By Aadi Mehta, March 24, 2026
This year’s Oscars were still long and exaggerated by political moments and unnecessary bits, but they ultimately felt more exciting and meaningful than in previous ceremonies.
Wins from Michael B. Jordan and “One Battle After Another,” performances from the cast of “Sinners” and K-Pop group Hunter/x and touching tributes to icons like Rob Reiner and Catherine O’Hara gave the night more purpose.
The stage, decorated with flora and slanted windows, failed to match the energy of the night, and ultimately fell through as generic and too comfortable.
Despite that, Conan O’Brien, the at-times chaotic, bumbling former late-night host, returned to the helm for a second consecutive time. He gave a brilliant, sharp monologue that jabbed at Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, whose overtaking of Warner Bros. could push big budget films exclusively to streaming and away from movie theaters, and Timothée Chalamet, the young star whose disgraceful and outright unacceptable comments about ballet and opera, made him a prime target throughout the night.
O’Brien delivered his jokes with a friendly spirit that kept the night light, allowing his closing statement about the joy and optimism that movies bring land even stronger.
As the show went on, multiple categories carried suspense. This was one of those years when the Best Actor category was super close; any of the five actors nominated could go home with the Oscar. My bet was on Chalamet, whose stellar performance playing a table tennis champion hellbent on winning in “Marty Supreme,” was certain to give him the award at 30 years old.
However, choosing Michael B. Jordan, an actor who had not gotten much recognition beyond earlier roles in “Creed” and “Black Panther,” reflected the impact “Sinners” had at the Dolby Theater. A horror film wrapped in thrills is an uncommon triumph at the Oscars, where dramas usually sweep the categories.
Jordan’s speech was a wonderful reminder of how to acknowledge icons from the past, including Sidney Pointer, Denzel Washington and Halle Berry, and how to express confidence for the future of cinema. In watching the speech, I could feel how much “Sinners” meant to him, and he carried the film’s personality on stage.
“I stand here because of the people who came before me,” Jordan said. “To be amongst those giants, amongst those greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guys, thank you everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me over my career. I feel it.”
Shockingly, the night featured the first tie in more than a decade in the Best Live Action Short Film category, with both “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva” taking home an Oscar. While ties are rare (I never heard of them), the moment reminded me sharing success is a meaningful part of the Oscars, and it was rewarding to see the creativity of artists working with shorter time formats.
What I did not expect was the success of “One Battle After Another” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, whose aging persona pitted him against younger actors who had never been nominated for an Oscar.
Even Sean Penn, who won his third Oscar, was a no-show at the event. I was disappointed to see a neglect of recognition paid to newer talent in this category, including Jacob Elordi, whose cosmetic transformation into a behemoth monster in “Frankenstein” was limited to the Academy Award for Best Hairstyle and Makeup.
Both performances from “Sinners” and “K-Pop Demon Hunters” were beautiful depictions of African and Korean cultures. These moments added to the importance of acknowledging international cultures, a reminder that the Oscars are watched by millions around the world.
“Golden” winning for Best Original Song was a well-deserved recognition for how powerful K-Pop has become immersed within American culture, and it was a delight to see it on display at the Oscars.
While reunions such as the 15th anniversary of “Bridesmaids” became an unnecessary time-consuming critique of Stellan Skarsgård, the In Memoriam segment was a touching, heartfelt tribute to so many greats lost in the past year. From Billy Crystal’s warm showcase of friendship to Rob Reiner to Barbra Streisand’s sweet vocal ballad to Robert Redford and Rachel McAdams’ emotional memories from working with Catherine O’Hara, I felt like I was saying goodbye to an entire generation of Hollywood.
As expected, politics played a role that night, where some celebrities made important, yet increasingly performative condemnations of fascism and hate. The most significant one came from Javier Bardem who boasted about his opposition to the Iran War and Israel’s occupation of Palestine, highlighting how artists continue to use the Oscars as a platform for political expression.
What shocked me the most was “Marty Supreme” won no awards that night, much to the disappointment reflected by Chalamet. I thought it was more deserving of an award than the lackluster “F1” or the repetitive “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” both of which received one award.
Despite that, this year’s Oscars were a beautiful expression of film identity and culture, bringing together glamorous stars in a chaotic time. The night was proof the Oscars’ level of unpredictability is what makes people continue to tune in every year.
One thing for certain: Chalamet and I are still tied at zero Oscars.