Oscars 2026: ‘To be’ for Buckley, but not for Chalamet.
By Emma Ferguson
Having partaken in my primary school’s 2014 production of Aladdin, I feel I am in a unique position to comment on the 2026 Oscars. With a smorgasbord of acting experience, including stellar roles such as Gabriel the angel in the nativity play, I really could have hosted the ceremony myself. Regrettably, the red carpet is a far cry from the puddles and cigarette butts that pave the streets of Stranmillis, so I have had to keep my plethora of expertise in Belfast.
Spice Boy Snubbed
Donning an all-white suit reminiscent of Liverpool’s 1996 ‘Spice Boys’ squad, Timothee Chalamet put in an equally unfulfilling performance at this year’s Oscars, which took place on Sunday night. The snubs began long before the presentation of the awards, with host Conan O’Brien calling out the actor’s misconstrued opinions on art forms such as ballet and opera, which have endured intense media scrutiny over the course of the last week.
Safdie’s Marty Supreme received nine nominations yet failed to take home a single award. Instead, Michael B. Jordan’s performance in Sinners was awarded for actor in a leading role, with Chalamet failing to mobilise beyond the nominations category for the third time. If there was an Oscar for intense ping-pong training, Chalamet would undoubtedly triumph, however since they are for acting, Jordan prevailed.
Who wore it worse? Chalamet channels a young Jamie Redknapp at this year’s Oscars, but fails to score.
Pavel vs Putin
As expected, this year’s ceremony was not exempt from politics. Pavel Talankin, who was a videographer in a primary school and events co-ordinator no less than two years ago, claimed the Oscar for documentary feature. His film Mr Nobody Against Putin singlehandedly challenged the powerhouse of the Russian war machine, and his speech was no less politically charged. Donning an “ICE OUT” pin badge, he took to the stage and bravely condemned Putin and other world leaders: “In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop these wars now”. Stating the importance of acting against injustice, Talankin stands as an example of how one brave individual can effectively challenge an entire regime. The ceremony was further fuelled by political undertones when presenter Javier Bardem stated “No to war, and free Palestine” before presenting the international feature award to Trier’s Sentimental Value.
‘To Be’ for Buckley
In another emotionally charged moment, Jessie Buckley claimed her first Oscar as best actress in a leading role for her performance in Hamnet. As the first Irish actress ever to win the award, Buckley received a roaring standing ovation that paralleled Michael B. Jordan’s before her, who bagged the actor in a leading role. In a sweet moment of familial adoration, Buckey rashly declared that she wanted to have “20,000 more babies” with her husband, before dedicating the award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart”. As the lone recipient of an award from Hamnet, Buckley’s success highlights the ever-powerful art of adaptation. In a stellar performance, she made Shakespeare’s classic a 21st-century emotional escapade for Shakespeare fans and contemporary cinema lovers alike. Buckley’s fellow Irish co-star Paul Mescal went without either nomination or award, reaffirming the general consensus that, although successful, it was Buckley’s performance that accelerated Chloe Zhao’s film to greatness.
A Night of Firsts
It wasn’t just Buckley who changed history at this year’s ceremony; Autumn Durald Arkapaw stood as the first woman, first black person, and Filipino to win the cinematography award for her work on Sinners. Beating its rival One Battle After Another, Arkapaw asked “all the women in the room to stand up” after her win. The film brought home a total of four of its sixteen nominations- the most in Academy Awards history. Jordan won best actor in a leading role, Coogler was awarded for his screenplay and Goransson for his original score. Despite its plethora of nominations, Sinners ultimately failed to keep up with its main rival, One Battle After Another.
“Let’s have a Martini”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another was by far the standout on Oscars night, bringing home six of its thirteen nominations. Sean Penn bagged the award for Supporting Actor and PTA the Director award, as well as Oscars for casting, editing and adapted screenplay. Having failed to claim trophies for his films There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread and Liquorice Pizza, Anderson no doubt had his eye set on the Director award, joking onstage: “You make a guy work hard for one of these”. The film also claimed the coveted best picture award, with the entire cast joining Anderson on stage to collect the golden statuette.
