Hollywood’s biggest night celebrated the best of the film industry as the 98th Academy Awards honoured a year of standout performances and filmmaking. The ceremony saw sweeping victories for One Battle After Another, major acting wins for Jessie Buckley and Michael B Jordan, and a range of films recognised across technical and creative categories.
The night’s biggest winner was One Battle After Another, which dominated the awards with six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Casting. The film led a competitive field that included titles such as Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Sinners and Train Dreams.
One of the evening’s most celebrated moments came when Jessie Buckley was named Best Actress for her performance in Hamnet. The Irish star has enjoyed a remarkable awards season, achieving a complete winning streak across the major ceremonies, a feat rivalled only in recent decades by Helen Mirren, Natalie Portman, and Cate Blanchett. With the win, Buckley also made history as the first Irish actress to take home the Oscar for Best Actress, cementing her place among the industry’s most celebrated performers.
In the Best Actor category, Michael B Jordan secured the award for his performance in Sinners, beating a field that included Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke and Wagner Moura. The film also proved a strong contender throughout the night, winning Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler, Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson, and Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw.
Elsewhere, Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons, while Sean Penn picked up Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another, contributing to the film’s impressive haul.
International cinema also had a strong showing, with Sentimental Value winning Best International Feature. The Best Animated Feature award went to KPop Demon Hunters, which also claimed Best Original Song for “Golden”.
In the documentary categories, Mr Nobody Against Putin took Best Documentary Feature, while All the Empty Rooms won Best Documentary Short. Among short films, The Girl Who Cried Pearls won Best Animated Short, while the Live Action Short category resulted in a rare tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
Technical honours were spread across several productions. Frankenstein excelled in design categories, winning Production Design, Costume Design, and Make-Up and Hairstyling. F1 claimed Best Sound, while Best Visual Effects went to Avatar: Fire and Ash.
The ceremony highlighted a diverse range of storytelling, from major studio productions to international cinema and independent films. Yet the night ultimately belonged to One Battle After Another, whose sweeping success, alongside landmark wins for Jessie Buckley and Michael B Jordan, defined the story of this year’s Oscars.
The full list of winners is here.
