LOS ANGELES — The 98th Academy Awards proved to be a transformative evening for Hollywood, marked by the crowning of a new Best Picture winner and several milestone achievements that redefined Oscar history.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" emerged as the definitive victor of the night, securing six Oscars from its 13 nominations.
The Top Honors: Emotional Speeches and Global Firsts
The ceremony’s major acting categories provided some of the night's most poignant moments. Jessie Buckley took home the Best Actress trophy for her haunting portrayal in Hamnet. In doing so, she became the first Irish actress to win the award, delivering a speech that celebrated the "lineage of women" and the strength of the maternal heart.
In the Best Actor category, Michael B. Jordan claimed his first Academy Award for his performance in the horror-thriller Sinners. Jordan used his time on stage to honor the pioneers of Black cinema, name-checking icons like Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington, while emphasizing a career-long focus on "doing the work" over seeking accolades.
Technical Milestones: A Glass Ceiling Shattered
The night was equally historic behind the lens. Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography for her visual mastery in Sinners. Her win was met with a standing ovation, and she noted backstage that her presence on that stage would inspire "little girls who look like me" to pursue careers in film technology.
The Academy also introduced a new category this year: Best Casting. The inaugural award went to Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another, recognizing the essential role casting plays in the success of modern epics.
Surprises, Ties, and Social Statements
In a rare occurrence, the Best Live Action Short Film category resulted in a tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva—marking only the sixth time in nearly a century that a tie has been recorded at the Oscars.
While the ceremony remained largely celebratory, the global climate was reflected in the speeches. Actor Javier Bardem, while presenting alongside Priyanka Chopra, drew applause for a brief but firm political statement, calling for peace and stating, "Free Palestine."
Summary of Major Awards
| Category | Winner | Film |
| Best Picture | Paul Thomas Anderson | One Battle After Another |
| Best Actor | Michael B. Jordan | Sinners |
| Best Actress | Jessie Buckley | Hamnet |
| Best Cinematography | Autumn Durald Arkapaw | Sinners |
| Best Casting | Cassandra Kulukundis | One Battle After Another |
| Best Visual Effects | Joe Letteri et al. | Avatar: Fire and Ash |
As the stars headed to the Vanity Fair after-party, where the carpet was famously changed to silver this year, the industry looked back on a night that balanced the blockbuster scale of films like Avatar with the intimate, historic recognition of diverse talent.
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