97th Academy Awards: One Battle After Another wins best picture as full Oscar winners list highlights major triumphs across categories
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Mar 16, 2026, 22:48 IST
Key Oscar moments: Paul Thomas Anderson and Amy Madigan wins, outstanding songs and sad goodbyes
In a dazzling display of cinematic brilliance, the 97th Academy Awards crowned 'One Battle After Another' as Best Picture. Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley took home top acting honors, while Autumn Durald Arkapaw etched her name in history as the first female and Black recipient of the cinematography award.
The 97th Academy Awards concluded with "One Battle After Another" securing the best picture Oscar, capping a night of significant wins and emotional tributes. Michael B. Jordan earned best actor for "Sinners," while Jessie Buckley took home best actress for "Hamnet," becoming the first Irish performer to win in the category. Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman and Black person to win for cinematography for "Sinners." Paul Thomas Anderson, a highly respected filmmaker, finally achieved Oscar success, winning best adapted screenplay and best director for "One Battle After Another," and later accepting the best picture award for the same film. Amy Madigan set a record for the longest wait between nomination and win, securing best supporting actress for "Weapons" after 40 years. The ceremony also featured a poignant farewell to Rob Reiner, with Billy Crystal leading a tribute, and an in memoriam segment honoring notable figures from the past year, including Robert Redford. Musical performances included a bluesy rendition of "I Lied to You" from "Sinners" and a K-pop celebration for "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters," which also won best original song. A reunion of the "Bridesmaids" cast brought humor to the stage, while host Conan O'Brien delivered a mix of sharp wit and heartfelt observations.
The politically charged action comedy “One Battle After Another” ultimately triumphed over Ryan Coogler’s musically driven vampire thriller “Sinners” in a closely watched Oscar race. The evening was a lengthy celebration of cinema, spanning three hours and forty minutes.
Michael B. Jordan was awarded best actor for his role in “Sinners.” Jessie Buckley won best actress for her performance in “Hamnet.” This win made her the first Irish performer to ever receive an Oscar in that category.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman and the first Black person to win the award for cinematography. Her win was for her work on “Sinners.”
“asking all the women in the Dolby Theatre to stand up because moments like this don’t happen without women ‘standing up for you and advocating for you.’”
Paul Thomas Anderson, a filmmaker widely respected in his generation, finally received his long-awaited Oscar recognition. He went on to win multiple awards during the ceremony. His achievements included winning best picture.
He first secured the award for best adapted screenplay for “One Battle After Another.” Subsequently, he was honored with the award for best director.
“You make a guy work hard for this,” he remarked after his directing win. Anderson returned to the stage to accept the night's final award, best picture, for the same film.
“Let's have a martini. This is amazing,” he stated upon accepting the best picture award.
Prior to this night, Anderson had been nominated 14 times. This included five nominations for screenplays and three for best director. His notable films include “Boogie Nights,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Magnolia.”
“I wrote this movie for my kids, to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them,” Anderson explained his motivation for the screenplay. He added, “But also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”
Cassandra Kulukundis, who served as the casting director for several of Anderson's previous films, had expressed her hope for his win. She accepted the first new competitive Oscar category in over two decades for “One Battle After Another.”
Kulukundis’s win preceded Anderson’s by mere minutes.
Amy Madigan experienced a significant wait for her Oscar. She was the first winner of the evening. The interval between her initial Oscar nomination and her first win spanned 40 years. This established a new record for the longest wait for a best supporting actress award.
Madigan’s first Oscar nomination was in 1985 for her role in “Twice in a Lifetime.” She lost that year to Anjelica Huston. Her win on Sunday was for her portrayal of an unrecognizable and captivating oddball aunt in “Weapons.” This film is a supernatural thriller centered on missing children. Madigan had previously received accolades at the Critics Choice and Actor Awards.
The character of Aunt Gladys, with her smeared, heavy makeup, unusual hair, and large glasses, became a popular internet meme. This visual was even incorporated by Oscars host Conan O’Brien in his opening skit. He appeared as Gladys, being chased by children as he quickly moved through scenes from other nominated movies.
Upon hearing her name announced, Madigan collapsed into the arms of her husband, actor Ed Harris. Onstage, she conveyed her gratitude to film writer-director Zach Cregger for casting her in “Weapons” in a role she could “grab by the throat.” She concluded her speech by thanking “my beloved Ed,” adding, “None of this would mean anything if he wasn’t by my side.”
A tribute was held to honor Rob Reiner, with a stage filled with stars. The segment was introduced by his longtime friend and colleague, Billy Crystal.
Crystal began the in memoriam section by recounting how he met Reiner. He played Reiner's best friend on the television show “All in the Family” in 1975.
Reiner's directorial filmography includes “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” “When Harry Met Sally …,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men,” and “The Princess Bride.”
“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 in his tribute.
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, tragically passed away in December. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with their deaths.
Following Crystal's speech, a stage was revealed featuring stars who had appeared in Reiner's films. This included Meg Ryan, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Kathy Bates, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Jerry O’Connell, Annette Bening, Mandy Patinkin, Fred Savage, and Cary Elwes.
The in memoriam segment also paid tribute to individuals lost during 2025. Among those remembered were Catherine O’Hara, Diane Keaton, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Brigitte Bardot, Michael Madsen, Terence Stamp, Diane Ladd, Sally Kirkland, Tom Stoppard, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Val Kilmer.
Barbra Streisand took to the stage to honor Robert Redford, her co-star in the film “The Way We Were.”
“He was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail, and won the Academy Award for best director, and I miss him now more than ever, even though he loved teasing me,” Streisand shared.
She then performed a portion of the song “The Way We Were.” Streisand had last sung this song during the 2013 ceremony as a tribute to the late composer Marvin Hamlisch.
The Oscars featured only two musical performances, both described as Grammy-worthy.
Singer-actor Miles Caton and songwriter Raphael Saadiq performed the song “I Lied to You” from the film “Sinners.” The performance was characterized as deeply bluesy and slinky. They were joined by an ensemble that included Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith. This performance served as a tribute to the film’s visual and musical style.
The camera work during the performance was dynamic, moving in and among the dancers in a rollicking and kinetic display.
Later in the ceremony, “KPop Demon Hunters” celebrated its win for best animated feature. The film's performance of its song “Golden” began with a fusion of traditional Korean instrumentalists and dance. Dancers adorned in gold waved golden fabric flags. Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the vocalists for HUNTR/X in the film, then performed “Golden.” Audience members waved light sticks during their rendition.
The song “Golden” subsequently won the Oscar for best original song, marking a first for K-pop.
A notable moment during the musical performances was the appearance of dancers from each song in the other's performance. This was described as a form of communication between Delta blues and Asian pop.
Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, and Ellie Kemper reunited to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the film “Bridesmaids.” They showcased their comedic timing, which they humorously suggested had not diminished with time.
“Now, we are not good with numbers, but we figured out backstage that means we shot this movie in 1883,” Wiig quipped about the anniversary.
The group, who were presenting the awards for best original score and best sound, engaged in playful banter. They directed jokes towards Stellan Skarsgård, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jacobi Jupe of “Hamnet.”
The cast members pretended to read messages from the audience. One message, purportedly from DiCaprio, accused Byrne of staring at him. Byrne responded, “I have been staring at you. I thought you were somebody else.”
Rudolph adopted her characteristic dimwit persona when she questioned, “Earlier today, when I was counting my money, I asked myself, ‘What is sound?’”
The ceremony also featured a mini “Avengers” reunion. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. presented the award for best adapted screenplay. Additionally, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor reunited, marking a “Moulin Rouge!” reunion. The Pullman family was also represented when Bill Pullman joined his son, Jack, onstage.
Conan O'Brien, hosting for the second time, delivered a performance that encompassed a range of tones. His hosting was described as savage, playful, heartfelt, and dumb.
The host humorously predicted his own obsolescence as an Oscar MC. “Next year, it will be a Waymo with a tux,” he joked.
He also made a jest directed at Timothée Chalamet, who had faced criticism for comments suggesting ballet and opera were dying art forms. “They’re just mad you left out jazz,” O’Brien quipped.
O'Brien made a reference to Jeffrey Epstein when he noted the absence of British actors among the nominees for the first time since 2012. “A British spokesperson said, ‘Yeah, well, at least we arrest our pedophiles,’” he stated.
However, his hosting also included moments of poetic reflection. He highlighted the global representation at the Oscars, noting that 31 countries across six continents were represented.
“Every film we salute is a product of thousands of people speaking different language, working hard to make something of beauty,” O’Brien observed. He continued, “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.”
Some of O'Brien's comedic bits did not land as intended. These included a segment involving a leaf blower onstage and a gag related to memes with Leonardo DiCaprio.
The politically charged action comedy “One Battle After Another” ultimately triumphed over Ryan Coogler’s musically driven vampire thriller “Sinners” in a closely watched Oscar race. The evening was a lengthy celebration of cinema, spanning three hours and forty minutes.
Michael B. Jordan was awarded best actor for his role in “Sinners.” Jessie Buckley won best actress for her performance in “Hamnet.” This win made her the first Irish performer to ever receive an Oscar in that category.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman and the first Black person to win the award for cinematography. Her win was for her work on “Sinners.”
“asking all the women in the Dolby Theatre to stand up because moments like this don’t happen without women ‘standing up for you and advocating for you.’”
Paul Thomas Anderson, a filmmaker widely respected in his generation, finally received his long-awaited Oscar recognition. He went on to win multiple awards during the ceremony. His achievements included winning best picture.
He first secured the award for best adapted screenplay for “One Battle After Another.” Subsequently, he was honored with the award for best director.
“You make a guy work hard for this,” he remarked after his directing win. Anderson returned to the stage to accept the night's final award, best picture, for the same film.
“Let's have a martini. This is amazing,” he stated upon accepting the best picture award.
Prior to this night, Anderson had been nominated 14 times. This included five nominations for screenplays and three for best director. His notable films include “Boogie Nights,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Magnolia.”
“I wrote this movie for my kids, to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them,” Anderson explained his motivation for the screenplay. He added, “But also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”
Cassandra Kulukundis, who served as the casting director for several of Anderson's previous films, had expressed her hope for his win. She accepted the first new competitive Oscar category in over two decades for “One Battle After Another.”
Kulukundis’s win preceded Anderson’s by mere minutes.
Amy Madigan experienced a significant wait for her Oscar. She was the first winner of the evening. The interval between her initial Oscar nomination and her first win spanned 40 years. This established a new record for the longest wait for a best supporting actress award.
Madigan’s first Oscar nomination was in 1985 for her role in “Twice in a Lifetime.” She lost that year to Anjelica Huston. Her win on Sunday was for her portrayal of an unrecognizable and captivating oddball aunt in “Weapons.” This film is a supernatural thriller centered on missing children. Madigan had previously received accolades at the Critics Choice and Actor Awards.
The character of Aunt Gladys, with her smeared, heavy makeup, unusual hair, and large glasses, became a popular internet meme. This visual was even incorporated by Oscars host Conan O’Brien in his opening skit. He appeared as Gladys, being chased by children as he quickly moved through scenes from other nominated movies.
Upon hearing her name announced, Madigan collapsed into the arms of her husband, actor Ed Harris. Onstage, she conveyed her gratitude to film writer-director Zach Cregger for casting her in “Weapons” in a role she could “grab by the throat.” She concluded her speech by thanking “my beloved Ed,” adding, “None of this would mean anything if he wasn’t by my side.”
A tribute was held to honor Rob Reiner, with a stage filled with stars. The segment was introduced by his longtime friend and colleague, Billy Crystal.
Crystal began the in memoriam section by recounting how he met Reiner. He played Reiner's best friend on the television show “All in the Family” in 1975.
Reiner's directorial filmography includes “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” “When Harry Met Sally …,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men,” and “The Princess Bride.”
“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 in his tribute.
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, tragically passed away in December. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with their deaths.
Following Crystal's speech, a stage was revealed featuring stars who had appeared in Reiner's films. This included Meg Ryan, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Kathy Bates, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Jerry O’Connell, Annette Bening, Mandy Patinkin, Fred Savage, and Cary Elwes.
The in memoriam segment also paid tribute to individuals lost during 2025. Among those remembered were Catherine O’Hara, Diane Keaton, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Brigitte Bardot, Michael Madsen, Terence Stamp, Diane Ladd, Sally Kirkland, Tom Stoppard, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Val Kilmer.
Barbra Streisand took to the stage to honor Robert Redford, her co-star in the film “The Way We Were.”
“He was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail, and won the Academy Award for best director, and I miss him now more than ever, even though he loved teasing me,” Streisand shared.
She then performed a portion of the song “The Way We Were.” Streisand had last sung this song during the 2013 ceremony as a tribute to the late composer Marvin Hamlisch.
The Oscars featured only two musical performances, both described as Grammy-worthy.
Singer-actor Miles Caton and songwriter Raphael Saadiq performed the song “I Lied to You” from the film “Sinners.” The performance was characterized as deeply bluesy and slinky. They were joined by an ensemble that included Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith. This performance served as a tribute to the film’s visual and musical style.
The camera work during the performance was dynamic, moving in and among the dancers in a rollicking and kinetic display.
Later in the ceremony, “KPop Demon Hunters” celebrated its win for best animated feature. The film's performance of its song “Golden” began with a fusion of traditional Korean instrumentalists and dance. Dancers adorned in gold waved golden fabric flags. Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the vocalists for HUNTR/X in the film, then performed “Golden.” Audience members waved light sticks during their rendition.
The song “Golden” subsequently won the Oscar for best original song, marking a first for K-pop.
A notable moment during the musical performances was the appearance of dancers from each song in the other's performance. This was described as a form of communication between Delta blues and Asian pop.
Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, and Ellie Kemper reunited to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the film “Bridesmaids.” They showcased their comedic timing, which they humorously suggested had not diminished with time.
“Now, we are not good with numbers, but we figured out backstage that means we shot this movie in 1883,” Wiig quipped about the anniversary.
The group, who were presenting the awards for best original score and best sound, engaged in playful banter. They directed jokes towards Stellan Skarsgård, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jacobi Jupe of “Hamnet.”
The cast members pretended to read messages from the audience. One message, purportedly from DiCaprio, accused Byrne of staring at him. Byrne responded, “I have been staring at you. I thought you were somebody else.”
Rudolph adopted her characteristic dimwit persona when she questioned, “Earlier today, when I was counting my money, I asked myself, ‘What is sound?’”
The ceremony also featured a mini “Avengers” reunion. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. presented the award for best adapted screenplay. Additionally, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor reunited, marking a “Moulin Rouge!” reunion. The Pullman family was also represented when Bill Pullman joined his son, Jack, onstage.
Conan O'Brien, hosting for the second time, delivered a performance that encompassed a range of tones. His hosting was described as savage, playful, heartfelt, and dumb.
The host humorously predicted his own obsolescence as an Oscar MC. “Next year, it will be a Waymo with a tux,” he joked.
He also made a jest directed at Timothée Chalamet, who had faced criticism for comments suggesting ballet and opera were dying art forms. “They’re just mad you left out jazz,” O’Brien quipped.
O'Brien made a reference to Jeffrey Epstein when he noted the absence of British actors among the nominees for the first time since 2012. “A British spokesperson said, ‘Yeah, well, at least we arrest our pedophiles,’” he stated.
However, his hosting also included moments of poetic reflection. He highlighted the global representation at the Oscars, noting that 31 countries across six continents were represented.
“Every film we salute is a product of thousands of people speaking different language, working hard to make something of beauty,” O’Brien observed. He continued, “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.”
Some of O'Brien's comedic bits did not land as intended. These included a segment involving a leaf blower onstage and a gag related to memes with Leonardo DiCaprio.