Oscars 2026 Live: ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘One Battle After Another’ lead
Despite record 16 nominations, Ryan Coogler's Sinner fails to live up to the hype; here are updates on winners, highlights, and much action from Dolby Theatre
Hollywood's biggest night is here. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony takes place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and all eyes are on one film: Sinners. Ryan Coogler's film has received 16 nominations, the most in Oscar history, surpassing the previous record of 14 shared by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land.
Also read | Why the 2026 Academy Awards look set to be a two-film race for the ‘Big Five'
Conan O'Brien returns as host for the second consecutive year. But the glitter comes with a sombre backdrop — the ongoing Iran war looms over Hollywood's annual celebration, and O'Brien has said he will try to "walk a very thin line between entertaining people and acknowledging some of the realities."
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is among the presenters at this year's ceremony, joining Hollywood names including Robert Downey Jr and Anne Hathaway.
Here are the updates on the winners, moments and surprises as they happen.
Live Updates
- 16 March 2026 6:54 AM IST
David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin win the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for Mr. Nobody Against Putin! A remarkable and courageous film, it follows Pavel "Pasha" Talankin — a school videographer in a small Russian town — who turns unlikely whistleblower after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, secretly documenting how Putin's regime transforms ordinary classrooms into instruments of war propaganda and military recruitment. Shot covertly over two years and smuggled out of Russia, Talankin was eventually forced to flee the country for his own safety.
Congratulations to MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN, this year's Best Documentary Feature Film #Oscars pic.twitter.com/uTTu9gtKYe
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 16, 2026 - 16 March 2026 6:48 AM IST
Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones win the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film for All the Empty Rooms! A deeply moving and important film, it follows CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman as he travels across America to document the empty bedrooms of children killed in school shootings — a quiet, devastating tribute to lives lost and a powerful reminder of the human cost behind the statistics.
- 16 March 2026 6:43 AM IST
The 98th Academy Awards — Where We Stand So Far!
🏆 Best Supporting Actress — Amy Madigan, Weapons
🏆 Best Animated Feature — Kpop Demon Hunters
🏆 Best Animated Short — The Girl Who Cried Pearls
🏆 Best Costume Design — Frankenstein
🏆 Best Makeup & Hairstyling — Frankenstein
🏆 Best Casting — One Battle After Another
🏆 Best Live Action Short — The Singers & Two People Exchanging Saliva (tie!)
🏆 Best Supporting Actor — Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
🏆 Best Adapted Screenplay — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
🏆 Best Original Screenplay — Ryan Coogler, Sinners
🏆 Best Production Design — Frankenstein
🏆 Best Visual Effects — Avatar: Fire and Ash
Running Tally:
🎬 Frankenstein — 3
🎬 One Battle After Another — 3
🎬 Sinners — 1
🎬 Kpop Demon Hunters — 1
🎬 Avatar: Fire and Ash — 1
- 16 March 2026 6:40 AM IST
Avatar reigns supreme in the visual effects race! Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett take home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for Avatar: Fire and Ash, seeing off competition from F1, Jurassic World Rebirth, The Lost Bus, and Sinners.
No surprises here — James Cameron's franchise has long set the gold standard for visual spectacle, and the Academy has once again acknowledged that dominance. A deserved win for a film that continued to push the boundaries of what's possible on screen.
- 16 March 2026 6:36 AM IST
Frankenstein is unstoppable! Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau take home the Oscar for Best Production Design, presented by Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, giving Guillermo del Toro's gothic epic its third win of the night! Beating out Hamnet (Fiona Crombie & Alice Felton), Marty Supreme (Jack Fisk & Adam Willis), One Battle After Another (Florencia Martin & Anthony Carlino), and Sinners (Hannah Beachler & Monique Champagne), Frankenstein is firmly planting its flag as the night's craft champion.
The monster keeps growing — and nobody is stopping it. - 16 March 2026 6:08 AM IST
Ryan Coogler and Sinners are on the board! After much anticipation, the Academy rewards Coogler's original vision with the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, presented by Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. It's a richly deserved win for a film that announced itself as something truly special — beating out a stellar field that included Robert Kaplow (Blue Moon), Jafar Panahi (It Was Just An Accident), Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), and Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value).
With its first win of the night, Sinners signals loud and clear that it is very much in the race. Don't look away. - 16 March 2026 6:04 AM IST
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON FINALLY HAS AN OSCAR! After multiple nominations spanning one of the greatest careers in modern cinema, PTA takes home the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another — and the Dolby Theatre knows exactly what it's witnessing. Presented by Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.
One of Hollywood's most celebrated filmmakers finally has the gold to match his legend. One Battle After Another now has three wins on the night, but this one? This one is personal. What a moment. What a night. - 16 March 2026 5:59 AM IST
Why didn't Sean Penn attend the Oscars?
Presenter Kieran Culkin quipped that Penn "couldn't be here or didn't want to" before accepting on his behalf — but why exactly? The short answer is: there's no single official reason given. It's simply very much who Sean Penn is.
Penn has long had a complicated relationship with the Academy. At the 2024 Marrakech Film Festival, he called the Academy "cowardly" for being overly restrictive in its approach to artistic expression. In past interviews, he has joked about melting down his two previous Oscars to make ammunition for Ukraine — signalling a genuine disinterest in the statuettes themselves. And he has never seemed especially interested in the red carpets and photo lines.
In short? Sean Penn won an Oscar tonight. He just didn't feel like showing up for it.
- 16 March 2026 5:53 AM IST
Sean Penn takes home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another! The veteran actor edges out a fiercely competitive field that included Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another), Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), and Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) to claim the prize.
However, Penn was notably absent to receive his award — one of the night's talking points. A powerhouse performance recognised by the Academy nonetheless, and a big moment for Paul Thomas Anderson's film, which now has two wins on the night! - 16 March 2026 5:49 AM IST
A tie! The Oscars have served up a stunning surprise in the Best Live Action Short category! Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt (The Singers) and Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata (Two People Exchanging Saliva) share the honour in one of the most dramatic moments of the night. Ties at the Oscars are extraordinarily rare, making this a truly unforgettable milestone at the 98th Academy Awards.
It's a tie! THE SINGERS and TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA both win the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film! #Oscars pic.twitter.com/sspwxUKtbj
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 16, 2026
