LOS ANGELES — The 2026 Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, had no shortage of highlights!
Here’s a look at some of the most memorable moments from Hollywood’s biggest night.
This combination image shows Michael B. Jordan, left, Conan O’Brien, center, and EJAE, right, at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
AP Photos/Chris Pizzello/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
‘One Battle After Another’ wins big at the 98th Academy Awards
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” took home six Oscars out of 13 nominations.
The film won awards for:
- Directing — Paul Thomas Anderson
- Film editing – Andy Jurgensen
- Adaptive screenplay – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Supporting actor – Sean Penn
- Casting – Cassandra Kulukundis
FULL LIST | Winners from the 98th Academy Awards
Michael B. Jordan wins Best Actor in emotional Oscars moment
The actor received an Oscar for his performance as Smoke and Stack in “Sinners.”
Jordan highlighted his family in the crowd in his acceptance speech, and also recognized his relationship with “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler in his speech.
Michael B. Jordan has won the Oscar for Best Actor for “Sinners” at the 2026 Academy Awards.
“You’re an amazing, amazing person,” he said. “I’m so honored to call you a collaborator and a friend, and you gave me the opportunity and space for me to be seen, and I love you, too, bro, love you to death.”
He finished with a message of gratitude for his supporters, saying, “Thank you for … betting on me, and I’m going to keep stepping up, and I’m going to keep being the best version of myself I can be.”
In Memoriam honors icons Rob Reiner, Robert Redford, Diane Keaton and more
The Oscars In Memoriam, which honors industry legends we’ve lost over the past year, was a powerful segment in which Hollywood icons were honored by fellow actors.
Actor Billy Crystal paid tribute to legendary film director Rob Reiner as well as Michele Singer Reiner.
“Rob and Michele Reiner became the driving force in the landmark decision for marriage equality in the United States,” Crystal said to roaring applause. “Their loss is immeasurable.”
MORE | Rob Reiner honored by Billy Crystal in emotional Oscars tribute
The In Memoriam segment at the Oscars, which honors industry legends we’ve lost over the past year, began with a tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner.
In the segment, Rachel McAdams walked out to honor several of those lost, including Catherine O’Hara and Diane Keaton.
And later, in remembrance of Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand came onto the stage to pay homage to her friend and fellow actor.
Rare Oscars tie
The Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film was a tie at the 98th Academy Awards — the first time an Oscar vote has ended in a tie in well over a decade.
The creators of “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva” took turns coming to the stage to accept their awards.
“The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva” have tied, with both films winning the Oscar for best live action short film.
“And the Oscar goes to… it’s a tie! I’m not joking. It’s actually a tie. Everyone calm down, we’re going to get through this. Focus up,” presenter Kumail Nanjiani said. “I’m going to name one winner. They’ll come up and present their award. Then I’ll come back and name another winner, and then they’ll accept their award. Here we go!”
“A tie. Wow. I didn’t know that was a thing… a tie. But we’re happy to be up here,” “The Singers” creator Sam A. Davis said.
A tie has been awarded six times in Oscar history, with the last one happening in 2013 when “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Skyfall” tied for Best Sound Editing.
MORE | Oscars red carpet 2026: See the celebrity fashion, looks and trends
Perhaps the most famous tie in Oscar history was when Katharine Hepburn, for “The Lion in Winter,” and Barbra Streisand, for “Funny Girl,” tied for Best Actress in 1969.
Streisand’s win was controversial at the time since she was inducted into the Academy voting body before her win, meaning she seemingly voted for herself. Normally, nominees are inducted the year after their ceremony.
Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has over 10,000 voting members. The rule is that if and only if there is an exact match in voting totals, the win qualifies as a tie.
‘Star Wars’ character Grogu makes surprise appearance
Sigourney Weaver, Pedro Pascal and Grogu shared a hilarious moment with Kate Hudson at the 98th Academy Awards.
Hudson was seen hanging out with the adorable “Star Wars” character in the audience.
Conan O’Brien joked with Grogu from the “Star Wars” movie franchise.
Weaver, joking with Hudson, told her to get “away from him.”
Weaver and Pascal will star in “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” which comes out on May 22.
Bridesmaids and Devil Wears Prada ‘cameos’
Anne Hathaway took to the presenter stage with fashion icon Anna Wintour, the designer that inspired Meryl Streep’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
When Hathaway asked Wintour what she thought of her dress, Wintour played the part of the hard-to-please designer, and ignored her.
Anna Wintour joined Anne Hathaway on Oscars 2026 stage to present the award for best costume design.
Hathaway will star in the upcoming sequel, “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” which is set to debut May 1.
The Oscars also brought the cast of “Bridesmaids” together, 15 years after the film’s 2011 release.
Rose Byrne, who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” was joined onstage by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy and Ellie Kemper to present the award for Best Original Score.
The cast of ‘Bridesmaids’ reunited on stage at the 98th Academy Awards.
On the red carpet earlier in the evening, McCarthy said she would film another “Bridesmaids” movie immediately, saying, “We really need comedies.”
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ makes Oscars history
The film made history Sunday night at the 2026 Academy Awards, winning Best Animated Feature, while its hit track, “Golden,” also took home the Oscar for Best Original Song.
The victories marked a milestone for South Korean creatives.
Director Maggie Kang became the first filmmaker of South Korean descent to win in the Best Animated Feature category, while several co-writers of “Golden” became the first South Koreans to win in the Best Original Song Category.
“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” has become the first K-Pop song to win the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 2026 Academy Awards.
In her speech, Kang reflected on the long wait for Korean representation in a film like this, while celebrating the milestone for future generations.
“Thank you, thank you to the Academy and to all the fans who got us here,” she said. “And for those of you who look like me, I am so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this. But it is here. And that means that the next generations don’t have to go longing. This is for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.”
Rei Ami, from left, EJAE, and Audrey Nuna perform ‘Golden’ from “K-Pop Demon Hunters” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Emotional moment from mother of child killed at Uvalde Elementary
“All the Empty Rooms,” which documents the bedrooms left behind when children are killed in school shootings, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film.
Gloria Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie was killed in the 2022 Robb Elementary School mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and whose bedroom was among those included in the documentary, spoke onstage as the filmmakers accepted the Oscar.
Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones have won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film for “All the Empty Rooms” at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Since Jackie’s murder, “her bedroom has been frozen in time,” Cazares said. “Jackie is more than just a headline. She is our light and our life. Gun violence is now the No. 1 cause of death in kids and teens. We believe that if the world could see their empty bedrooms, we would be a different America. Thank you.”
Autumn Durald Arkapaw becomes 1st woman to win for cinematography in emotional moment
“Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history on Sunday night as the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography.
Arkapaw is only the third woman to be nominated in the category in Academy Awards history. Before winning the award, she had already made history as the first-ever woman of color nominated in the category.
She also made history as the first Black person to win in the category.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw is the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography for “Sinners” at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Arkapaw took to the stage with thunderous applause from the crowd at the Dolby Theatre.
“Whenever I say thank you to Ryan [Coogler], he replies and says, ‘No, thank you. Thank you for believing in me, and thank you for trusting me.’ And that’s the kind of guy who I get to make films with,” Arkapaw said. “And he means it. He really, truly means it.”
Conan O’Brien races to open the Oscars as children from ‘Weapons’ chase him to the stage
The Oscars host opened Hollywood’s biggest night with a “Weapons”-inspired sketch, starring him as Oscar winner Amy Madigan’s villainous character in the film.
A stand-in for Conan O’Brien is chased by children after a pre-recorded sketch opens the 98th Academy Awards.
Chased by the children, as Madigan’s character is in the film’s last act, O’Brien dashed through scenes from the movies nominated for Best Picture — ending with a live-action sequence where the children chase him through the aisles of The Dolby Theater and onto the Oscars’ stage.
Oscars host Conan O’Brien kicked off the 98th Oscars with a monologue that touched on this year’s nominated movies and actors.
ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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