
Hosted by Conan O’Brien for the second c0nsecutive year, the 98th Oscars are being broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre on ABC and Hulu.
Executive producing this year’s show are Raj Kapoor Katy Mullan. They are joined by co-executive producer Rob Paine and producers Jeff Ross, Mike Sweeney, Taryn Hurd, and Sarah Levine Hall. Hamish Hamilton is directing. Writers for this year’s show include Amberia Allen, José Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Jessie Gaskell, Skyler Higley, Berkley Johnson, Ian Karmel, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Carol Leifer, Todd Levin, Jon Macks, Conan O’Brien, Matt O’Brien, Agathe Panaretos and Mike Sweeney.
Also returning to the show’s production team are music director Michael Bearden, production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz and supervising choreographer Mandy Moore.
In previous years, I have provided live updates throughout the Oscars broadcast, posting winners as they are announced. However, tonight conflicts with both Selection Sunday and the World Baseball Classic semifinals (Team USA vs. Dominican Republic). I’m a baseball fan and there’s no substitute for the thrill of watching live sports. it’s not the same as watching tape-delayed. Let’s be honest in that awards season is stretched out way too long to the point that they have become way too predictable in prior years. This year might be the first year in a while in which Best Picture is an actual toss-up for Best Picture between One Battle After Another and Sinners.
Cute start by Conan. The monologue got serious for a bit but a few nice jokes in there, highlighted by an expensive mountain set that took from Josh Groban’s fee.
Back from commercial break and Conan takes a dig at the attempt to illegally rename the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
Will Arnett: “Tonight we are celebrating people, not A.I.” This will go down as one of the highlight quotes of the night.
Ventura Crossroads Labs uses sophisticated A.I. technology to preserve film history for the smartphone generation. Thanks to the skinny presentation, their name is displayed as TURDS. It’s not a way to watch a movie.
With The Devil Wears Prada 2 opening in May, it’s only right that Anne Hathaway is one of the presenters for costume design. Hathaway presented alongside Anna Wintour, who also called her Emily.
Seeing as how a certain actor used a shortened version of an antisemitic phrase and was applauded for doing so, Hollywood really needs to ask itself why it’s cheering on that phrase. A phrase that has long been associated with wiping the sole Jewish state off the map as well as targeting, harassing and intimidating Jews.
And the winner is…
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Madigan in “Weapons” (Warner Bros.)
Best animated feature film of the year
“KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix) Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans and Michelle L.M. Wong
Best animated short film
“The Girl Who Cried Pearls” (National Film Board of Canada) Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
Achievement in costume design
“Frankenstein” (Netflix) Kate Hawley
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
“Frankenstein” (Netflix) Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey
Achievement in casting
“One Battle after Another” (Warner Bros.) Cassandra Kulukundis
Best live action short film (TIE)
“The Singers” (Netflix) Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt
“Two People Exchanging Saliva” (Canal+/The New Yorker) Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Sean Penn in “One Battle after Another” (Warner Bros.)
Adapted screenplay
“One Battle after Another” (Warner Bros.) Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
Original screenplay
“Sinners” (Warner Bros.) Written by Ryan Coogler
Achievement in production design
“Frankenstein” (Netflix) Production Design: Tamara Deverell, Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
Achievement in visual effects
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” (Walt Disney) Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
Best documentary short film
“All the Empty Rooms” (Netflix) Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
Best documentary feature film
“Mr. Nobody against Putin” (PINK) A PINK Production, David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin, Helle Faber and Alžběta Karásková
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Sinners” (Warner Bros.) Ludwig Goransson
Achievement in sound
“F1” (Apple) Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta
Achievement in cinematography
“Sinners” (Warner Bros.) Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Best international feature film of the year
“Sentimental Value” A Mer Film/Eye Eye Pictures Production, Norway
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix) Music and Lyric by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon and Teddy Park
Achievement in directing
“One Battle after Another” (Warner Bros.) Paul Thomas Anderson
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Michael B. Jordan in “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Jessie Buckley in “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
Best motion picture of the year
“One Battle after Another” (Warner Bros.) A Ghoulardi Film Company Production, Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
The 98th Oscars are taking place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC, Hulu, and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
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