Oscars 2026: A Tie, a Snub & More Major Surprises of the Night
The Oscars are the biggest night in film, and the 98th annual ceremony hosted by Conan O’Brien made way for plenty of twists and turns as the winners were revealed on Sunday (March 15) night.
The evening started out with a bit of a shock as Weapons star Amy Madigan won big for Best Supporting Actress, and the surprises continued from there as snubs, fun twists, and other reveals kept viewers on their toes. Below, we’re breaking down some of the evening’s most jaw-dropping reveals.
From major wins to surprising appearances, scroll down for a closer look at the 2026 Oscars’ biggest snubs and surprises.
98th Academy Awards, Sunday, March 15, 7/6c, ABC
SURPRISE: Amy Madigan for Best Supporting Actress
When it comes to horror, it’s a regularly overlooked genre in the Oscars nominee slate, so seeing Amy Madigan recognized, let alone the evening’s winner, was extremely thrilling. Although it was a close race with Madigan up against the likes of Sinners‘ Wunmi Mosaku and One Battle After Another‘s Teyana Taylor, it was a satisfying victory that even earned Madigan a standing ovation from Taylor.
SURPRISE: A Tie for The Singers & Two People Exchanging Saliva
In a shocking twist, the Oscars made way for a rare tie in the category of Best Live Action Short Film. Announced by presenter Kumail Nanjiani, The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva were the two films to win big. The titles beat out, Butcher’s Stain, A Friend of Dorothy, and Jane Austen’s Period Drama.
SNUB: Delroy Lindo for Sinners
When it came to Best Supporting Actor, it appeared that Sinners star Delroy Lindo was the favored frontrunner, but in a shocking twist, absent nominee Sean Penn took the award for his work in One Battle After Another. Since he was absent, Penn’s award was accepted by last year’s winner and presenter, Kieran Culkin.
SNUB: In Memoriam
Every year, the In Memoriam segment leaves a few names out of the broadcast, but this year’s segment was notably missing stars like Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek, and Robert Carradine, among others. Missing names from the broadcast, which included a performance from Barbra Streisand (above), were added to the official Oscars website.
SURPRISE: Autumn Durald Arkapaw's win for Sinners
While Sinners winning for Best Cinematography isn’t altogether shocking, it’s the fact that the film’s cinematographer, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, became the first woman to win in the category ever. The history-making win was already a landmark achievement from Durald Arkapaw as she is also the fourth woman ever to receive a nomination in the category, making her win an electric moment of the evening.
SURPRISE: Michael B. Jordan for Sinners
In an awards season that has been full of close calls, Michael B. Jordan‘s win for Best Actor wasn’t set in stone until the final envelope was opened. Up against Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio, Jordan’s shot at gold was a close call, but a fun reveal when Adrien Brody presented him with the win.
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