The 98th Academy Awards are in the books, and honestly? They were a lot. No envelope mix-ups this year, and we’re still a few years out from an Oppenheimer-level sweep, but the 2026 Oscars served up a chaotic, hilarious, and genuinely touching night that had everyone talking.
Forget the predictable speeches—this was the year of the feather, the year the ballet community got its revenge, and the year we all watched Leonardo DiCaprio wave a K-pop light stick. Here’s your complete guide to the strangest, funniest, and most viral moments from inside the Dolby Theatre.
🪶 The Red Carpet Was for the Birds (in the Best Way)
If you saw a lot of feathers, you weren't dreaming. The trend that's been fluttering around for a few years finally reached full flight mode.
Demi Moore looked bold and architectural in Gucci plumage, Teyana Taylor brought her signature sexy-cool vibe, and Amy Madigan—fresh off her win for Weapons—went for something totally unique. But the real surprise? Nicole Kidman, who combined feathers, crystals, and a peplum in her Chanel look. As our senior writer Kerry Justich put it: "Spread your wings, girl!"
The men also took some risks. While Joe Alwyn’s floppy tie was a miss, Pedro Pascal won the accessory game with a giant silk-and-feather brooch you couldn't miss. Jeremy Pope and Shaboozey delivered killer tuxedo twists, and the night’s big winner, Michael B. Jordan, subtly rocked a back brooch. Timothée Chalamet went for an all-white moment, but the consensus was that the rich burgundy tones on guys like Chase Stokes were the real win.
💄 Beauty Throwback: The '90s Called
On the beauty front, the ghost of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was everywhere. That slicked-back, low-bun, minimalist look—made iconic by the late style icon—was spotted on everyone from Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning to Jessie Buckley.
Even Gwyneth Paltrow joined the club with a sleek, wavy blonde blowout. It was a full-circle moment for the Goop founder, who helped popularize this exact aesthetic when she won her own Oscar back in 1999.
🏆 Paul Thomas Anderson’s Long-Awaited Triumph
It took nearly three decades, but Paul Thomas Anderson finally got his golden moment. And then he got two more.
After being nominated for Boogie Nights way back in 1998, and going 0-for-5 on subsequent nods for Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, and others, PTA had a night for the ages. He won Best Adapted Screenplay, then Best Director, and finally, the big one: Best Picture for One Battle After Another.
"You make a guy work hard for one of these," he joked while accepting his director trophy. But his most touching words were reserved for his family, dedicating his first win to his kids: "to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them."
🩰 The Ballerinas Got Their Revenge on Timothée Chalamet
Okay, we have to talk about the internet’s favorite drama. You might remember that a few weeks ago, a clip of Timothée Chalamet went viral where he kinda-sorta dismissed ballet and opera, saying “no one cares about this anymore.” Cue the discourse.
The Oscars turned that discourse into a full-blown storyline. Host Conan O’Brien took a jab immediately. Later, legendary ballerina Misty Copeland—who had previously condemned his comments—took the stage to perform a stunning ballet piece in honor of the film Sinners.
As Chalamet watched from the audience, the message was clear: the ballet community showed up, and they showed out. It was a masterclass in turning a diss into a moment.
💡 K-Pop Light Sticks for Everyone!
Imagine this: you're Leonardo DiCaprio. You're sitting in the front row at the Oscars. Suddenly, a stagehand hands you a glowing orb. Why? Because K-pop supergroup KPop Demon Hunter is about to perform their hit "Golden," and it's light stick time.
The sight of A-listers like Emma Stone and Teyana Taylor gleefully waving their orbs (and Gwyneth Paltrow looking… less enthused) was pure gold. It was a hilarious collision of Hollywood royalty and dedicated fandom culture, and the internet absolutely ran with it.
🥁 Timothée’s Butt Gets Its Own Drum
Speaking of Chalamet, his… let's call it dedication to his craft in Marty Supreme was officially immortalized. For the uninitiated: in the ping-pong movie, Kevin O'Leary (Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank) spanks a bare-bottomed Chalamet with a paddle.
Leave it to the Oscars orchestra to memorialize this moment with a flesh-colored "Timothée Bum Drum" —a bass drum painted to look like, well, you know. It was a split-second visual gag, but it instantly became one of the most-shared moments of the night.
👿 Sigourney Weaver Dropped an F-Bomb on Grogu
In a moment that was equal parts hilarious and unexpected, Sigourney Weaver got fiercely protective of Baby Yoda (aka Grogu). While presenting with her Mandalorian & Grogu co-star Pedro Pascal, they spotted Kate Hudson getting a little too cozy with the puppet in the next seat.
Weaver, channelling her inner Ellen Ripley, turned and yelled, "Get away from him, you b****!" Hudson didn't budge, and Grogu just flapped his ears in confusion. Pure, unscripted gold.
🎤 Conan O’Brien’s Whimsical & Heartfelt Hosting
New host, new energy. Conan O'Brien kicked things off by sprinting through movie sets dressed as a witch, pursued by children. It was weird, it was wonderful, and it set the tone for a night that didn't take itself too seriously.
His monologue roasted Chalamet's ballet comments, joked about security concerns from "the opera and ballet communities," and even replicated Michael B. Jordan with seat fillers. But he ended on a surprisingly sincere note, reminding everyone of the "magic, the madness, the grandeur and the joy of film."
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| Michael B. Jordan, winner of the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "Sinners," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday. |
🤔 A Dark Cloud Behind the Glitz?
Amidst the fun, there was an undercurrent of anxiety. Several sketches poked fun at the industry's existential dread—shifting to YouTube in 2029, shrinking attention spans, and the TikTok-ification of everything. But some felt these points were undercut by long, clunky promotional segments for Disney's upcoming slate, including bits for Avengers: Doomsday and The Mandalorian.
It left some critics wondering if the Academy was truly listening to its own warnings about the future of cinema.
From Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour's Devil Wears Prada reunion to Michael B. Jordan’s humble, heartfelt win, the 2026 Oscars were anything but boring. It was a night where the internet culture, the movie biz, and a bunch of feathers collided—and we were all here for it.
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