by: Atharava Pandey

Sports Editor

The 2026 Oscars, cinema’s biggest annual event, took place on Mar. 15. Held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the Oscars showcased a plethora of the year’s most accomplished films, along with the directors, producers, writers, and other artists who brought them to life. This year’s Oscars featured a variety of genres of entertainment, ranging from Hamnet to Sinners and Marty Supreme. Organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, this ceremony remains one of the industry’s highest honors, holding the potential to alter a film’s legacy.

American television host and comedian Conan O’Brien hosted the Oscars for the second time in a row. Before the award ceremony, O’Brien expressed his excitement about the creative potential of hosting another Oscars: “Early on, you just generate possibilities for the show: ‘What might we do?’ You have to wait and see which movies are nominated, what’s in the zeitgeist, so there’ll be a lot of ideas that come in late. Sometimes those are the best ideas.”

The voting committee released the nominations for the 2026 Oscars back in January. Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld, broke the record for most nominations with 16. One Battle After Another came in close with 13 nominations. Marty Supreme, Frankenstein, and Sentimental Value all received nine nominations, while Hamnet was also near the top with eight. The academy debuted a new award category this year: casting. The casting directors nominated for this award are Nina Gold for Hamnet, Jennifer Venditti for Marty Supreme, Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another, Gabriel Domingues for The Secret Agent, and Francine Maisler for Sinners.

One Battle After Another was the biggest winner at the show, taking home six awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Michael B. Jordan became a first-time Oscar winner, achieving Best Actor for his role in Sinners. Timothée Chalamet narrowly missed out on the award for his role in Marty Supreme but showed good sportsmanship while cheering on Jordan as he went to receive his award. 

For the first time in 98 years, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win Best Cinematography at the Oscars, which was a critical moment in the show’s history. Furthermore, Jessie Buckley earned Best Actress for her performance in Hamnet. Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another, and Amy Madigan took home Best Supporting Actress for Weapons. Unsurprisingly, KPop Demon Hunters won both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song as well.

Overall, the 2026 Oscars were at a critical point in Hollywood’s history. This past year represented a return to cinema, featuring major hits that heavily influenced America’s pop culture. This ceremony also had continued efforts towards international representation. Surprising snubs and first-time winners, along with the drama surrounding its actors, made this year’s ceremony one for the history books.

(Sources: ABC News, Variety, Vogue)