LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After One other” was topped finest image on the 98th Academy Awards, handing Hollywood’s high honor to a comic book, multi-generational American saga of political resistance.
The ceremony Sunday, which additionally noticed Michael B. Jordan win finest actor and “Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw make Oscar historical past as the primary feminine director of pictures to win the award, was a long-in-coming coronation for Anderson, a San Fernando Valley native who made his first brief at age 18 and has been considered one of America’s most lionized filmmakers for many years. Earlier than Sunday, Anderson had by no means gained an Oscar.
However “One Battle After One other,” the favourite coming in, gained six Oscars, together with finest director and finest tailored screenplay for Anderson, the Oscars’ first trophy for finest casting and finest supporting actor for an absent Sean Penn.
“I wrote this film for my youngsters to apologize for the housekeeping mess that we left on this world — we’re handing off to them,” mentioned Anderson whereas accepting the screenplay trophy. “But additionally with the encouragement that they would be the technology that hopefully brings us some widespread sense and decency.”
“Sinners,” which got here in with a report 16 nominations, additionally landed some huge and even historic wins. Coogler, the extensively cherished filmmaker, gained the primary Oscar in an unblemished profession that started off with Jordan in 2013’s “Fruitvale Station.” Arkapow, solely the fourth feminine cinematographer ever nominated, gained the award in a long-in-coming triumph for girls behind the digital camera.
“I actually need all the ladies in room to face up,” mentioned Arkapaw. “As a result of I don’t really feel like I get right here with out you guys.”
And Jordan, considered one of Hollywood’s most appreciated main males, gained finest actor in one of many evening’s closest races. The Dolby Theatre rose to its toes in essentially the most thunderous applause of the evening.
“Yo, momma, what’s up?” mentioned Jordan after staggering to the stage.
The Oscar evening belonged to Warner Bros., the studio of “One Battle After One other” and Coogler’s vampire story. It was an oddly poignant word of triumph for the fabled studio, which weeks earlier agreed to a sale to Paramount Skydance, David Ellison’s quickly assembled media monolith. The deal, which awaits regulatory approval, has Hollywood bracing for extra layoffs.
“Sinners” and “One Battle After One other” have been every Hollywood anomalies: big-budget originals born from a private imaginative and prescient. In a 12 months the place anxiousness over studio contraction and the rise of synthetic intelligence usually consumed the business, each movies gave Hollywood contemporary hope.
Jessie Buckley gained finest actress for her efficiency as Agnes Shakespeare in “Hamnet,” making her the primary Irish performer to ever win within the class. At an Oscars the place no different appearing award appeared a certain factor, Buckley cruised into Sunday’s Oscars on the Dolby Theatre because the overwhelming favourite.
“It’s Mom’s Day within the U.Okay.,” mentioned Buckley on the stage. “I wish to devoted this to the attractive chaos of a mom’s coronary heart.”
‘KPop’ and ‘Frankeinstein’ win for Netflix
From the beginning, when host Conan O’Brien sprinted by the 12 months’s nominees as Amy Madigan’s character within the horror thriller “Weapons” in a pre-taped bit, Sunday’s ceremony was quirky, a bit clunky and preoccupied with the shifting place of films in tradition. There was, of all issues, a tie for finest live-action brief movie.
As anticipated, the Netflix sensation “KPop Demon Hunters,” 2025’s most-watched movie, gained finest animated function, in addition to finest tune for “Golden.” It was a giant win for Netflix however a extra certified victory for the film’s producer, Sony Photos. Although it developed and produced the movie, Sony bought “KPop Demon Hunters” to the streaming big as a substitute of giving it a theatrical launch.
On Netflix, “KPop Demon Hunters” turned a cultural phenomenon and the streaming platform’s largest hit. It has greater than 325 million views and counting.
“That is for Korea and Koreans in every single place,” mentioned Korean-Canadian filmmaker Maggie Kang, who wrote and co-directed with Chris Appelhans.
One other Netflix launch, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” picked up three awards for its lavish craft, for costume design, make-up and hairstyling and for manufacturing design.
Amy Madigan gained finest supporting actress for her efficiency within the horror thriller “Weapons,” a win that got here 40 years after the 75-year-old actor was first nominated, in 1986, for “Twice in a Lifetime.” Letting out an enormous chortle as she hit the stage, Madigan exclaimed, “That is nice!”
O’Brien presides over a ceremony shadowed by politics
Internet hosting for the second time, O’Brien started the Dolby Theatre present alluding to “chaotic and horrifying occasions.” However he argued that the present geopolitical local weather made the Oscars all of the extra resonate as a globally unifying power.
“We pay tribute tonight, not simply to movie, however to the beliefs of worldwide artistry, collaboration, endurance, resilience and that rarest of qualities in the present day — optimism,” O’Brien mentioned. “We’re going to rejoice. Not as a result of we expect all is properly, however as a result of we work, and hope, for higher.”
All through the present, O’Brien hit plenty of targets, like Timothée Chalamet for his diss of opera and ballet. However the ceremony seldom wasn’t shadowed by politics, whether or not in references to adjustments beneath U.S. President Donald Trump or the not too long ago launched battle in Iran.
Joachim Trier, whose Norwegian household drama “Sentimental Worth” gained finest worldwide movie, quoted James Baldwin in his acceptance speech.
“All adults are answerable for all youngsters,” he mentioned. “Let’s not vote for politicians that don’t take this severely under consideration.”
Presenter Jimmy Kimmel, whose late-night present final 12 months was suspended after feedback he made about Charlie Kirk’s killing, was among the many most blunt.
“There are some international locations that don’t help free speech,” mentioned Kimmel. “I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s simply go away it at North Korea and CBS.”
Shortly after, “Mr. No person In opposition to Putin,” a movie a couple of Russian major faculty instructor who paperwork his college students’ indoctrination to help Russia’s battle with Ukraine, gained finest documentary.
“’Mr. No person In opposition to Putin’ is about the way you lose your nation,” co-director mentioned. “And what we noticed when working with this footage is that you just lose it by numerous, small, little acts of complicity.”
“All of us face an ethical selection,” he added, “however, fortunately, a no person is extra highly effective than you suppose.”
Tributes to Reiner, Redford and others
Elegy additionally marked the Oscars. Producers expanded the in memoriam section following a 12 months that featured the deaths of so many Hollywood legends, together with Keaton, Robert Duvall and Redford. Barbra Streisand spoke about Redford, her “The Method We Have been” co-star.
“Bob had actual spine,” mentioned Streisand, who referred to as Redford “an mental cowboy” earlier than singing a couple of bars of “The Method We Have been.”
Billy Crystal paid tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner, who have been killed of their dwelling in December. Crystal, an in depth good friend of Rob Reiner’s who memorably starred in 1989’s “When Harry Met Sally…” and 1987’s “Princess Bride.” In his transferring remarks, Crystal quoted the latter.
“All we will say is: Buddy, how a lot enjoyable we had storming the citadel,” mentioned Crystal.
Theatrical appears to be like to finest streaming, once more
The evening’s last award once more didn’t go to a streaming launch; Apple’s “CODA” stays the one streaming movie to realize that distinction. “Sinners” and “One Battle After One other” have been each theatrical releases shot on movie. And each got here from Warner Bros., the legacy studio that’s agreed to merge with David Ellison’s new media colossus, Paramount Skydance. The $111 billion deal, which awaits regulatory approval, has rattled an business already reconciling itself to the acquisitions of MGM (by Amazon) and twentieth Century Fox (by The Walt Disney Co.).
Apple’s “F1,” a film that it partnered with Warner Bros. to distribute theatrically, gained for finest sound. The lone blockbuster of the 12 months to go dwelling with a win was “Avatar: Hearth and Ash,” for visible results.
A few of O’Brien’s finest digs got here on the expense of the streamers. Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, he joked, was in a theater for the primary time. The host additionally lamented the shortage of nominees for Amazon MGM: “Why isn’t the web site I order bathroom paper from successful extra Oscars?”
“I’m honored to be the final human host of the Academy Awards,” mentioned O’Brien. “Subsequent 12 months it’s going to be a Waymo in a tux.”