Oscars 2026 recap: The biggest winners and best moments
Host Conan O'Brien guided viewers through the evening.
The biggest and brightest stars from across Hollywood and the world of entertainment gathered in Los Angeles on Sunday for the 98th Academy Awards.
"One Battle After Another" won the Oscar for best picture, while Jessie Buckley and Michael B. Jordan took home the Academy Awards for leading actress and leading actor. "One Battle After Another" won six total Oscars -- including best picture -- out of 13 nominations.
Scroll below to see how the night unfolded.
Key Headlines
'Frankenstein' wins Academy Award for best production design
Production designer Tamara Deverell and set decorator Shane Vieau of the film "Frankenstein" won the Academy Award for best production design.
Other nominees were "Hamnet" (production designer Fiona Crombie and set decorator Alice Felton), "Marty Supreme" (production designer Jack Fisk and set decorator Adam Willis), "One Battle After Another" (production designer Florencia Martin and set decorator Anthony Carlino), and "Sinners" (production designer Hannah Beachler and set decorator Monique Champagne).
Ryan Coogler receives applause in Dolby Theatre and Oscars press room after his 1st Oscar win
After "Sinners" filmmaker Ryan Coogler won the Oscar for best original screenplay, he not only received applause in the Dolby Theatre among his peers, but also received thunderous applause in the Oscars press room.
In his acceptance speech, Coogler thanked the academy, his parents and his fellow nominees, saying, "Thank you for the gifts, for your friendship over the past years and months." To his parents, he said, "Thank you for all the memories. Thank you for making me believe in myself."
Billy Crystal honors friend Rob Reiner
Billy Crystal honored his close friend of many decades, renowned director Rob Reiner, as well as Rob Reiner's wife Michele Reiner, at the Oscars.
Crystal highlighted some of Rob Reiner’s most iconic films, including “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “A Few Good Men.”
“My friend Rob’s movies will last for lifetimes, because they were about what makes us laugh and cry, and what we aspire to be," Crystal said. “And when Michele Singer entered his life, they were unstoppable."
"A gifted photographer, she not only produced films with Rob, but it was her energy that had them working tirelessly to fight social injustice in the country that they both love," he continued, noting how the Reiners "became the driving force in the landmark decision for marriage equality."
“Their loss is immeasurable," Crystal said. "And to the millions who have enjoyed his films all these years, I want you to know, here and around the world, how many times Rob told me that it meant everything to him that his work meant something to you."
Crystal concluded his tribute to Rob Reiner with a reference to an iconic line from "The Princess Bride." "For us who had the privilege of working with and knowing him and loving him, all we can say is, buddy, what fun we had storming the castle," he said.
The Reiners were stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14, 2025. Their son, Nick Reiner, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges and is being held without bail.
'Sinners' wins Oscar for best original screenplay
Ryan Coogler won his first Academy Award for best original screenplay for "Sinners."
Coogler called the award “an incredible honor.”
He thanked the cast and crew before giving his wife Zinzi Coogler and their kids a sweet shoutout.
“Zinzi, you the best wife and mom in the world. Every day I get to spend with you is better than the one that came before it,” the director said.
To his children, Coogler said, “When y’all blessed to live a long life and dad becomes just a memory, I want y’all to remember this one thing: I love y’all more than anything.”
Other nominees in the category included "Blue Moon" (Robert Kaplow); "It Was Just an Accident" (written by Jafar Panahi, with script collaborators Nader Saïvar, Shadmehr Rastin, and Mehdi Mahmoudian); "Marty Supreme" (Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie) and "Sentimental Value" (Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier).