98th Academy Awards: Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler Dominate Historic Night

Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, while Ryan Coogler's horror film "Sinners" claimed multiple prizes including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw. The ceremony took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with comedian Conan O'Brien hosting. Anderson's "One Battle After Another" and "Sinners" emerged as the dominant films of the night, each collecting several awards across major categories. Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her performance in "Hamnet," rounding out the acting prizes alongside Jordan's win.

Sean Penn wins but skips the ceremony entirely Sean Penn won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "One Battle After Another" but did not attend the ceremony, according to Reuters and Adnkronos. Penn, an American actor and filmmaker, now holds three Academy Awards over his career, according to the Person Registry. Anderson's film also claimed the newly introduced Best Casting prize, awarded to Cassandra Kulukundis, making her the first person ever to win in that category. The introduction of Best Casting marked a formal expansion of the Oscar categories recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Anderson himself added Best Director to his career total, which now stands at three Academy Awards according to the Person Registry.

Two women make history in the cinematography category Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, recognized for her work on "Sinners," according to SRF News and confirmed by the Person Registry. Her win represented a historic milestone in a category that had never previously been awarded to a woman. Ludwig Göransson won his third career Oscar for Best Original Score, also for "Sinners," according to Deadline. Göransson, a Swedish musician, composer, conductor, songwriter, and record producer, has built one of the most decorated careers of any working Hollywood composer, according to the Person Registry. The multiple wins for "Sinners" established Ryan Coogler's film as one of the ceremony's defining achievements alongside Anderson's work.

Spanish film 'Sirat' falls short as 'F1' and 'Sentimental Value' take prizes The Spanish film "Sirat" did not win in its competing categories, as "Sentimental Value" and "F1" claimed Oscars in their respective fields, according to eldiario.es. The 98th ceremony was hosted by Conan O'Brien for the second consecutive year, continuing his role from the previous edition. The night's results confirmed "One Battle After Another" and "Sinners" as the dominant productions of the awards season, with each film securing multiple wins across acting, technical, and craft categories. The Best Casting award, won by Kulukundis for "One Battle After Another," was presented for the first time in the history of the Academy Awards, marking a structural change to the Oscar program itself.

The Academy Awards have been presented annually since 1929, making the 98th ceremony part of one of the longest-running traditions in the entertainment industry. The Best Cinematography category had been awarded exclusively to male cinematographers throughout its entire history before Arkapaw's win in 2026. Paul Thomas Anderson had previously won Academy Awards before this ceremony, bringing his total to three, according to the Person Registry. Ludwig Göransson similarly entered the night as a two-time Oscar winner, with his third win for "Sinners" extending his record as one of Hollywood's most recognized composers of his generation.