Proper from the soar, two folks all however assured the 2026 Academy Awards have been going to go properly, and so they each occurred to painting the child-abducting witch referred to as Aunt Gladys.
One, in fact, was Finest Supporting Actress winner Amy Madigan. Whereas accepting her Oscar for “Weapons” — the primary award of the night time — Madigan laughed lengthy and laborious. She thanked “all of the canines.” She talked about shaving her legs within the bathe to prepare, and she or he talked about how she didn’t must shave her legs in any case as a result of she ended up sporting pants.
However Madigan additionally talked about how she was warned beforehand to not spend her treasured seconds on stage “rattling off names” — to which, as she’s recognized to doMadigan stated no. She was going to spend her time on stage saying regardless of the hell she needed, however she was nonetheless type sufficient to elucidate why all these thanks’s are essential, really.
“You’re not rattling them off,” she stated. “They’re individuals who imply one thing to you, since you couldn’t be right here with out them.”
Rattling off names is an awards present staple, and whereas some might complain of its rote monotony, the Oscars wouldn’t be the identical with out all that gratitude. Saying thanks isn’t only a approach to ingratiate your self to Hollywood’s energy gamers (the cynical interpretation), it’s a approach to emphasize that making motion pictures is a collaborative effort, even while you’re honoring people. It’s a approach to look past your self in a second that’s ripe for narcissism. It’s additionally a approach to, you already know, say thanks. Which is essential. And sort. And good.
Additionally good, type, and essential: Conan O’Brien, our second instrumental particular person of the night, who hosted his second wonderful Academy Awards ceremony. He’s two for 2, and like his firstO’Brien exuded a real love for motion pictures from begin to end. What set this yr aside was how readily an emboldened O’Brien — and the present round him — embraced Oscar traditions that previous ceremonies have shied away from.
Whereas celebrating an thrilling group of winners, the 2026 Oscars have been additionally for the followers — and so a lot better for it.
The telecast thrived by leaning into the elements of awards exhibits that matter to individuals who love awards exhibits. Clips for most of the nominees? Test. Sincerity within the speeches and shows? Test. Inside jokes geared toward movie aficionados? Test. Certain, there have been some sound points, and there weren’t sufficient audio system like Javier Bardem (“No to conflict, and free Palastine”), however we did hear from those that have been keen to talk up, and so they weren’t as silent as in years previous.
Additionally useful: Nobody concerned within the manufacturing acted like they have been embarrassed to be placing on an awards present. The night ran lengthy, and it did so with gusto. There have been lengthy speeches (let the “Ok-Pop” folks end!), lengthy tributes (the Fab 5 format to current the first-ever Casting Oscar labored superbly), and lengthy performances. (The “Sinners” musical quantity managed to evoke Ryan Coogler’s path with intelligent reveals of the brand new musicians, whereas the In Memoriam phase lastly felt correctly paced right through.) Heck, even Conan’s post-goodbye bit hit, the place Jim Downey named him “host for all times” (earlier than killing him off, Lockjaw type). That’s so laborious to do! Particularly on the finish of an extended present, after the ultimate award is handed out! (Simply ask Kristen Bell, whose in any other case nice ping-pong match through the SAG Awards went one phase too far.)
In fact, loads of Oscars telecasts get dinged for working lengthy, and rightly so, however right here’s the factor: Once they’re good, nobody cares. The individuals who look ahead to the Oscars yearly definitely don’t (like Roger). In actual fact, we love an extended present, particularly on an evening when the winners are nothing in need of golden.
There have been just a few surprises, massive (a tie!) and small (Michael B. Jordan gained a toss-up for Finest Actor). Historical past was made greater than as soon as, together with landmark wins in Cinematography (Autumn Durald Arkapaw gave one of many night time’s greatest speeches) and the first-ever Casting award (with a minor upset by “One Battle After One other’s” Cassandra Kulukundis). And other than just a few too many untimely play-off makes an attempt, the producers have been as recreation for all of it as their host.
O’Brien’s opening sketch — during which he performed Aunt Gladys working via varied nominated movies whereas being chased by offended youngsters — paid homage to his favourite Oscars host, Billy Crystal, provided intelligent surprises (“Ok-Pop” Aunt Conan!), and arrange a great framework for his monologue.
O’Brien opened with a foolish bit highlighting a bunch of nominees and ended with a foolish bit the place he was topped as a king and blessed by the Pope. In between, he landed nice jokes about AmazonNetflix (getting a chuckle out of Ted Sarandos by claiming it was his first time in a theater), and Timothée Chalamet (the night time’s overused punching bag). From there, he simply saved going:
He zinged Trump with out ever saying his title. (“We’re coming to you reside from the Has a Small Penis theater — let’s see him put his title in entrance of that.”) He lamented YouTube’s upcoming takeover of the Oscars telecast with back-to-back advert breaks that includes Jane Lynch (and an ill-advised flashlight). He poked at vertical dramas by highlighting Ventura Crossroads, an organization that makes “Hollywood’s largest motion pictures smaller and taller.” He even took one other shot throughout Netflix’s bow with a “Casablanca” bit (co-starring a hilarious Sterling Ok. Brown) about studios making motion pictures the place the characters repeat what’s happening to make it simpler on audiences who aren’t paying consideration. (“World Battle II — that’s the Hitler one, proper?”)
None of those matters are precisely well-known to individuals who aren’t studying leisure information on the each day. I’d be stunned if most of America is aware of what vertical dramas are, knew concerning the Oscars’ YouTube deal, or had heard about Netflix telling Matt Damon find out how to make dumber motion pictures. However that didn’t cease O’Brien from nailing these jokes, and it didn’t cease the viewers from roaring with laughter at every one. (Sarandos appeared genuinely tickled by the barb in O’Brien’s opening monologue.)
Mixed with well-deserved and hard-earned wins for the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler, two auteurs who’re notably beloved by cinephiles, and the 2026 Oscars felt like the primary in a very long time that have been made with cinephiles prime of thoughts. Often, there’s an excessive amount of emphasis positioned on successful again viewers which have tuned out as an alternative of respecting the viewers who’ve caught round. It’s a technique as irritating as it’s misguided (these ’90s scores aren’t coming again!), and it often ends in one thing disrespectful (like chopping classes from the printed) or downright disastrous (like nearly every part in 2022).
The Oscars imply one thing to the folks within the room, simply as they imply one thing to most of the folks watching at residence. Leaning into that significance doesn’t require being critical from begin to end. You simply should why we’re right here. O’Brien did that, Madigan did that, and everybody else adopted their lead. What extra may we ask for?
Grade: A
The 98th Academy Awards have been held Sunday, March 15 on the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, CA. ABC broadcast the ceremony, which was additionally obtainable to stream on Hulu.