Paul Thomas Anderson’s Masterpiece Sweeps 98th Academy Awards: A Bitter-Sweet Night for Aussies
By Staff Reporters Tuesday, March 17, 2026
HOLLYWOOD — The 98th Academy Awards concluded on Sunday night (Monday AEDT) with a resounding victory for Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically-charged thriller One Battle After Another. In a ceremony hosted by Conan O’Brien at the Dolby Theatre, the film secured six Oscars, including Best Picture, finally ending Anderson’s long-standing “Oscar drought.”
While the night was a celebration of cinematic mastery, it proved to be a “close but no cigar” evening for the Australian contingent, with several home-grown favourites narrowly missing out on the top prizes.
ThePaul Thomas Anderson Sweep and Michael B. Jordan’s Milestone
After 14 previous nominations over his career, Paul Thomas Anderson emerged as the night’s most decorated individual, winning Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Upon accepting the Best Picture trophy, Anderson kept his speech characteristically brief, quipping, “Let’s have a martini. This is amazing.”
The acting categories saw history made as Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his dual role in Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller Sinners. It was a popular win that capped off a record-breaking 16-nomination run for the film. Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley secured Best Actress for her haunting portrayal in Hamnet, becoming the first Irish performer to win in that category.
Paul Thomas Anderson, Sarah Murphy, Anthony Carlino, Will Weiske, Andy Jurgensen, Teyana Taylor, Michael Bauman, Cassandra Kulukundis, Regina Hall, Shayna McHale aka Junglepussy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti and Benicio del Toro accept the Oscar® for Best Picture during the 98th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Photo by Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S. via Sipa USA) *** Press photos for editorial use only (excluding books or photo books). May not be relicensed or sold. Mandatory Credit ***
Aussie Heartbreak: Byrne and Elordi Just Miss Out
For Sydney-siders tuning in, the focus was firmly on Rose Byrne. Despite winning the Golden Globe last month for her tour-de-force performance in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Byrne was unable to repeat the feat, losing to Buckley in a tightly contested race.
In a lighter moment during the ceremony, Byrne was involved in a comedic exchange with host Conan O’Brien regarding a “feud” with Leonardo DiCaprio, with Byrne jokingly admitting she had been “staring at him” from the front row.
Other Australian results included:
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Jacob Elordi: Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as The Creature in Frankenstein, Elordi was beaten by industry veteran Sean Penn, who won his third Oscar for One Battle After Another.
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Nick Cave: The legendary musician was nominated for Best Original Song for “Train Dreams,” but the award went to the K-pop sensation “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters.
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Fiona Crombie: The acclaimed production designer (Hamnet) was edged out by the team from Frankenstein.
Historic Firsts and Emotional Farewells
The 98th Oscars will also be remembered for several groundbreaking moments:
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Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and Black person to win Best Cinematography for Sinners, delivering a stirring speech that brought the room to its feet.
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Amy Madigan set a record for the longest wait between a first nomination and a first win (40 years), taking home Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
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In Memoriam: Billy Crystal led a moving tribute to the late Rob Reiner, who was tragically killed in December. The segment featured a “reunion” of stars from Reiner’s iconic films, including Meg Ryan and Christopher Guest.
