Entertainment

Oscars 2026 best and worst moments

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The 2026 Oscars was one to remember on Sunday, with Conan O’Brien returning for his second consecutive year as host and presiding over a night filled with so many surprise inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

It was one of the most exciting nail-biters in recent years, as only one of the acting categories was predictable — best actress winner Jessie Buckley for “Hamnet.”

Going into the night, the other races were a toss up, including a best actor face-off between Michael B. Jordan and Timothée Chalamet, and a best picture race between “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another.”

The “Best Supporting” actor and actress battles also had no clear frontrunners entering the evening, featuring Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Penn, Jacob Elordi, Teyana Taylor, Amy Madigan, Wunmi Mosaku, and more. (Penn and Madigan ultimately won).

Here are the best and worst moments of the night.

Best – Conan O’Brien’s opening

O’Brien’s monologue had a nice blend of goofy jokes (“Between ‘Hamnet’ and ‘Bugonia’ it’s been a big year for movies that sound like off brand lunch meat”) and sharp zingers (pointing out how no British actors were in the Best Actor race for the first time in years, but, “a British spokesperson said said ‘at least we arrest our pedophiles’”).

He also got in a timely jab at Timothee Chalamet for the “Marty Supreme” star’s viral comments about opera and ballet (“I’m told there’s concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities”). The host concluded with an earnest salute to films for celebrating “global artistry” and “optimism” during a fraught time in the world. The comedian hit all the right notes.

Worst – the Leo moment in the monologue

O’Brien’s only “off” moment in the monologue happened when he cut to Leonardo DiCaprio in the crowd, and commented on how the “One Battle After Another” star is frequently the subject of memes.

“Let’s make a new meme with Leo, right now! That feeling when you didn’t agree to this,” O’Brien said, as the text came up onscreen. Sure enough, DiCaprio didn’t look too thrilled.

The joke was weak, it felt like it was written by a member of O’Brien’s writing staff trying too hard to appeal to Gen-Z.

Best – Amy Madigan’s chaotic speech

Madigan took home her the first Oscar in her long career, for her supporting role as Aunt Gladys in “Weapons.” The actress, 75, went to the stage cackling like the Joker, then gave a rambling speech with amusing asides. Madigan, who wore a pantsuit, mentioned how she tried to come up with her remarks while she was in the shower shaving her legs. “And I’m wearing pants, so I didn’t need to do that!”

Did we need to know that? Absolutely not, but Madigan’s oversharing was charming. She wrapped up with a sweet nod to actor Ed Harris, who she’s been married to since 1983. “He’s been with me forever and that’s a long ass time!”

Worst – weird sound editing

The sound went haywire in several instances over the course of the night, including getting too aggressive in bleeping out the cursing. It notably happened after “Frankenstein” costume designer Kate Hawley took home the deserved Oscar for that category. When she gave her speech, she thanked, “My family who put up with a lot of sh-t.” The sound cut out for an overly long time, not just censoring the word “sh-t” but taking out an entire sentence of her speech.

Not only is it not cool, but it also draws more attention to someone dropping a curse word, rather than smoothing over it.

Best – Conan’s YouTube bit

O’Brien did a bit mocking how the Oscars will air on YouTube starting in 2029. As the comedian started saying “I’ve been assure they won’t change,” he got interrupted by a jarring fake commercial featuring Jane Lynch – mocking how YouTube ads often burst in, at inopportune moments.

The “commercial” faded out, and the Academy Awards host said “sorry about that, but like I said, I don’t think this will change the Oscars at all –” before Lynch interrupted with another fake ad. The bit was amusing, accurate, and didn’t overstay its welcome.

Worst – A rare tie

Kumail Nanjiani, who was presenting the category of “best live action short film,” paused as he was reading off the winner. “It’s a tie. I’m not joking, it’s actually a tie,” he said. There was a brief silence, as everyone wondered if this was a “La La Land / Moonlight” snafu.

The winners, “The Singers” and “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” both gave speeches. In between them, Nanjiani improvised a solid joke on the spot (“Ironic that the short film Oscar is going to take twice as long!”)

A rare tie has happened six times in Academy Awards history. You’d think they’d build in some kind of fix to prevent such confusion from happening.

Worst – An anticlimactic end to the “Supporting actor” race

This year was an especially stacked “supporting actor” category. Hollywood veterans Stellan Skarsgard, 74, and Delroy Lindo, 73, have both been turning in great work for decades. Both have also been criminally under appreciated on the awards circuit, as both were first-time nominees. Jacob Elordi also gave one of the year’s best performances in “Frankenstein.” Any of them would be worthy winners. And yet, the choice was Sean Penn, who didn’t show up.

He’s won Oscars before, so there’s not much of an argument that it was “his time” over Skarsgard or Lindo. (And, his “One Battle After Another” character was cartoonish, so there’s not much of an argument that it was clearly the best among these options).

Kieran Culkin, who presented the award, quipped, “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to,” and O’Brien later remarked on Penn being “a no-show.” For such a strong year in this category, it ended in a flop.

Best – the “in memoriam” tributes to giants

This year was an especially tragic year for losing giants of the film industry, including Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford. The Academy Awards rose to meet the moment, astutely deciding not to group them in with the usual “in memoriam” montage. Instead, it gave each of them separate moments.

Billy Crystal, 78, came out to give a tribute to longtime friend Reiner. Referring to “The Princess Bride,” which Reiner directed and Crystal played Miracle Max in, Crystal said, “All we can say is, buddy, what fun we had storming the castle.” An assortment of actors from Reiner’s films then all stepped out onstage, including Mandy Patinkin, Cary Elwes, Meg Ryan, Kathy Bates, Jerry O’Connell, and Keifer Sutherland.

Rachel McAdams came out to speak about how Catherine O’Hara and Diane Keaton were inspirational to her. Barbra Streisand also came out to speak about Redford and sing, “The Way We Were.”

It was a sad but fitting tribute to lost pillars of Hollywood.

Best – the “Bridesmaids” reunion

Celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the hit comedy, the stars came out onstage, including Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, and Ellie Kemper.

Before presenting the nominees for “best score,” the actresses did a bit where they read notes “from the audience,” including a note supposedly from Skarsgard telling them that they all are “aging well,” and “all the things you’ve done to your face are very tasteful.” Byrne read a note supposedly from DiCaprio telling her, “can you please stop looking at me, the eye contact is too much.”

The actors gamely played along, with Skarsgard and DiCaprio smirking and gesturing, when the camera cut to them. The bit went on too long, as Wiig pointed out. Nevertheless, it was fun.

Best – “Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw makes history

Arkapaw was the first woman to ever win the Oscar in the Cinematography category. The cinematographer, who is Filipino and African American Creole, was also the first woman of color to ever be nominated. In her speech, she said, “I’m so honored to be here, and I really want all the women in the room to stand up, because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys.”

The A-listers in the audience all complied, with all the women in the crowd rising to their feet, applauding.

Best – an exciting end to the “Best actor” race

Michael B Jordan took home the top prize, ending a nail-biter of a race in this category. At the beginning of this season, Timothee Chalamet was the frontrunner, winning the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. But, things shifted when Jordan won the Actor award, and the room gave him a standing ovation, demonstrating his support among his peers. Chalamet also got too thirsty with his campaign. Entering the night, this race was a toss-up.

In his speech, Jordan said, “I stand here because of the people that came before me,” and named several black Oscar winners, such as Sidney Poitier and Halle Berry.

Jordan also sweetly addressed his fans and friends, saying, “I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that, because you guys bet on me.”

Entertainment

Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet join Kim Kardashian and mom Kris to see ‘The Fear of 13’ on Broadway

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Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner enjoyed a Broadway outing with her sister Kim Kardashian and her mom, Kris Jenner.

The group went to see “The Fear of 13” together Sunday, which Kardashian is a co-producer on. The play stars Adrien Brody as the real-life Nick Yarris, who spent 22 years on death row for a murder he didn’t commit.

In video posted on social media, cameras flashed as Chalamet stepped outside his car, before reaching back to hold Kylie’s hand. The actor dressed casually in a blue windbreaker, gray pants and a baseball cap, while Kylie wore an all-black outfit underneath a trench coat, which she paired with thong heels.

Kardashian was more dressed-up for the occasion, sporting an eye-catching bright yellow dress with a high collar.

Meanwhile, Kris said hi to a photographer as she stepped out of her car in a black suit with a white blouse underneath.

“The Fear of 13,” which also stars Tessa Thompson, opened on April 15. The production partnered with the Innocence Project, which works to free innocent people and prevent wrongful convictions.

Kardashian, who is a criminal justice reform advocate, shared in an Instagram Stories video earlier this month why the play is so important to her.

“I’ve seen firsthand how the system can fail, and I’ve committed myself to fighting for those who have been silenced,” she said.

“Theater has a unique power to move us. When you experience a story like this, live, it stays with you. It challenges you to see the human being behind the statistics,” she continued.

“My hope is that this production sparks a real conversation about the true meaning of justice.”

She also shared in a statement about the play, “It’s a raw, honest look at Nick Yarris’ wrongful conviction and the systemic failures that kept him behind bars for 20 years. I couldn’t be prouder to make my Broadway producing debut with a project that carries such vital weight.”

Meanwhile, Chalamet and Kylie have been enjoying recent date nights with their friends and family.

Last Tuesday, they had a double date with Jordyn Woods and her fiancé, Karl-Anthony Towns, after watching the New York Knicks game.

The “Kardashians” star and the “Marty Supreme” actor met up with the Knicks player and his soon-to-be wife at 4 Charles Prime Rib in the Big Apple, in pictures obtained by Page Six.

Entertainment

Charlize Theron says her daughters will have to earn jobs and their first car

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Charlize Theron is making it clear her children won’t be growing up with a Hollywood safety net.

During a candid conversation, the Oscar-winning actress shared her approach to parenting, revealing she plans to instill independence and a strong work ethic in her daughters from an early age.

“First of all, your first car is going to be a Datsun because you’re going to crash it,” Theron said bluntly on the “Therapuss with Jake Shane” podcast.

“You’re going to f— it up somehow. You’re a new driver. So, we’re not getting, like, the nice car up front. We need a little bit of experience, and we’re going to earn it.”

Theron emphasized that financial independence would be a non-negotiable for her kids.

“It’s too soon to kind of say where they’re going to end up … They just need to get a job that pays them because I don’t want to support them for the rest of life,” she said.

When asked if her daughters would have summer jobs, she didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah. Every time we go to Starbucks, I’m like, ‘Look at this … Do you see how friendly? You have to be that friendly every morning at 6 a.m., like start getting ready for it.’”

The actress, who adopted her daughters Jackson, 12, in 2012 and August, 9, in 2015, has long been open about raising her children as a single mother, a decision she’s described as deeply intentional.

In a July 2025 interview with Alex Cooper on the popular podcast “Call Her Daddy,” Theron called her choice “one of the healthiest decisions I ever made.”

“With women, it’s always, like, something must be wrong with her. She can’t keep a man, and it’s never part of the discussion of like, ‘Wow. She’s really living her truth,’” she said.

Theron didn’t hold back when describing the freedom she’s found in motherhood on her own terms.

“I look at them and just be like, ‘Do you know how f—ing great it is to live exactly how I want to live, to experience motherhood exactly how I wanted to experience it?’”

She added that she “love[s] that I don’t have to run every f—— thing by a guy” or deal with co-parenting challenges, noting that she feels she has “broke the cycle.”

Entertainment

Sharon Stone turns heads with ‘perfect’ unfiltered bikini pic at 68

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A rolling Stone gathers no moss.

Sharon Stone turned heads with a radiant and unfiltered bikini pic shared to her Instagram on Friday.

“Summers around the corner! Happy Friday my loves 🥰,” the 68-year-old “Basic Instinct” star captioned the gorgeous photo.

The stunning pic saw Stone rocking a green, midnight blue and purple tie string bikini while lounging by a pool.

She also covered her pearly blue eyes with a pair of green leaves in the sultry snap.

Fans rushed to Stone’s Insta to celebrate the “Casino” star and her impeccable pic.

“Happy Friday Sharon, enjoy a dip for me!” one devotee wrote in the comments with a pair of green and blue hearts.

“You still got it,” added another.

“Perfect,” commented a third, while another Stone supporter shared, “Youthful as ever.
She’s Forever Young!”

The “Total Recall” actress, who recently showed off her fashionista sense at the opening gala for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art last month, advocated for body positivity during a candid chat with Allure in 2019.

“I’m so grateful to my body,” she shared. “When I was younger, everybody was telling me what was wrong with my body — too this, too that.”

Stone added, “I started to understand that I was going to go for being more like a European woman who got more beautiful with age and who could understand that women are more beautiful than girls because they know something.”

She also questioned those “afraid of aging” more recently in a series of Insta videos earlier this year.

“Are we supposed to be terrified when we look in the mirror?” Stone said in one February clip. “Why are we supposed to be afraid of our own human self? It’s like the weirdest idea in the world to me.”

She added in the caption, “Why in 2026 are we still afraid of aging & living in our own selves. We are more than appearance.. we are artists, mothers, sisters, wives, nurses, teachers… and the list goes on!”

The “Nobody 2” star also headlines last month when she said that Robert De Niro was the “best kisser in the business” during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy.”

“Oh, he kissed me right out of my shoes,” Stone said of her and De Niro’s iconic smooch in 1995’s “Casino.”