Here’s a recap of what you missed if you didn’t watch
The OSCARS opened with a spectacle worthy of its own feature film. For the second consecutive year, comedian Conan O’Brien returned to host, bringing a perfect blend of chaos, humour, and reflection. He opened with a pre-taped segment as Aunt Gladys from Amy Madigan’s Weapons, sprinting through sets of nominated films while a swarm of children gave chase. The playful absurdity immediately set the tone. In a post-show gag, he was jokingly dubbed “host for life,” an honour as fleeting as it was hilarious.
Once the show went live, O’Brien launched into a monologue that effortlessly swung between satire and sincerity. He began by introducing himself with his signature mix of humour and absurdity: “I’m Conan O’Brien and I’m honoured to be the last human host of the Academy Awards. Next year it’s going to be a Waymo in a tux.” The jokes flowed seamlessly, touching on the evening’s tight security with a jab at the arts community: “Security is extremely tight tonight. I’m told there are concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet community,” as the camera cut to Timothée Chalamet giving a bemused smile.
O’Brien continued his playful commentary on Hollywood’s hits, quipping, “F1 is the story of a race-car driver who wins after he decides to go faster. F1 did so well they’re making a sequel: CAPSLOCK.” He then took aim at industry favourites and corporate giants alike: “Amazon Studios didn’t receive any nominations this year. Also shut out, Wal-Mart and Chewy.” Wrapping up with a cheeky nod to the nominees, he celebrated Sinners while poking fun at the Academy: “Let’s hear it for Sinners. Director Ryan Coogler declined to become a voting member of the Academy because he doesn’t like judging his fellow artists’ work. But the rest of you pricks seem to love it!” The monologue blended sharp satire with a warmth that reminded the audience why O’Brien remains one of Hollywood’s most unpredictable hosts.
He also roasted the absurdities of Hollywood, from Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos’s first time in a theatre to the American health care system, right-wing Super Bowl counterprogramming, and even Sean Penn’s infamous escapades. Yet humour gave way to gravitas:
On A Serious Note
“Yes, tonight is an international event. Everyone watching right now, around the world, is all too aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times. It’s at moments like these that I believe the Oscars are particularly resonant. 31 countries across six continents are represented this evening, and every film we salute is the product of thousands of people speaking different languages, working hard to make something of beauty. We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today, optimism.”
Awards, History, and Milestones
One Battle After Another dominated, winning six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. Earlier, he had also won Best Adapted Screenplay.
Sean Penn earned his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in One Battle After Another, joining the exclusive ranks of male actors with three wins. True to form, he skipped the ceremony; presenter Kieran Culkin quipped, “He couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to.” Penn’s minimal campaigning and famously idiosyncratic behaviour, including gifting anOscar to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored the legend surrounding his career.
The film also made history behind the scenes: Cassandra Kulukundis won the first-ever Best Casting Oscar for One Battle After Another.
photo by Trae Patton ©A.M.P.A.S.
Meanwhile, Sinners set a record with 16 nominations and took home four wins. Michael B. Jordan captured Best Actor, with a heartfelt nod to his absent co-star Hailee Steinfeld, who missed the ceremony due to her imminent pregnancy: “Let’s hear it for Hailee at home, she’s getting ready to have a baby right now.”
Other victories for Sinners included Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler and Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the first woman in Oscar history to claim that award.
Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for Hamnet, and forty years after her first nomination, Amy Madigan finally took home Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
Canadian Contingency
Canada had a notable presence at the 98th Academy Awards, with filmmakers and craftspeople from across the country represented in several major categories.
The biggest triumph came in the technical fields, where Canadian designers Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau won the Oscar for Best Production Design for Frankenstein, while makeup artists Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey also took home the award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for the same film, giving Canada two wins in the craft categories.
Canadian animation talent was also well represented, with Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski nominated for Best Animated Short Film for The Girl Who Cried Pearls, while Domee Shi and Maggie Kang were among the nominees for Best Animated Feature for Elio and K‑Pop Demon Hunters.
In the top category, Canadian producer J. Miles Dale shared in the Best Picture nomination for Frankenstein.
Canadian documentary filmmaking was also represented in the Documentary Short category with Donkeys in the Desert, directed by Alison McAlpine, while Canada’s official submission for Best International Feature Film was The Things You Kill, directed by Alireza Khatami, underscoring the country’s continued influence across both mainstream Hollywood productions and globally minded independent cinema
Sentimental Value
Sentimental Value claimed Best International Feature, with director Joachim Trier urging adults to consider their responsibility to children, quoting James Baldwin: “All adults are responsible for all children, and let’s not vote for politicians who don’t take this seriously into account.”
And there was director David Borenstein, who helmed Mr. Nobody Against Putin, which won Best Documentary. Borenstein reflected on the film’s moral stakes:
“It’s about how you lose your country. What we saw when working with this footage is that you lose it through countless small acts of complicity: when we act complicit when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don’t say anything when oligarchs take over the media and control how we can produce it and consume it, we all face a moral choice. But luckily, even a nobody is more powerful than you think.”
Stars Reject War
The Spanish actor and Oscar winner, Javier Bardem, used his moment in the spotlight to speak not just to Hollywood, but to humanity. Presenting the award for best international feature alongside actress Priyanka Chopra, Bardem paused before announcing the nominees, letting the weight of current events settle over the crowd. Weeks after the United States entered a war with Iran, Bardem, 57, delivered a quiet but powerful statement: “No to war,” he said, his red patch bearing the words in Spanish, No a la guerra. “And free Palestine.”
The actor also wore a pin referencing the Middle Eastern territory that has been caught in the crossfire of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas. His appearance, simple yet deliberate, reminded viewers that the world behind the glitz and glamour of the Oscars is often fractured by violence and suffering.
Bardem was far from alone in using the stage to call for justice. Celebrities, including Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran and singer Sara Bareilles, wore pins advocating peace and social justice. Messages like “Just Peace” and “Artists4Ceasefire” reflected a growing movement of artists urging the world to see beyond politics and recognize the human toll of war.
Star Reunions and Stage Moments
The night offered more than awards. Two original Avengers stars reunited: Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans presented Best Adapted and Original Screenplay, noting the 14th anniversary of the first Avengers film before returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Avengers: Doomsday.
Jimmy Kimmel returned to the Oscars stage to present a pair of trophies, delivering a tightrope walk of political humour that included digs at Donald Trump, his wife Melania Trump’s Amazon documentary, and CBS. His quip that Conan “stepped outside to get some air only to be incinerated by the sunlight” was met with laughs from the audience.
Anna Wintour channeled The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly while presenting Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling with Anne Hathaway, a glamorous nod to her real-life influence on the story.
Bridesmaids Reunion
Fans were treated to a Bridesmaids reunion, with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, and Ellie Kemper taking the stage. The moment, greeted by a partial standing ovation, celebrated the 15th anniversary of the 2011 hit and coincided with Byrne’s Best Actress nomination for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.
Meanwhile, K-pop sensations Huntrix, EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna performed “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, blending traditional Korean hanbok and modern dance, delighting the audience and cementing the film’s win in the Best Animated Feature category.
Remembering Those We Lost
Billy Crystal opened the In Memoriam segment with a moving tribute to his late best friend Rob Reiner and Reiner’s wife, Michele. Crystal recounted Reiner’s timeless films, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, celebrating their capacity to make audiences laugh, cry, and aspire.
Rachel McAdams honoured fellow Canadians Catherine O’Hara and her Family Stone, co-star Diane Keaton, calling Keaton “a legend with no end.” Barbra Streisand remembered Robert Redford before performing “The Way We Were,” a nostalgic highlight of the ceremony.
Craft, Magic, and Cinematic Dedication
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein took home Makeup/Hair, Costume Design, and Production Design. Makeup designer Mike Hill revealed that transforming Jacob Elordi into the Creature took ten hours a day, a testament to painstaking artistry.
Final Thoughts
Through glitter, spectacle, laughter, and tears, the OSCARS (98th Academy Awards) reminded Hollywood and the world of what endures: storytelling’s power to unite, move, and inspire. For a few hours, the Dolby Theatre was a place where joy, grief, awe, and celebration coexisted, proving that cinema’s magic can, if only for a night, hold the world together.
by Myles Shane
lead photo Conan O’Brien hosts the 98th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026. ©A.M.P.A.S. photo by Richard Harbaugh / Bill Barnes
all photography ©A.M.P.A.S.
Other articles from totimes.ca – otttimes.ca – mtltimes.ca
You must be logged in to post a comment.