was also the Oscar telecast with the
most aggressive tendency to play people off-stage, as in the nasty moment when
one of the KPop Demon Hunters celebrants, about to speak after
their Best Song win, was not only immediately drowned out by the orchestra, he
was plunged into darkness while the camera soared backward and up to the
rafters to make sure the viewing audience couldn’t see the KPop team’s
reactions to such a
pointless bit of cruelty.
But there were far more mordant bits on what’s
happening to Hollywood in terms of threatening “new media,” which actually
isn’t so new anymore. A bit about a corporation that “makes films very tall and
skinny” in order to fit on cell phones, for example, seems like an ancient
reference to the viewing habits of younger generations. YouTube is taking over
the rights to broadcast the Academy Awards starting in 2027, which inspired a
bit on the ads likely to interrupt the Oscars next year, featuring Jane Lynch
hyping a product by bellowing, “This is the flashlight that killed bin Laden!”
A black-and-white skit featuring O’Brien as
the lovelorn Rick in Casablanca, trading basic plot information
with piano player Sam (played by Sterling K. Brown), so that young people who
supposedly have no attention span could follow the film, had choice lines like,
“She definitely contributed to my overall cynicism, this being World War II and
all.”
In
short, it was a typical Oscar night of recent years in most ways, everybody
making nice and dressed in careful designer duds and murmuring occasional words
of protest like Paul Thomas Anderson’s sad, muted remark when he won Best
Picture for One Battle After Another: “I wrote this movie for my
kids, for the housekeeping mess we left them with.”
The
housekeeping mess!
No matter how jaded you are about the Academy
Awards, and I thought I’d passed jaded a long time ago, this seems like a time
when “typical” just doesn’t — or at any rate, shouldn’t — cut it. I think it
was during the elaborate tribute to Bridesmaids, in honor of its
fifteenth anniversary year (fifteen whole years since that fairly amusing
comedy with women in it!) that I began to feel that, even for the Oscars, this
represented a commitment to fatuousness that bordered on the sinister.
A24X17 FROM BBC
KEY OSCARS MOMENTS AS SNUBBED CHALAMET BECOMES BUTT OF
JOKES
By Nardine Saad
Timothée Chalamet went home empty-handed as
both he and his movie Marty Supreme were shut out at this year's Academy Awards
It's Hollywood's biggest night. The 98th Academy
Awards featured emotional speeches, comical relief and a bevy of backstage fun.
But it was perhaps a night to forget for
Timothée Chalamet.
As well as losing out to Michael B Jordan for best
actor and One Battle After Another for best picture, the Marty Supreme star
also found himself being made the butt of jokes by host Conan O'Brien.
In his opening monologue, the comic made light
of the US actor's recent public declaration that
"no one cares" about ballet and opera.
"Security is extremely tight tonight. I'm
just going to mention that," he said. "I'm told there's a concern
about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities."
The camera then cut to Chalamet who was seen
smiling next to his girlfriend Kylie Jenner.
"They're just mad you left out
jazz," added O'Brien.
CHALAMET ATTENDED WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND KYLIE
JENNER
O'Brien appeared to try to make up for the jokes
later on in the proceedings, telling the audience that he and Chalamet were
just "vibing".
"We're vibing, right?" he asked the
star, whose reply was not picked up by the microphones.
"He doesn't think so."
Did Timothée Chalamet really fall down the stairs at
the Oscars?
Has Hollywood golden boy Timothée Chalamet lost his
shine?
HISTORIC FIRSTS, RISQUÉ JOKES, AND A TIE: THE
BIGGEST MOMENTS FROM THE 2026 OSCARS
While movie magic plays a role in the Academy
Awards show itself (the ceremony, after all, is actually hosted at the Dolby
Theatre in a shopping centre), there is a lot you don't see on TV.
One highlight was Mr Nobody Against Putin
filmmaker Pasha Talankin re-living his Oscars win by re-reading the envelope
that announced that his movie won the award for documentary feature film.
We saw some of the tightest security in recent
years and witnessed the frenzied panic after one Oscar award became two when
those vying for best short action film was announced as a historic tie.
Here's what it's like on the scene during
Hollywood's biggest night and everything you did not see on TV.
Oscars red carpet: Stars and fashion in pictures
Oscars 2026: Winners list in full
One Battle After Another wins six Oscars, including
best picture
SECURITY
WAS VERY TIGHT THIS YEAR
Authorities in Los Angeles enhanced this
year's security due to the US and Israel's war in Iran.
Preparations included layered security
perimeters, traffic management plans, and a highly visible police presence
throughout the Hollywood area. There were what appeared to be SWAT vehicles and
fencing lining most of the streets surrounding the typically bustling Dolby
Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
I saw that security presence first-hand on my
way into the Loews Hotel, where media covering the event are stationed. It's
just across the street from the Dolby Theatre.
Security seemed to be posted every 100 feet
(33 metres) or so and I had to go through two sets of metal detectors and have
my bags sniffed by police dogs before settling into my position in the
interview room, where stars go after they win an Oscar.
Street closures have snarled the area over the
past week to make room for the lengthy red carpet and metal detectors are set
up in designated ceremony entry areas at Ovation Hollywood - the large shopping
centre that houses the Dolby in the heart of Hollywood.
The whole setup evokes a bit of movie magic,
with large curtains covering the local shops and eateries to make way for the
red carpet and a path to enter the Dolby features tall poles that include the
name of each best picture winner from years past.
AN
OSCARS TIE SENDS REPORTERS SCRAMBLING
The Academy Awards are nearly 100 years old
but there are only a handful of times in that storied history has there been a
tie for an award. This year marked the latest time with best live action short,
which was awarded to both The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
In the winners room here at the Oscars, the
Academy brings in librarians to help fact check details from the night.
And several reporters made a beeline to the
corner of the ballroom - notebooks and pens in hand - to turn to those experts
to confirm when the last time two films had tied for Oscars.
The last time it happened was 2013, when the 2012 films Skyfall and Zero Dark
Thirty tied for best sound editing.
COMEDIAN CONAN O'BRIEN HOSTED THE ACADEMY
AWARDS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
As well as winding up Chalamet, Oscars host
O'Brien left a hand-written message under the seats inside the Dolby
Theatre, to welcome nominees, their plus ones or seat fillers to the
Oscars.
The note - which was posted on social media - accompanied a few snacks that
the comedian dubbed a "Conan O'Brien 'Moderately Happy Meal'." Ny post garbage, x15
"These snacks may not look like much but
in any movie theater they would run you $85," the note says. "Good
luck tonight, have fun, and remember that loud, enthusiastic laughter is good
for your health and my ego."
When asked by the BBC if the note was real, an
Academy spokeswoman told me: "It's real and it's under every seat."
Alas, it was not provided to those of us in
the interview room, but the Loews did provide dinner and snacks for us
throughout the night.
A25X29
success
@Get
Use “A”
X29 FROM AOL
The Oscars are heading to YouTube starting in 2029,
ending a more than 50-year run on ABC
Brent D. Griffiths,Lucia Moses
Updated Dec 17, 2025
YouTube will soon own the global rights to the
Oscars.A.M.P.A.S./Reuters
·
YouTube
announced that it will hold the global rights to the Oscars starting in 2029.
·
It's
a major victory as streamers compete over the finite number of marquee live
events.
·
Historically,
the Oscars are one of the most-watched telecasts of the entire year.
Hollywood's biggest night is going to a
streamer.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
announced on Wednesday that YouTube will hold the global rights to the Oscars
from 2029 through 2033.
While
that means they'll no longer be on ABC starting in 2029, ending a more than
50-year run of consecutive broadcasts on the television network, the Oscars
will continue to be available for free worldwide — just on YouTube and YouTube
TV. As part of the partnership, red carpet coverage and other behind-the-scenes
content from before the award show is also included.
The news comes as streamers like YouTube,
Netflix, and Amazon Prime, and others, increasingly compete over live events to
host on their respective platforms. Historically, the Oscars are one of the
most-watched nights of TV, and in non-presidential election years, it is often
the only non-sporting event to chart within the top 100 most-watched telecasts
of the year.
"The Oscars are one of our essential
cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,"
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said in a statement. "Partnering with the Academy
to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world
will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true
to the Oscars' storied legacy."
Disney and ABC will continue to hold the
rights to the Oscars through 2028, including the milestone 100th Academy
Awards.
Outside of the Oscars, the Google Arts &
Culture initiative will provide digital access to select Academy Museum
exhibitions and programs, the academy said in a statement.
The agreement was also struck at a time when
YouTube has evolved beyond a place people post and watch short clips and
amateur videos on mobile and desktop to become a fixture in the living room.
The monthly Nielsen Gauge shows YouTube
grabbing the top spot in share of TV viewing among media companies for months
running, with a 12.9% share in October, ahead of Disney (11.4%) and
NBCUniversal (8.6%).
The nature of what people are watching has
also changed. The streaming data analysis company Digital i found that videos
lasting 30 minutes or more accounted for 73% of total viewing on YouTube in the
US in October 2024, up 8% from a year earlier.
YouTube has encouraged this shift, rolling
out new tools for creators to
incentivize them to make serialized shows that look like what you think of as
traditional TV.
YouTube's living room-domination plans loomed
in the background of its recent highly public dispute with Disney over
how much it should pay the media company to carry its channels like ESPN and
ABC News on YouTube TV. Google recently shared numbers showing YouTube TV was
the No. 4 pay-TV service in the US.
Traditional media companies have
tried to combat YouTube's expansion by taking a page from the platform and
striking deals with YouTube video creators and podcasters.
Read the original article on Business Insider
A26X25 X25 FROM VARIETY
THE 2026 OSCARS REVIEW: A TASTEFUL
AND OVERLY SAFE SHOW SUSTAINED BY JUST ENOUGH SUSPENSE
By Owen Gleiberman
In the best of all worlds,
the Oscars are
exciting: fun and suspenseful, moving and meaningful. In the worst of all
worlds, the Oscars are boring: blasé and predictable, overrun by kitsch, with
no seeming import. But then there’s the in-between version, which is what we
got tonight. The Oscars this year were not boring, because the winners felt
like they mattered (and were good choices), and the people who put the show
together have learned — by listening to the gripes about boring Oscar telecasts
— how to sand off the rough edges and avoid the missteps and keep the spectacle moving.
Netflix's Eyeline Studios Opens Hyderabad Facility in Major Long-Term
India Investment
But the Oscars tonight
weren’t exciting, either. They were a bit rote. Not because they were badly
executed, or larded with segments that made you groan (there was one — the
unamusing and shameless promotion of “The Mandalorian & Grogu”), but
because they tended to
take the safest route possible. The set, with its tall wall of slatted
windows revealing plants on the other side, resembled nothing so much as an
open-air steak restaurant in the lobby of an oversize corporate hotel. (After a
while, the backdrop shifted to sushi restaurant, then the world’s largest tiki
bar.) It was pleasingly
bland and comfortable and a bit generic, like the show itself.
Conan O’Brien came out and
did an entertainingly sharp monologue, from his Ted Sarandos diss (“This is his
first time in a theater!”) to the inevitable benign tweak of Timothée Chalamet
(“I’m told there’s concern about attacks from both the opera and ballet
communities”) to a joke of pure juvenilia that was just…funny (“Between
‘Hamnet’ and ‘Bugonia,’ it’s been a big year for movies that sound like
off-brand lunch meat”).
POPULAR ON VARIETY
Yet one reason that Conan
now rules the Oscars like the new Jimmy Kimmel, if not the new Billy Crystal,
is that the jokes were trimmed of the cutting sharpness the Oscars have flirted
with in the past. Conan struck a note of friendly winning mockery, and made a touching statement
at the end of his monologue about the joy and optimism that movies
incarnate. Then it was on to business as usual.
We went into the show
expecting suspense, because major categories were up for grabs, and that can
produce its own horse-race tingle. The best actor category remained a
nail-biter: It was one of the only times I can remember when right down to the
wire, after the names had been read, I felt as if any one of four nominees (Michael B. Jordan, Timothée
Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Wagner Moura) could win — and, making the whole thing a
bit surreal (at least for me), the actor I personally would have chosen,
Leonardo DiCaprio, was the only one out of the running. Jordan’s win
provided the night with a much-needed catharsis, because this was really the
Academy’s deepest acknowledgment of the power of “Sinners” — and
watching Jordan’s beautiful speech, with its shoutouts to the past and its
confidence in the future, you realized just how much of the film’s personality
came from him.
But there were telling
indications, early on, that “One Battle After Another” would be marching to victory,
starting with the fact that it won the award for best casting, a new category
that many predicted would go to “Sinners.” The triumph of Sean Penn, even
though he didn’t show, only seconded that feeling. And by the time Paul Thomas Anderson took
the best director prize, the trajectory of the night had begun to come clear.
Anderson, as he’s been throughout the season, was the soul of grateful pensive
modesty, though it felt like he’d taken a page from the Book of Chalamet when
he admitted how much he wanted that director prize. And I would be remiss if I
didn’t ask why, during his acceptance speeches, the director of “Boogie Nights”
(still his greatest film, by the way) kept rubbing his gold
statuettes, as if they were magic lamps he thought might disappear.
The two performances of
numbers nominated for best song — the transcendent “Golden” from “KPop
Demon Hunters” and a kind of international restaging of the “Pierce the Veil” sequence from
“Sinners” during “I Lied to You” — were both killer. The reunion of Ewan
McGregor and Nicole Kidman, from “Moulin Rouge!” (a movie now 25 years old),
was tart and touching, though the “Bridesmaids” reunion (the cast members
gathered to present the award for best score and wound up reading sexist notes
“written” to them by Stellan Skarsgård) didn’t levitate in the same way. The In
Memoriam section found room for major statements, from Billy Crystal’s
pitch-perfect tribute to the populist artistry of his friend Rob Reiner to
Barbra Streisand’s stirring homage to her “The Way We Were” costar, Robert
Redford. It felt like this expanded segment was bidding goodbye to an entire
era of Hollywood, even as the show was mired in joking bits about technology
killing movies as we know them. I have to say, though: How could the In Memorium section have omitted any mention of Brigitte Bardot? She became
a right-wing troll, but she’s an essential part of film history.
For all that, the crucial
element missing from the evening was a more explicit salute to what “One Battle
After Another,” as a movie, really meant. We didn’t need obnoxious political preaching
— though I did like hearing Pavel Talankin, the co-director of the best
documentary winner “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” speaking out against the
“complicity” that allows fascism to take root. By contrast, Javier
Bardem’s sloganeering (“No to war. And free Palestine!”) felt like a dated throwback to the era when
Oscar celebrities would turn the podium into a soapbox. But “One Battle
After Another” is a movie that has the politics of America today at the very
core of its cinematic DNA. The
film was not a piece of “resistance.” It was a piece of cathartic political
art. In an evening where it took home six Oscars, that reality should
have been at the forefront of the celebration of its triumph. Instead, if you
tuned into the Oscars but hadn’t seen the movie they saluted most ardently, you
might never have had the slightest idea what the movie was about.
LOOKING
BACKWARDS
A27X42 FROM THE ANKLER
OSCARS 2026: SO WHAT DID WE LEARN?
The
fests flailed, the Globes didn’t matter and A24’s ‘Marty’ season from hell
By Katey Rich Mar 19, 2026
As another Oscar season comes to an
end, I’m once again left thinking of the conclusion
to Burn After Reading, Joel and Ethan Coen’s
underrated follow-up to their best picture-winning No Country for Old
Men.
“What did we learn?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
“I don’t fucking know either.”
As someone who enjoys a tidy narrative and
third-act conclusion — I love Hollywood movies, after all! — I always have the
impulse to wrap a ribbon around awards season and determine what it all meant.
The real answer, of course, is that who wins on Oscar night only reflects what
the Academy decided upon at this moment in time. But as you know, if you read
this newsletter or listen to the podcast, there are narratives that shape all of this —
from Oscar campaigns and history to sideline pundits like me.
So which of those narratives actually won out
this year, and what can we learn from how it all played out? Unlike J.K.
Simmons’ character in Burn After Reading, I’ve got a few ideas.
Read on for my seven takeaways from this year’s Oscar race — and for more
looking back on the season, Prestige Junkie After Party paid subscribers can
tune into tomorrow’s subscriber-only episode in which we ask ourselves
a different but related question: What did we get wrong this season? See you
then!
1.
Major Studios Are Still Competitive (for Now)
Warner Bros. tied the record on Sunday
night for the most Oscar wins by a single studio at the same ceremony with 11,
combining the six wins for One Battle After Another, four for Sinners and Amy
Madigan’s win for Weapons. (It was 12 with F1, an Apple
movie Warner Bros. distributed, but who’s counting?)
It’s worth noting how unusual that is in the
context of recent Oscar history, where Universal (with 2023’s Oppenheimer and,
before that, 2018’s Green Book) had been the only major studio to
win best picture in over a decade.
A huge part of WB’s success — as shepherded by
film leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy — is owed to
the generational talents Ryan Coogler and Paul Thomas Anderson,
both in an extremely rare class of revered auteurs who are still given an
opportunity to make studio pictures at a relatively large scale. It’s anyone’s
guess how much longer that will be possible at all, with the Paramount-Warner Bros. acquisition looming large.
But maybe the most heartening win for the studio system in general is
Madigan’s, for her performance in a mid-budget ($38 million) horror movie
released in August. Even as Weapons was earning raves, the idea
of a proper Madigan Oscar campaign felt like a pipe dream. But the right star, with the right
campaign, is still capable of breaking through — and even if future studios
aren’t willing to pay the price for the next Sinners or One
Battle, we now have evidence that the potential next Weapons could
have its own Oscar future.
2.
The Academy’s Global Lean May Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
First of all, just look at the numbers —
around 25 percent of Academy members now live outside of the United States, a
significant number but not nearly enough to turn the show into the BAFTAs or
the Césars. And even though this year’s nominees included a record crop of
international contenders, with non-English-language films nominated in every
single category, the eventual winners mostly looked very Hollywood. Yes, that’s
largely thanks to two uncommonly successful studio releases dominating the
race, making it so even a widely nominated film like Sentimental Value could
really be competitive only in best international feature. But many of the
assumptions that my fellow pundits and I make about the role of international
voters, from how a very American film like Sinners can perform
to whether Wagner Moura could ride a wave of Brazilian enthusiasm to
a best actor win for The Secret Agent, didn’t come to pass. In the
end, the Oscars may mostly still be what Bong Joon Ho memorably
described back in 2019 as “very local.”
3.
Cannes Is Hit & Miss
Again, the data from this year’s
Oscars is definitely skewed — we’re very unlikely to have two big-budget studio
movies leading the Oscar race any time soon, particularly from the same studio.
But I’m still wondering what to make of the final results from this year’s
much-discussed Cannes acquisitions, from the $25 million Mubi spent on Die
My Love (zero Oscar nominations) to Neon’s robust slate of It
Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value, Sirāt and The
Secret Agent, with 17 nominations among them and just a single win.
The fact that all four of these films were
nominated at all is a testament to Neon’s awards campaign
prowess, as well as how much the Academy has changed in its voting habits
since Parasite’s Oscar breakthrough six years ago. And though we
don’t officially know the lineup for this year’s Cannes Film Festival yet, I’m
willing to bet just about anything that at least one of the titles in the
competition field will be among the best picture nominees. But we should
probably think of Palme d’Or winners Parasite and Anora,
which went on to miracle runs toward best picture, more as exceptions than the
rule at the Oscars, which will still lean toward its homegrown Hollywood heroes
when given the chance.
4.
Fall Festival Fever Is Breaking
One thing I think we undeniably learned
this season is that you should not go to the Venice Film Festival unless you
are really, really sure your movie is going to hit with that
Euro-centric crowd. Frankenstein was put through the buzzsaw
by Venice critics. Other festival premieres there — like After the Hunt, Jay
Kelly and The Testament of Ann Lee — met muted or
outright hostile reception on their way toward Oscar campaigns that went
nowhere. Even the festival’s biggest critical hits, like A House of
Dynamite and No Other Choice, were eventually blanked
by the Oscars. Of all the movies that world premiered at Venice —
including The Smashing Machine, which won Benny
Safdie the fest’s best director award — I’d say only Bugonia went
entirely as intended.
Telluride was lighter on world premieres,
but Hamnet successfully began its awards season run there,
while Toronto was once again left mainly boosting the visibility of films that
had already premiered elsewhere — Frankenstein and Hamnet took
the top two audience awards within a week of their premieres at other
festivals. The fact that the best picture winner skipped festivals entirely is
not a great sign, and I can definitely imagine the Toronto
Film Festival of 10 years ago feeling like the right place to premiere a new
Paul Thomas Anderson film. But to me, the biggest successes of the fall
festival season aren’t the ones that had the best premieres, but the ones that
played the best long game.
Frankenstein is the ideal example, recovering from its weak
Venice and Telluride buzz to win over crowds at smaller festivals like
Middleburg, Savannah and Mill Valley, building acclaim ahead of its Netflix
release and eventually becoming both an audience and Oscar hit. Netflix
followed a similar, if quieter, path with Train Dreams, which had
director Clint Bentley and star Joel
Edgerton criss-crossing the continent to mix it up with regional festival
audiences, building genuinely deep affection for their little movie that could
and did (four nominations, including best picture). With the exception of the
major studio releases and Marty Supreme, which debuted late in the
season after a New York Film Festival sneak peek, every film in the best
picture lineup followed a variation of this strategy. Often in the Oscar race,
the biggest battle is simply getting voters to see your movie, and the fall
festivals have once again proven themselves invaluable in making that happen.
5.
It Is Very, Very Hard to Open Late
We’ll be talking for years about what
went wrong with Marty Supreme, which was the all-eggs-in-one-basket
for A24 this year and went 0-for-9 in its nominations, including
the Timothée Chalamet best actor loss that we may well be talking
about forever. It was an undeniable Christmas hit, peaking in buzz
seemingly at the exact right moment, when Chalamet won the Golden Globe and
Critics Choice Awards in quick succession in early January. Then it faded in
the awards race as quickly as it arrived, leaving me to wonder if the
sneak-attack Christmas period release is an Oscar campaign strategy that’s
truly dead.
Million
Dollar Baby is
the example everyone points to, which didn’t premiere until early December 2004
and basically swept the best picture Oscar right out from under Martin
Scorsese’s The Aviator. But that was 22 years ago, and since then,
every best picture winner with a November or December release date has
extensively played at festivals beforehand. As spring release Everything
Everywhere All at Once and summer release Oppenheimer proved,
there really may be no such thing as premiering too early, so long as you’ve
got the campaign infrastructure to put everybody back in front of voters come
winter. It may not have won best picture, but the late Sinners surge
that helped propel Michael B. Jordan’s best actor victory may be the best
proof yet that the more time you have with voters, the better.
6.
The Globes Matter Less Than Ever
To be clear, I do not necessarily think
this is a bad thing. The beautiful chaos of seeing a different best supporting
actress winner at each precursor ceremony (Teyana Taylor at the
Globes, Wunmi Mosaku at BAFTA and Madigan at Critics Choice and the
Actor Awards) is exactly what I want awards season to be. If we’re going to
have so many dang awards shows, we may at least try to celebrate a lot of
people at them.
But we should probably also let go of the idea
that winning a Golden Globe or Critics Choice Award tells you anything about
who might have support among Oscar voters, particularly since there’s basically
no overlap among any of those groups. Sure, Wagner Moura and The Secret
Agent got a visibility boost ahead of nominations voting with that
Golden Globe win, and Madigan’s run toward her best supporting actress win was
supported by her delightful Critics Choice Awards speech. But the voters on all
of these awards are, as we’ve known all along, very different from the ones who
vote for the Oscars. Momentum boosts can only mean so much if the Oscar voters
themselves are simply looking for something different.
7.
Maybe Don’t Overthink Stats & History
My beloved colleague Christopher
Rosen tells me to feel free to make fun of him here with the Charlie
Day meme (you’re welcome, Chris), and there were definitely times
this season when I could see the gears spinning in his head as he tried to game
out how many people have even won acting awards without BAFTA nominations, how
strong the correlation is between the best editing category and best picture
and whatever other arcane Oscar stat felt most important at the moment.
But then Michael B. Jordan becomes the first
actor to ever win best actor after winning only the SAG Award, or Autumn
Durald Arkapaw takes home best cinematography despite losing at every
precursor award, and you realize precedents are made to be broken. It would
take a lot for Oscar fans to let go of stats entirely — we’re like baseball
fans in that way — but this year was a good reminder that, especially when the
competition is tight, and the movies are this good, the numbers can only tell
you so much.
A28
THURSDAY
X27 FROM FOX NEWS
Oscars 2026
viewership drops 9% on ABC, Hulu, marking first decline since 2021
The Oscars, hosted by Conan O'Brien, saw
its first drop in viewership since 2021
By Hanna Panreck
Published March 18, 2026
3:21pm EDT
Hollywood’s Woke Jokes FLOP at
the Oscars | Will Cain Country
Comedian
Aaron Berg guest hosts and breaks down the Oscars' "woke" jokes with
Boondock Saints creator Troy Duffy. Plus, radio legend Craig Carton joins to
talk about the shift in modern sports fandom and hilarious stories from the NYC
comedy scene.
The Oscars viewership declined this year, according to data
from Nielsen, marking its first major drop since 2021.
The 98th Academy Awards drew 17.9 million viewers on ABC and Hulu, according to
Nielsen, which is about a 9% drop from last year.
The awards show drew 19.7 million viewers in 2025.
The Oscars had its lowest ratings ever in 2021 at 10.4 million viewers. In
2022, the Hollywood event saw a slight uptick, drawing 13.73 million viewers.
2026 OSCARS: WINNERS AND LOSERS
Comedian Conan O'Brien hosted the event, which saw Paul
Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" earn Best Picture and
"Sinners" star Michael B. Jordan win his first Oscar for Best Actor.
Viewership declined across all age demographics. Viewers between
ages 18–34 and 25–54 saw the biggest decline, with a 13% drop from 2025. The
program also saw an 11% drop in viewers 55 and above.
Liberal late-night host Jimmy Kimmel presented
awards in the documentary category, during which he took shots at President
Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
Kimmel referenced the "Melania" documentary
released in January while presenting.
"Fortunately for all of us, there’s an international
community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth, oftentimes at great risk,
to make films that teach us, that call out injustice, that inspire us to take
action," he said.
"And there are also documentaries where you walk around the
White House trying on shoes," Kimmel added as he presented the awards for
Best Documentary Short Film and Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars.
He also mocked the president: "Oh, man, is he going to be
mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this."
The first lady's documentary was released in January, and
therefore would not have been eligible for this year's awards.
A29X28 FROM GUK
Oscars
ratings in US dip to four-year low, defying expectations
Hopes that Sinners and One Battle After Another would bring in a
big audience dashed as viewers fell to 17.9m, a 9% drop on last year’s 19.7m
Catherine Shoard
Wed 18 Mar 2026 09.31 EDT
Hopes had been high that the popularity of big hitters Sinners and
One Battle After Another would translate into a bigger audience for the Oscars ceremony
telecast. Yet numbers hit a four-year-low in the US, where the show reached
17.9 million viewers on ABC and Hulu, down about 9% from last year’s 19.7
million.
Many had presumed the five-year high that 2025 represented was
the product of interest in cinema bouncing back post-Covid – all the more
cheering given that the movie that dominated, Sean Baker’s Anora, had not been
a major box office player.
That film took $20m in the US – a very healthy total for an
arthouse release, but small change compared with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners’ $280m
and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle’s $72m.
One Battle After Another has overperformed internationally,
bringing its global total to $210m, while Sinners landed softer overseas with a
worldwide total of $370m.
Audience approval ratings for the Oscars show were also down,
averaging 3.92 (out of five) among the 18-49 age group, compared with 4.54 last
year – but up from 3.82 in 2024 (when Oppenheimer swept the board).
Nonetheless, the show is now the US’s No 1 primetime
entertainment telecast of the 2025-26 season, with rivals such as the Golden
Globes getting 8.66 million viewers (down 6% year on year) and the Grammys also
down 6% to 14.4 million.
The show aired on ABC and Hulu and the broadcaster reported
social impressions were up 42% to 184m, while Academy social platforms were
also up.
Rob Mills, the Disney executive in charge of the Oscars
telecast, told Variety on Monday that he was so happy with Conan O’Brien’s
second consecutive stint as host that the job was his next year, should he want
it.
This year’s US broadcast contained a number of audio glitches
and attracted criticism for what many perceived as heavy-handed time-saving by
cutting short acceptance speeches, in particular one made by Golden composer Yu-Han
Lee.
Speaking to Variety about the incident, Mills acknowledged the
problem, saying: “I don’t know what the most elegant solution is, but it’s
obviously something we should look really, really long and hard at.”
The Oscars will continue to air on ABC and Hulu for two more
years, before they move to YouTube in 2029, after their 100th edition in 2028.
The channel will have the rights until at least 2033. O’Brien took apparent aim
at the deal in a skit during the ceremony, in which his address was persistently
interrupted by hectoring faux-ads fronted by the comedy actor Jane Lynch
A30X30 FROM VARIETY
What happens to local
affiliates and traditional broadcast access?
ABC’s broadcast network
spans hundreds of local affiliates across the country. Many households, particularly older viewers and
those in rural areas, still rely on over-the-air television. For them, “just
watch it on YouTube” isn’t an option (or at least not a convenient one).
Will the Academy arrange
sub-licensing deals so traditional broadcasters can still carry the show? Will they
even care? The celebration of global digital access conveniently sidesteps the
question of Americans who may be left behind in this streaming future.
COMPLETELY IGNORED
BY ELITE MEDIA – dji@
A31X04
BBC X04 FROM
BBC
'HATE-WATCH CLASSIC' WAR OF THE WORLDS SWEEPS RAZZIE
AWARDS
The whole film shows either Ice Cube's
computer screen or his face as seen on the monitor's camera
By Ian Youngs
Last year's War of the Worlds – starring Ice Cube
as a man who must save humanity from an alien invasion without leaving his desk
– has swept the board at this year's Razzie Awards, for the worst films of
2025.
As
Hollywood gears up to honour the year's best films at the Oscars on Sunday, the
Prime Video film received five unwanted accolades - worst picture, worst actor,
worst director, worst screenplay and worst remake.
The
Razzies said it had become "a cult hate-watch classic almost
immediately".
A statement said: "Utterly destroying HG
Wells' classic novel, director Rich Lee... chose a goofy gimmick, hack
dialogue, and a particularly hilarious performance by its lead, Ice Cube, to
seize 2025's biggest number of statues."
Meanwhile,
Rebel Wilson won worst actress for "her not-quite-believable performance
as an action hero in Bride Hard with weaponised curling irons".
Scarlet
Rose Stallone, daughter of veteran actor Sylvester, was named worst supporting
actress for Western film Gunslingers.
The
seven computer-generated dwarfs from Disney's 2025 remake of Snow White shared
the worst supporting actor award, as well as worst screen combo.
There was better news for Kate Hudson, who
received the "Razzie redeemer award" - for someone who has redeemed
themselves after being a Razzies favourite in the past.
Hudson has previously been nominated for three
Razzies - for Music, Mother's Day and My Best Friend's Girl - but is now
earning more positive recognition after being nominated for an Oscar for Song
Sung Blue this year.
So bad they're good - why do we love terrible films?
The
Razzie winners in full:
·
Worst
picture - War of the Worlds
·
Worst actor - Ice Cube, War of the Worlds
·
Worst actress - Rebel Wilson, Bride Hard
·
Worst supporting actor - All seven
artificial dwarfs, Snow White
·
Worst supporting actress - Scarlet Rose
Stallone, Gunslingers
·
Worst screen combo - All seven artificial
dwarfs, Snow White
·
Worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel -
War of the Worlds
·
Worst director - Rich Lee, War of the
Worlds
·
Worst screenplay - Kenny Golde, Marc
Hyman, War Of The Worlds
·
Razzie Redeemer - Kate Hudson, Song Sung
Blue
@listings
Other awards – dogs. @
March madness
@ St. Paddy
A32X02 FROM JSTOR
WILL THE REAL ST. PATRICK PLEASE STAND UP
The “St. Patrick” celebrated on March 17 every
year has never existed. He was, and is, a metaphorical, literary, and religious
conceit.
By: Terry O'Hagan March 17, 2015
Ah, St. Patrick’s Day: the time of year when millions
of people around the world come together in peace, love, and harmony in order
to celebrate the mother of all national stereotypes with leprechaun-induced
hangovers, corny beef patties, fake red beards, rubber snakes, and shades of
green wigs. Surely there is nothing more authentically Irish than river-dancing
down a street, waving a flag and twirling a baton. Isn’t that how St. Patrick
himself drove away the snakes back in the day?
As you may have noticed, modern St. Patrick’s
Day celebrations involve a lot of noise—a triumphant clamour and glamour, which
is curiously appropriate considering it occupies the tail end of a historical process which has been ringing out for centuries.
Successive generations have been continually adapting, recreating, and re-imagining the saint ever
since the earliest attempts to elevate Patrick to a national and international
stage almost 1,300 years ago. It was pretty successful at the time. St. Patrick quickly
became a super-saint of the early medieval insular world, and we are still
living with the considerable “white noise” of those early medieval efforts to
this day.
For
the most part, the “St. Patrick” celebrated on March 17 every year has never
existed.
He was, and is, a metaphorical, literary, and religious conceit. He
was, and is, a product of ecclesiastical primacy, the poster boy for an early
medieval monastic federation who used him to champion their claims of being
Chief Executive Officers of an emerging corporation—the medieval Irish Church
hierarchy. Practically everything that has come down to us concerning St.
Patrick comes from the quills of people who were originally writing with such
terms in mind almost two centuries after he lived. Traditional Irish “fake lore,”
not folklore. Thanks for visiting. Stop by the gift shop on the way out. Fifty
percent off all Blarney Sweaters.
Pseudo-historical serendipity being what it
is, however, we are nevertheless indebted to those early ecclesiastical scribes
who set about creating the myth of a super saint. In doing so, they also preserved the genuine
historical writings of someone who called himself “Patrick” (or rather, Patricius)—someone
who never dreamed that he would one day be portrayed as the singular savior of
the Irish people.
This particular Patrick is historical,
he really existed. The writings he left behind are the
earliest documents known to have been written in Ireland and provide us with
our only historical evidence for the entire fifth century. They are hugely
important, the only authentic fragments of the real person the world celebrates
today—and, most importantly, they provide a rather different picture of the
man, by the man himself.
For
someone who is said to usher in the early medieval period, there is nothing
“medieval” about St. Patrick.
His documents provide one of our last glimpses
of a late antique rationality and logic, something which would perhaps not be
revived again until the late medieval period. There is nothing unbelievable
about anything he says. There is no medieval superstition, magic, or metaphor.
His interpretation of divine guidance takes the form of “visions of the night,”
or dreams. There are no burning bushes, lightning bolts, or heavenly voices. His worldview and the events he
depicts may be drenched in biblical rhetoric, but it is nevertheless grounded
in the social and cultural realities of his day.
The basic details of the Patrick story which
most people are familiar with are true. The historical Patrick was captured as a youth in Roman
Britain, sometime in the fifth century AD. He was transported to Ireland, where
he spent six years as a slave. He eventually escaped and made his way back
home. He became an ecclesiastic and many years later left Britain and returned
to Ireland as a missionary. That, however, is where the real history ends and
hagiography begins.
Contrary to later myth and legend, he never mentions snakes, or
shamrocks. He never mentions druids. He never mentions the founding or
building of church sites. Indeed, he never mentions churches at all. He only
mentions one placename in all of Ireland—the location of his captivity, which
was on the western Atlantic coast, not the northeast, as later tradition
would come to be written. He provides us with no dates. No Hollywood-style
showdowns with pagan kings. No paschal fires. No miracles. There is no mention
of Rome. No mention of popes. No mention of papal sanction or authority. No
mention of a successor.
In actual fact, what does come across from his writings is
a deep pessimism concerning the future survival of a mission hanging by a
thread. There is an air of desperation about his successes to date
and the prospect of all that he had achieved being in vain. He tells us of the
significant difficulties in negotiating his way through the social and cultural
pitfalls of pagan Irish society. He describes protection payments to kings and
the hiring of their sons as bodyguards. He pays significant amounts of wealth
to ensure access to fledgling converts in distant tribal kingdoms. There is an
ever present fear that he will offend sensibilities and a concerted effort to
maintain a positive reputation and transparency among pagans. He depicts a
mission constantly in motion, operating in remote regions where Christianity
had never previously reached—sometimes being imprisoned for months at a time by
peoples who were naturally suspicious of this stranger from over the sea who
was preaching a new religion.
There
is a real sense of concern towards the people he engaged with. He mentions
high-status converts—the sons and daughters of chieftains—but there is a
particular emphasis on those with low status. Women are particularly important.
He refers to female slaves and widows who embraced the new religion despite
sanctions and threats for doing so. He mentions the large number of second
generation Britons within Ireland born into slavery by parents who had been captured
like himself.
His own youthful experience in similar areas was certainly a major factor in
his ability to transcend social boundaries. As someone who was familiar with
the language and culture from an early age, Patrick was the perfect man for
such a mission—uniquely experienced and having the ability to operate on
multiple levels within fifth century Irish society.
* * *
Patrick wrote his primary document, the Confessio, at the end of his life in answer to the
actions and accusations of others towards his mission. He was considered to
have been highly unorthodox for even wishing to return to Ireland. Converting
pagans outside the fringes of the Roman Empire was beyond the comprehension of
most fifth-century Christians. This had been made clear to him when he was
still a priest in Britain, at a time when he was being considered for the rank
of bishop by his seniors. That process ended in formal rejection, however, when he was brought into professional
disgrace by one of his closest friends who betrayed intimate details of an
apparent moral failing. Patrick nevertheless decided to follow what he
considered to be divine inspiration—and he returned to Ireland anyway. He was
not authorized to do so, and in actual fact, went against the express wishes of
his family and ecclesiastical superiors, insinuating that he sold his personal
inheritance in order to fund his initial efforts.
As a self-appointed bishop operating “beyond
the beyond,” he continued to be held in much disdain and mistrust by fellow
Christians in Britain. He was accused of having ulterior motives for going back
to Ireland on his own volition. His ability to attract healthy donations and
his dispensing of payments to pagans was viewed as highly suspicious. They seem to have accused him of
financial irregularities and profiteering from Christian services. Patrick’s
defense against such claims was that this was the cultural reality on the
ground. He categorically denied personally profiting from any such
activities and presents his mission as one which was constantly spending
whatever it received on further expansion and security.
His second document, the Epistola, was written in direct response to such
concerns. Some of his converts had apparently established a small community
which had been raided by a war band commanded by a British chieftain who was at
least nominally Christian himself. Many of his people had been killed or
captured in the raid, with some sold into slavery among pagan Irish and Pictish
people. Patrick’s letter is a desperate plea for justice and support from
fellow British Christians. He castigates their continuing failure to recognize
Irish Christians in equal terms and sought to force a form of excommunication
upon those who were involved in the raid. Despite everything he had been
through, his converts seem to have been looked down upon by everyone around
them—barbarian outsiders inhabiting a gray area in terms of contemporary
political and religious identities. In what is perhaps the most poignant
excerpt, he provides the earliest articulation of an Insular Irish identity,
lamenting the fact that
“they (in Britain) do not consider us the same type of Christian because we are
Irish.”
Despite the subsequent embellishment of his
memory and the development of his cult in later medieval Ireland, the real Patrick continues to occupy a unique position—a
solitary voice from the end of prehistory and the very beginning of Irish
history itself. One doesn’t need the cartoonish medieval fluff of later myths and legends to
appreciate his actual importance in the development of later Irish identity and
nationhood. That early medieval effort in creating a super saint around his
name inadvertently helped to preserve his original writings—providing modern
scholars the ability to reconnect with, and emphasize, the historical person long buried within. He of course never called
himself a saint, nor expected to have ever been thought of as such. Indeed,
if he could only have known that over 1,000 years after he lived, he would be
held up as an emblem of modern day religious orthodoxy, authority, and
identity—he probably would have laughed himself into his own grave.
A35 A27X41
FROM NY TIMES
She Needed a Rug. One Dumpster Dive Later, She Had the
Red Carpet.
Paige Thalia’s apartment floor got an upgrade
this week thanks to some leftovers from the Academy Awards.
By Madison Malone Kircher
March 17, 2026
On Sunday night, the carpet was under the feet
of celebrities like Teyana Taylor and Timothée Chalamet. By Monday afternoon,
it was inside Paige Thalia’s apartment.
Some of it, anyway.
Ms. Thalia, 32, a production assistant who
lives in Hollywood, said she had recently returned to Los Angeles after
spending some time traveling. Outfitting her new place was proving expensive,
and she was looking for a cheap, new rug.
Earlier in the week, she noticed the red
carpet being installed outside the Dolby Theater, the Hollywood venue where the
Oscars would be held, while she was walking her cockapoo, Cove.
“I got the idea, when I was walking her down
the red carpet, that I could maybe track that down after the awards,” Ms.
Thalia said. (The carpet was still wrapped in plastic at this time, she added.)
This idea began germinating nearly a decade
ago, Ms. Thalia said, when she attended a taping of Kelly Ripa’s talk show at
the Dolby after the tear-down of the Oscars that year. Staff handed out pieces
of the red carpet to audience members, Ms. Thalia said.
In 2025, Steve Olive, the owner of Event
Carpet Pros, the company that has long provided the carpet for the Oscars and
many other awards shows and marquee events, including the Super Bowl, spoke
with The New York Times about the 50,000-square-foot
rug he installed that year outside of the Dolby Theater. He declined to
disclose the cost. The custom shade of red at the Oscars is an exclusive hue,
he said. His carpets are made of recycled materials and then are recycled after the events, Mr. Olive added.
Or, in this case, upcycled.
On Monday morning after the awards ceremony,
Ms. Thalia arrived at the theater at 8:30 a.m. She thought her textile dreams
were dashed when she saw the carpet was already gone.
Her next thought was to see if she could find
the used carpet nearby, she said.
On a street near the theater, just behind
where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” tapes, she found a notably clean dumpster containing
her prize. She looked to a nearby security guard for permission to take some
home.
“I said, ‘I have an insane question,’” she
recalled. “‘Can I have some of that red carpet?’”
Ms. Thalia said the guard didn’t bat an
eyelash, and instead pulled a souvenir piece from her own pocket. Ms. Thalia
grabbed the biggest piece she could physically lug home, which measured 6 feet
by 8 feet when she unrolled it in her apartment.
It was in “good shape,” Ms. Thalia said,
despite having served as the walkway for Hollywood’s biggest night. She
vacuumed the rug and set about trimming it to fit her space, a task that has
already dulled one pair of scissors to uselessness, she said. Ms. Thalia has
plans to add some trim to make the remnant look more finished and to stop it
from further fraying, since the rug, she said, did not appear designed to last.
She documented this dumpster-diving adventure on TikTok, where several
other people said they were inspired to see if they could get their own piece
of red — or “mauvey maroon,” according to Ms. Thalia — carpet. At least one
person told Ms. Thalia she had succeeded.
“I did find a fake plant in it that must have
come from some of the décor,” Ms. Thalia added. “There were also some sequins
and some feathers from dresses. I need to track down who might have been
wearing those.”