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Michael B. Jordan capped an unforgettable night at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, by winning Best Actor for his powerful dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Sinners.

The actor took home the prestigious award during a ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, marking a major milestone in his career.

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In his emotional acceptance speech, Jordan paid tribute to the Black actors who paved the way for him, including Denzel Washington and Will Smith, while also thanking director Ryan Coogler for believing in him.

“Thank you for giving me the chance to be seen,” Jordan said during his speech, drawing applause from the audience.

The win is especially significant as it marks Jordan’s first-ever Oscar nomination and victory, making him only the sixth Black man to win the Best Actor award in the history of the Academy Awards.

Michael B Jordan with his Oscar//Instagram

A Big Night for One Battle After Another

While Jordan’s victory was one of the highlights of the evening, the night’s biggest winner was One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

The film dominated the awards ceremony, taking home six Oscars in total, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Other major wins came from Sinners, which secured four awards, while Frankenstein earned three honours in the craft categories.

The ceremony celebrated bold storytelling, historic milestones, and several first-time winners.

Best Picture Producers Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson//Instagram

Major Award Winners

Best Picture

  • One Battle After Another (Producers: Adam Somner, Sara Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson)

Best Director

  • Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Best Actor

  • Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (as Elijah “Smoke” Moore / Elias “Stack” Moore)

Best Actress

  • Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

Best Supporting Actor

  • Sean Penn – One Battle After Another

Best Supporting Actress

  • Amy Madigan – Weapons

Best Original Screenplay

  • Ryan Coogler – Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (based on the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon)

Craft and Technical Awards

Best Cinematography

  • Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners (first woman to win in the category)

Best Film Editing

  • Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another

Best Production Design

  • Frankenstein (Tamara Deverell, production design; Shane Vieau, set decoration)

Best Costume Design

  • Frankenstein (Kate Hawley)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

  • Frankenstein (Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey)

Best Original Score

  • Ludwig Göransson – Sinners

Best Original Song

  • “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters

Best Sound

  • F1

Best Visual Effects

  • Avatar: Fire and Ash

Best Casting (new category)

  • One Battle After Another (Cassandra Kulukundis)

One Battle After Another Cast members. From L to R: Leonardo Dicaprio and Teyana Taylor//Instagram

Other Notable Winners

Best Animated Feature

  • KPop Demon Hunters

Best International Feature

  • Sentimental Value (Norway)

Best Documentary Feature

  • Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Best Animated Short Film

  • The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Best Live-Action Short Film (Tie)

  • The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva

Best Documentary Short

  • All the Empty Rooms

A Night of Historic Wins and Powerful Stories

Overall, One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner with six awards, followed by Sinners with four and Frankenstein with three.