The ceremony was filled with memorable moments, featuring historic wins, K-pop light sticks, political statements, and some elements that dragged on.
The Oscars are never just about the awards. Hollywood’s biggest night each year delivers a mix of speeches ranging from meandering to heartwarming, unexpected wins, awkward jokes, and occasional moments that capture the internet’s attention instantly. The 2026 Academy Awards were no different.
From a historic win in cinematography to an Oscars audience waving K-pop light sticks, this year’s event was packed with memorable moments, alongside a few that didn’t quite land.
Here are the highlights and low points of the 2026 Oscars.
BEST: Conan O’Brien as Aunt Gladys
Conan O’Brien kicked off the ceremony with a peculiar bit of physical comedy, playing Aunt Gladys from Weapons in a pretaped segment. The character’s chaotic energy helped Amy Madigan win Best Supporting Actress. In the clip, O’Brien’s Gladys is chased through town by children, eventually storming onto the Oscars stage, children in tow.
BEST: Ryan Coogler and Sinners winning anything
Sinners, despite not securing Best Picture, had a big night. Ryan Coogler received his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, while Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor. These wins represented the night’s most significant victories and a well-deserved victory lap for one of the year’s cultural highlights.
WORST: Cutting off the “Golden” songwriters mid-speech
An awkward moment arose when the orchestra cut off the “Golden” songwriters from KPop Demon Hunters during their acceptance speech. This common Oscars issue of rushing heartfelt speeches seemed particularly egregious, given the song’s significance throughout the year and the lengthy Bridesmaids bit earlier.
WORST: The Bridesmaids reunion that ran a little long
The Bridesmaids reunion offered a humorous blast of nostalgia as the cast reunited to celebrate the comedy’s 15th anniversary and present Best Original Score. However, what started as a charming throwback turned into an excessively long segment. With winners having their speeches truncated, even stellar comedians felt like they were taking up too much time.
BEST: Autumn Durald Arkapaw makes Oscars history
A noteworthy win of the night saw Autumn Durald Arkapaw become the first woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography, marking a long-overdue accomplishment for the category. Although an impressive feat for Durald Arkapaw, it’s astonishing that the Academy is still achieving milestones like this in 2026.
BEST: Michael B. Jordan’s emotional Best Actor speech
Michael B. Jordan delivered one of the night’s most heartfelt moments during his Best Actor acceptance speech for his roles in Sinners. He thanked Ryan Coogler for the opportunity to be seen and honored previous Black actors like Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and others who paved the way.
BEST: KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature
The internet’s beloved animated film capped its dominant run with an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Director Maggie Kang delivered a powerful speech about representation, stating, “This is for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.” Fans also enjoyed seeing an image of HUNTR/X’s Rumi holding an Oscar on the screen behind them.
WORST: Sean Penn not showing up
When Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor, his absence was palpable. Presenter Kumail Nanjiani’s quip about Penn’s absence surely entertained but also highlighted the oddity of awarding a major acting prize without the winner present.
BEST: The Oscars briefly becoming a K-pop concert
During the Golden performance, singers EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna transformed the Dolby Theatre into a K-pop concert atmosphere. Stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Stone waved light sticks, while the performance included traditional Korean pansori singers and drummers.
BEST: Misty Copeland’s surprise ballet moment
Misty Copeland made a surprise appearance during the Sinners musical number, delivering a striking dance moment just feet away from Timothée Chalamet, whose recent ballet remarks have circulated online.
BEST: A rare Oscars tie
Exciting chaos ensued when the Best Live Action Short Film category ended in a tie, with both The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva winning. Only the seventh tie in Oscars history, it was a rare event that briefly added delightful disarray to the ceremony.
WORST: Trying a little too hard to be “online”
A particularly unfunny segment had O’Brien stating the Oscars wanted to attract younger audiences, unleashing a slew of internet-related jokes and references. Although the Oscars strive for cultural relevance, the attempt at online humor felt more like watching a brand discover Gen Alpha memes in real-time.
BEST: A moving tribute to Rob Reiner
The In Memoriam segment paused for an emotional tribute to Rob Reiner from Billy Crystal. Crystal reminisced about meeting Reiner in 197