98th Academy Awards: 'One Battle After Another' Dominates as Political Tensions Rise

The 98th Academy Awards took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with the film "One Battle After Another" dominating the night by winning six Oscars, including Best Picture and the inaugural Best Casting award. Comedian and television host Conan O'Brien served as host for the second consecutive year, presiding over a ceremony that drew films from 31 (countries) — nations represented in the 2026 Oscar film selection competing categories. The evening combined cinematic celebration with political commentary and at least one reported backstage altercation, making it one of the more eventful ceremonies in recent memory. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, known as AMPAS, has presented the Academy Awards annually since 1929. The 98th edition continued the tradition of recognizing international cinema alongside Hollywood productions. The Best Casting category was introduced as a new award at this ceremony, expanding the total number of competitive categories presented during the gala to 24.

Sean Penn wins but skips the ceremony entirely Sean Penn won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "One Battle After Another" but did not attend the ceremony to collect the award. According to reporting by NewsIT, Penn's absence was notable given the scale of the film's success on the night. The win added a personal accolade to the film's dominant sweep of the evening's major prizes. Penn's non-attendance left the award uncollected in person, a rare occurrence for one of the night's headline results. Reuters confirmed the win, reporting it as a significant moment for the film despite the actor's physical absence from the Dolby Theatre.

O'Brien takes aim at Trump, Bardem invokes Palestine Host Conan O'Brien directed pointed remarks at President Donald Trump during the ceremony, according to reporting by in.gr. The Super Express also reported that jokes were made targeting Trump and his wife Melania, though the outlet attributed those barbs to Jimmy Kimmel — a discrepancy between sources that cannot be resolved from the available reporting. Javier Bardem used his time at the podium to speak about war and Palestine, drawing attention to ongoing global conflicts from one of Hollywood's most prominent stages. Bardem later explained his decision to speak up, according to Rolling Stone, framing his remarks as a personal obligation. The political commentary reflected a broader pattern at the ceremony, where the international scope of the competing films — drawn from 31 countries, as O'Brien noted — provided a backdrop for commentary extending beyond cinema.

Backstage incident puts Teyana Taylor in the spotlight A backstage incident involving Teyana Taylor drew attention away from the awards themselves, according to iefimerida.gr. Taylor was reportedly heard screaming at an unidentified individual. „You pushed me, you put your hands on me.” — Teyana Taylor via iefimerida.gr The Greek outlet described the episode as one of several unexpected incidents during the evening. No confirmed information is available on the identity of the other party involved or the outcome of the confrontation. The incident added an unscripted dimension to a ceremony that was already notable for its political commentary and the historic sweep by "One Battle After Another." Billboard also reported on music moments from the ceremony that did not air on television, suggesting the evening contained significant content beyond what broadcast audiences witnessed.