What Everyone Is Talking About from the 2026 Oscars – The Best and Worst Moments

The 2026 Oscars delivered major wins, emotional tributes, viral jokes, and rare surprises. Michael B. Jordan secured his first Academy Award, Jessie Buckley earned her first Best Actress win, and several unexpected moments quickly became the most talked-about highlights of the night.

The 98th Academy Awards took place on March 15 with Conan O'Brien serving as host, bringing together some of the biggest names in film to celebrate the year in cinema.

The ceremony delivered everything viewers expect from Hollywood's biggest night — emotional speeches, surprise outcomes, and unforgettable moments that immediately ignited conversations across social media.

Throughout the evening, audiences watched as major awards were handed out, tributes honored legendary figures, and several unexpected moments left viewers buzzing long after the broadcast ended.

Michael B. Jordan's Emotional First Oscar Win

One of the most powerful moments of the night came when Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in "Sinners" — a career-defining milestone that marked both his first nomination and his first Academy Award.

Jordan appeared visibly emotional as he stepped onto the stage, pausing for a moment before addressing the crowd and beginning his heartfelt speech. "God is good. Y'all know how I feel about my mother and my father's here," he said at the start of his speech.

The actor shared that his father had traveled all the way from Ghana to attend the ceremony — a deeply personal moment that added to the emotion of the win.

Jordan also thanked Warner Bros. and director Ryan Coogler for supporting the project and believing in the film's vision. "I want to thank Warner Bros. I want to thank Mike and Pam for believing in this uh this dream, this vision of of Ryan Cougler and and betting on a culture embedded on original ideas and an original artistry," he said.

He continued by expressing appreciation for the people who supported him throughout his career. "Thank you, everybody in this room and everybody at home, for supporting me over my career. I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me," he said.

Following the ceremony, Jordan appeared upbeat and grateful in the press room as he answered questions about the historic moment that cemented his place among Hollywood's top actors.

Jessie Buckley's Tearful Best Actress Victory

Another major highlight came when Jessie Buckley won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Hamnet. The win marked her first Oscar victory and the second nomination of her career.

Buckley previously earned an Academy Award nomination for a supporting role in "The Lost Daughter," but this year she walked away with the coveted statuette.

Taking the stage, Buckley delivered an emotional acceptance speech, thanking both her fellow nominees and the people who supported her journey.

"Wow. Um, thank you so much. This is this is really something," she said. She also praised the women nominated alongside her. "Thank you to the incredible women that I stand beside. I am inspired by your art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you."

Buckley reflected on the lessons she learned from her parents. "Mom, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation, but to carve from your own passion."

Later in the press room, Buckley shared how meaningful the day had been personally. The ceremony took place on Mother's Day, which happened to be her first Mother's Day since becoming a parent.

She revealed that her daughter had gotten her first tooth earlier in the week and said waking up with her that morning made the moment even more special.

Best Picture Win Comes with a Surprising Absence

The night's biggest prize — Best Picture — went to "One Battle After Another," a film that also generated attention because Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the project.

However, Penn did not attend the ceremony. Instead, the actor reportedly traveled to Europe and planned to visit Ukraine, according to people familiar with the situation. A representative for Penn declined to comment on the actor's plans.

His absence stood out during the broadcast because Oscar winners typically attend the ceremony to accept their awards in person, making the moment one of the more surprising developments of the evening.

A Rare Oscars Tie Leaves Presenters Stunned

One of the night's most unexpected twists came in the Best Live Action Short Film category when presenters announced a rare tie between two winners.

Both "The Singers" and "Two People Exchanging Saliva" were declared winners — a result that left presenter Kumail Nanjiani visibly surprised.

Host Conan O'Brien immediately seized the moment for humor, joking that the outcome had likely ruined millions of Oscar betting pools. The unusual result marked only the seventh tie in nearly 100 years of Academy Awards history, making it one of the ceremony's most unusual moments.

Conan O'Brien's Jokes Spark Online Debate

Host Conan O'Brien delivered several comedic moments throughout the ceremony, but one joke referencing Timothée Chalamet quickly caught viewers' attention. During his opening monologue, O'Brien joked about heightened security at the event.

"Security is extremely tight tonight. I just got to mention that. Yeah, I'm told there's concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities. They're just mad you left out jazz," he said.

The joke referenced a past comment from Chalamet, who previously stated he did not want to work in fields like ballet or opera because he felt they were art forms people were trying to preserve even though "no one cares about this anymore." Chalamet ultimately did not win the Best Actor award, which went to Jordan.

Viral Moments and Awkward Onstage Slip-Ups

Several lighthearted and awkward moments also caught viewers' attention during the broadcast. At one point, O'Brien singled out Leonardo DiCaprio in the audience and joked about the actor's reputation online.

"Leonardo DiCaprio is here, sir. Good to see you. I bow to you. He's the star of so many movies and the king of memes," O'Brien said. "Let's make a new meme with Leo right now. That feeling when you didn't agree to this."

DiCaprio attended the ceremony with his girlfriend, model Vittoria Ceretti. Although the pair did not pose together on the red carpet, they were seated next to each other during the ceremony. The appearance quickly sparked a wave of online reactions, with viewers quickly sharing their opinions about the couple.

One person wrote, "She looks like she could actually be in her 30s, 10 years off the appropriate age mark, let's see who he brings next year."

Another commenter said, "Women over 30 yrs of age are gross & unacceptable to him." One person stated, "What a gentleman. He was willing to take her.. but not be pictured with her."

Another commenter wrote, "What's the rare move? Did he bring someone older than 18 this year?" One netizen said, "She'll be too old for him by the time the ceremony is over." Another person stated, "But she's over 25. I don't believe she's the partner."

However, not all reactions were negative, with some viewers voicing support for the Italian model. One person wrote, "She is a great choice to marry, a nice, beautiful Italian." Another commenter added, "Yes, please keep her, we like her."

Another humorous moment unfolded when Robert Downey Jr. accidentally mispronounced Channing Tatum's name while presenting an award alongside Chris Evans.

Downey jokingly referred to Tatum as "Tanning Chadum" while presenting a playful prop related to "Magic Mike," prompting laughter from the audience — including Tatum himself.

Amy Madigan Steals the Show with a Hilarious Speech

The award for Best Supporting Actress went to Amy Madigan for "Weapons," marking her first Oscar win and second nomination. Madigan's acceptance speech quickly became one of the evening's most memorable moments thanks to her playful humor.

"This is great! I mean, everybody is asking me in the press, 'Well, it's been 40 years,' and, you know, 'What's different about this time?' What's different is this little gold guy," she said.

She then revealed how she had prepared for the speech the night before. "I was in the shower last night trying to think of something to say as I was shaving my legs," she revealed.

Her candid delivery sparked laughter across the room and quickly became one of the most talked-about speeches of the night.

Emotional Tributes Honor Hollywood Legends

The ceremony also included several deeply emotional tributes honoring influential figures who shaped the film industry. Barbra Streisand delivered a moving tribute to the late Robert Redford, who died on Sept. 16, 2025, at the age of 89.

"He was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail," she said. Streisand also performed "The Way We Were," the iconic song from the 1973 film she starred in alongside Redford.

The performance marked a rare return to the Oscars stage for the legendary singer, who last performed the song during the 2013 ceremony.

Meanwhile, Rachel McAdams helped lead the "In Memoriam" segment honoring several late actresses. "This year, we lost so many artists, including actresses whose talent and originality widened the world for all of us," McAdams said.

She described Catherine O'Hara as someone who "made us laugh until we cried" and noted that many actresses of her generation were inspired by Diane Keaton's originality and influence.

Billy Crystal also appeared during the ceremony to honor Rob and Michele Reiner, recognizing their work in film as well as their advocacy for social causes.

Viewers Split over the Night's Biggest Moments

Despite the night's many memorable highlights, reactions online were sharply divided. Some viewers admitted they had already grown tired of awards shows. One netizen said, "I lost faith in awards shows years ago. I'm only watching them to show support for the films I love that got nominated." Another shared their feelings, "Just can't see it. Feels like a legacy Oscar to me. Missing so much of the dynamism from PTA that he used to have."

One commenter wrote, "Every year #oscar is more and more boring and its movies you know less and less." Another said, "All in all, that was one of the most boring #Oscar." A third said, "So Oscar this year was boring and disappointing. Who would have guessed? 🤣"

Others were even more critical of the ceremony. "Without a doubt the most lackluster and boring Oscar Show in history." One person said, "Oscars being boring and disappointing for the most part this year. They need to hire someone else as a host next time, too."

Another person suggested changes to the format. "Hey, how about we cut the long and boring speech from the presenter and let the winner have their moment to share their thanks and happiness."

Still, some viewers praised the ceremony and the host. "Nice work! Hope you enjoyed the show as much as we did. A fun year of awesome films."

Another commenter wrote, "All of the acceptance speeches were good & stayed away from politics. @ConanOBrie was awesome. I hope he hosts again. Overall, a fun show."

From emotional tributes and historic wins to viral jokes and awkward moments, the 2026 Oscars delivered a ceremony packed with conversation-starting highlights.

Michael B. Jordan's first Academy Award victory, Jessie Buckley's emotional win, and the rare tie that stunned presenters ensured that the 98th Academy Awards will be remembered as a night filled with celebration, surprises, and debate among film fans.