The 98th Oscars aired Sunday night and marked the end of a competitive awards season amongst this year’s biggest films. Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Hamnet clinched big wins while others, like Marty Supreme, left empty-handed.
Host Conan O’Brien kicked off the ceremony with a pre-taped sketch dressed as Amy Madigan’s Weapons character as he was chased by children through scenes from this year’s nominated films. In usual Conan fashion, O’Brien brought a grounded energy to the ceremony in between jokes.
“We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry and collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today, optimism,” said O’Brien. “So let us celebrate not because we think all is well but because we work and hope for better in the days ahead.”
Michael B. Jordan’s Moment
The question of the evening was whether or not Sinners would sweep all 16 of its nominations. Despite breaking the record for Academy Award nominations for a single film, Sinners walked away with only four awards: best actor, original screenplay, cinematography, and original score.
Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win was perhaps the most emotional of the night. Hot off his Best Actor win at the Actor Awards, Jordan accepted his first Academy Award to thunderous applause. The actor was visibly stunned, and Teyana Taylor did her best to reassure him that this was real—clapping, nodding, and shouting “yes” to Jordan as he prepared to thank the crowd.
“I stand here because of the people who came before me: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, Will Smith,” said Jordan. “Thank you, everybody in this room and everybody at home, for supporting me over my career. I feel it… I’m going to keep stepping up, and I’m going to keep being the best version of myself I can be.”
Women Supporting Women
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners, made history as the first woman to win for Best Cinematography. She shared her success with every woman in the room.
“I really want all the women in the room to stand up because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys,” Arkapaw said. “I really, really, truly mean that. I have felt so much love from all the women on this whole campaign and gotten to meet so many people, and I just feel like moments like this happen because of you guys, and I want to thank you for that.”
Hamnet actress Jessie Buckley completed her perfect award season run and took home the Academy Award for Best Actress. Though her win felt obvious to everyone else, Buckley was clearly overwhelmed and incredibly grateful. Buckley used her time to thank director Chloé Zhao and author Maggie O’Farrell.
“Chloe and Maggie, to get to know this incandescent woman and journey to understand the capacity of a mother’s love is the greatest collision of my life,” Buckley gushed. “I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.”
‘One Battle After Another’ Wins Big
Paul Thomas Anderson took home Best Director for One Battle After Another, beating Ryan Coogler and Sinners. Coogler’s consolation prize, however, was his win for Best Original Screenplay. One Battle After Another also took home the biggest prize of the evening, Best Picture.
Anderson accepted Best Picture with grace and humility. “In 1975, the Oscar nominees for best picture were Dog Day Afternoon, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jaws, Nashville, and Barry Lyndon. There is no best among them,” said Anderson. “There is just what that mood might be that day.”
Anderson’s speech closed the ceremony and opened the night of the biggest celebrations in Hollywood.
“What a night, you guys, let’s have a martini.”
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