Shocking Oscars Upset: Michael B. Jordan Triumphs Over Timothee Chalamet in Major Category

In a night filled with unexpected moments at the Oscars, Timothee Chalamet found himself overlooked for the Best Actor award, which instead went to Michael B. Jordan. His loss was compounded by some not-so-subtle jokes at his expense.

The 30-year-old actor, who had been considered a leading contender for his role in “Marty Supreme,” watched as Jordan’s name was announced as the winner. This came as a surprise to many, given Chalamet’s strong performance in the film.

Chalamet’s disappointment was evident when Adrien Brody, the previous year’s Best Actor winner, revealed Jordan as the victor. Despite the letdown, Chalamet managed to maintain composure and applauded Jordan, even mouthing a congratulatory ‘yay’ as Jordan embraced his mother, Donna, before heading to the stage.

The evening proved to be particularly challenging for Chalamet, as host Conan O’Brien poked fun at his recent controversy involving a comment about opera and ballet. These jabs added to the actor’s difficult night at the awards ceremony.

It came after a humiliating night for Chalamet, who was made a laughing stock by host Conan O’Brien over his recent ‘opera and ballet’ jab drama. 

This year’s Best Actor category was stacked. It also included Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).

Jordan, who is now a first-time Oscar-winner, was tearful during his acceptance speech as he thanked the audience and voters by saying: ‘Thank you, everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me over my career. I feel it. 

‘I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me, so thank you for keeping betting on me. 

Timothee Chalamet saw his years-long Oscars dream go up in smoke on Sunday as he was brutally snubbed for Michael B Jordan in the Best Actor category 

Jordan beamed on stage as he accepted the coveted Best Actor honor on Sunday night

‘And I’m going to keep stepping up and I’m going to keep being the best version of myself I can be,’ said Jordan. Sinners also won Best Screenplay for director Ryan Coogler.

While Chalamet dominated the early season with Best Actor wins at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards for ping-pong drama Marty Supreme, the momentum shifted after Jordan won at the Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, earlier this month.

Adding to the tension, the Oscars arrived on the heels of Chalamet’s controversial comments about ‘no one’ caring about opera and ballet, which sparked a wave of backlash from the arts community, including from legendary director Steven Spielberg.

Chalamet made the unfiltered remark while talking to Interstellar co-star Matthew McConaughey about his hopes that movie theaters are able to survive.

He then added that ‘I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or, you know, things where it’s like: “Hey, keep this thing alive,” even though no one cares about this anymore,’ in an interview for Variety‘s Actors on Actors. 

Conan O’Brien, who returned as host of the Academy Awards for the second consecutive year, kicked off his opening monologue with a jab at Chalamet’s controversy.

‘Security is extremely tight tonight. I’m just going to mention that,’ tuxedo-clad O’Brien said to the crowd inside Los Angeles’ iconic Dolby Theatre. 

He then quipped, ‘I’m told there’s a concern about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.’

 

After 2025 Best Actor winner Adrien Brody read out Jordan’s name, Chalamet politely clapped and flashed an awkward smile

The 30-year-old earned the nomination for his performance in Josh Safdie’s ping-pong drama film Marty Supreme 

The camera then quickly cut to Chalamet, who could be seen nervously smiling beside his busty girlfriend, Kylie Jenner.

‘They’re just mad you left out jazz,’ O’Brien jokingly added.

O’Brien tried but failed to make amends with Chalamet later in the night as he told the crowd he and the Marty Supreme star were ‘vibing.’

‘We’re vibing, right?’ he asked Chalamet, whose reply wasn’t picked up by the event’s microphones. ‘He doesn’t think so.’ 

The mocking of Chalamet began even before the start of the ceremony as he arrived on the red carpet with a stoic expression – and without girlfriend Jenner by his side.

Chalamet posed for photographers in an all-white ensemble of a suit and tie, which clashed against a massive pair of black shades. 

Fans roasted the ensemble on X, formerly Twitter, where one groused: ‘he doesn’t deserve to come near that Oscar due to this atrocity of a fit.’

Another wondered: ‘dear lord Timmy, what on earth inspired this monstrosity,’ as one observer joked that the young movie star resembled a ‘milkman.’ 

One dismissed the getup as a ‘mess,’ while another said in a nod to his romance with Jenner: ‘He needs fashion lessons from the Kardashian/Jenner clan.’

The 98th Academy Awards were held at the iconic Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday evening and aired live on ABC. 

Jessie Buckley continued her winning streak as she earned Best Actress for her role in Hamnet.

The 36-year-old Irish actress beat out Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue, Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value, and Emma Stone – Bugonia.

Meanwhile, Sean Penn was not in attendance as he earned his third Oscar.

The 65-year-old A-lister’s name was announced by Kieran Culkin for the Best Supporting Actor Award for his work in One Battle After Another but he was not in the building to accept.

Jordan’s win comes after a humiliating night for Chalamet who was made a laughing stock by host Conan O’Brien over his recent ‘opera and ballet’ jab drama 

O’Brien wasted little time putting Chalamet on the spot

Chalamet attended the ceremony with girlfriend Kylie Jenner

The sharp-tongued Culkin joked: ‘Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf.’

Amy Madigan took home the first award at the Oscars 2026 on Sunday night.

The 75-year-old veteran actress earned Best Supporting Actress for her work in Zach Creggar’s supernatural mystery horror film Weapons.

It was one of the most contentious categories of the night as she was up against Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value, Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners, and Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another.

During the speech, Madigan was visibly nervous as she ended it by thanking her husband of over four decades, fellow actor Ed Harris.

She said: ‘The most important is my beloved Ed. Who’s been with me forever, and that’s a long time and none of this would mean anything if he wasn’t by my side. So thank you very much. I’m very overwhelmed.’

Madigan has been married to Harris, 75, since 1983, and they have one child together – a 32-year-old daughter, Lily Dolores Harris, whom they welcomed a decade later in 1993. 

The synopsis of Weapons reads: ‘When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.’ 

In it, Madigan portrays Gladys, who is the elderly relative of Cary Christopher’s character Alex Lilly, who is the only child who did not disappear.

Jordan shocked the world as he upset Chalamet to win Best Actor at the Oscars

The actor had an emotional moment with his mother Donna before taking to the stage

Jessie Buckley continued her winning streak as she earned Best Actress for her role in Hamnet

One Battle After Another ended the night by winning top prize Best Picture as director Paul Thomas Anderson accepted the honor beside Teyana Taylor as the honor was presented by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman (left to right)

Ryan Coogler finally earned his first Oscar in the Best Original Screenplay category for his epic Sinners.

The 39-year-old Oakland native politely asked the crowd to quiet down because he feared being cut off by the music for a long speech.

Coogler sent a sweet message to his three children with wife and producer Zinzi Evans as he concluded his acceptance speech by saying: ‘And to my babies at home watching, I apologize for all the time away. 

‘Dad loves you. I hope I’ve given up great memories and you are blessed to live a long life and I want you to remember this one thing, I love you more than anything. Thank you.’

Coogler beat Robert Kaplow – Blue Moon, Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident, Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme, and Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value.

Paul Thomas Anderson took home Best Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another. 

The 55-year-old filmmaker also thanked his four children with actress Maya Rudolph as he revealed that he wrote this film for them.

Anderson said: ‘I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them but, also, with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency. 

‘Pearl, Lucy, Jack and Ida, I love you. Thank you very much. Thank you.’

Sean Penn was not in attendance as he earned his third Oscar

The 65-year-old A-lister’s name was announced by Kieran Culkin for the Best Supporting Actor Award for his work in One Battle After Another but he was not in the building (Penn is pictured with co-star and fellow nominee Benicio del Toro in Santa Barbara last month) 

Amy Madigan took home the first award at the Oscars 2026 on Sunday night for Weapons

Madigan has been married to Harris, 75, since 1983 and they have one child together – 32-year-old daughter Lily Dolores Harris – whom they welcomed a decade later in 1993

The synopsis of the film reads: ‘When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance’

Anderson won over Will Tracy – Bugonia, Guillermo Del Toro – Frankenstein, Chloe Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell – Hamnet, and Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar – Train Dreams.

One of the most touching wins of the night came when Autumn Durald Arkapaw won Best Cinematography for Sinners.

The 46-year-old Oxnard, California native made history as the first woman to ever win the award in the 98-year history of the awards show.

She asked all of the women in the audience to stand up during her acceptance speech as 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. I really, really, truly mean that. 

‘I have felt so much love from all the women on this whole campaign and gotten to meet so many people, and I just feel like moments like this happen because of you guys, and I want to thank you for that.’

Arkapaw beat out Dan Laustsen – Frankenstein, Darius Khondji – Marty Supreme, Michael Bauman – One Battle After Another, and Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams.

The second award of the night was groundbreaking as KPop Demon Hunters earned Best Animated Feature Film.

The Netflix film triumphed over Arco, Elio, Little Amelie, The Character of Rain and Zootopia 2.

Ryan Coogler finally earned his first in the Best Original Screenplay category for his epic Sinners

Paul Thomas Anderson took home Best Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another

One of the most touching wins of the night came when Autumn Durald Arkapaw won Best Cinematography for Sinners

The second award of the night was groundbreaking as KPop Demon Hunters earned Best Animated Feature Film (From left, Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans and Michelle LM Wong)

Meanwhile, The Girl Who Cried Pearls earned Best Animated Short Film. Maciek Szczerbowski and Chris Lavis accept the honor

Cassandra Kulukundis earned the first-ever Best Casting Academy Award for her work in One Battle After Another

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was also a big winner as the Netflix film earned two awards, including Best Costume Design, accepted by Kate Hawley

Meanwhile, from left, Jordan Samuel, Mike Hill, and Cliona Furey took home the gong for Frankenstein’s makeup and hair

Meanwhile, The Girl Who Cried Pearls earned Best Animated Short Film.

Cassandra Kulukundis earned the first-ever Best Casting Academy Award for her work in One Battle After Another. 

Best Live-Action Short Film was decided by a rare tie as The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva were both honored. 

While it occurred at the 2026 ceremony in one of the lower-profile categories, the most famous Oscars tie occurred in 1969, when Katharine Hepburn won for The Lion In Winter, while Barbra Streisand tied her for her screen debut in Funny Girl. 

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was also a big winner as the Netflix film earned two awards.

The dramatic reimaging earned both Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Kate Hawley accepted the costume award while Jordan Samuel, Mike Hill, and Cliona Furey took home the one for makeup and hair.