'One Battle After Another' triumphs at 98th Academy Awards in coronation for Paul Thomas Anderson

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” was crowned best picture at the 98th Academy Awards, handing Hollywood’s top honor to a comic, multi-generational American saga of political resistance.

The ceremony Sunday, which also saw Michael B. Jordan win best actor and “Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw make Oscar history as the first female director of photography to win the award, was a long-in-coming coronation for Anderson, a San Fernando Valley native who made his first short at age 18 and has been one of America’s most lionized filmmakers for decades. Before Sunday, Anderson had never won an Oscar.

But “One Battle After Another,” the favorite coming in, won six Oscars, including best director and best adapted screenplay for Anderson, the Oscars' first trophy for best casting and best supporting actor for an absent Sean Penn.

“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,” said Anderson while accepting the screenplay trophy. “But also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”

Ryan Coogler's Jim Crow-set, blues-soaked vampire tale “Sinners,” which came in with a record 16 nominations, also landed some big and even historic wins. Coogler, the widely loved filmmaker, won the first Oscar in an unblemished career that started out with Jordan in 2013's “Fruitvale Station.”

Arkapaw was also the first Black person to win for best cinematography. Only the fourth female cinematographer ever nominated, her win was a long-in-coming triumph for women behind the camera.

“I really want all the women in room to stand up,” said Arkapaw. “Because I don’t feel like I get here without you guys.”

And Jordan, one of Hollywood's most liked leading men, won best actor in one of the night's closest races. The Dolby Theatre rose to its feet in the most thunderous applause of the night.

“Yo, momma, what’s up?” said Jordan after staggering to the stage.

The Oscar night belonged to Warner Bros., the studio of “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners,” which scored a record-tying 11 wins. It was an oddly poignant note of triumph for the fabled studio, which weeks earlier agreed to a sale to Paramount Skydance, David Ellison’s rapidly assembled media monolith. The $111 billion deal, which awaits regulatory approval, has Hollywood bracing for more layoffs.

But “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” — the much-acclaimed heavyweights of the season — were each Hollywood anomalies: big-budget originals born from a personal vision. In a year where anxiety over studio contraction and the rise of artificial intelligence often consumed the industry, both films gave Hollywood fresh hope.

Jessie Buckley won best actress for her performance as Agnes Shakespeare in “Hamnet,” making her the first Irish performer to ever win in the category. At an Oscars where no other acting award seemed a sure thing, Buckley cruised into Sunday’s Oscars at the Dolby Theatre as the overwhelming favorite.

“It's Mother's Day in the U.K.,” said Buckley on the stage. “I would like to dedicated this to the beautiful chaos of a mother's heart.”

From the start, when host Conan O'Brien sprinted through the year's nominees as Amy Madigan's character in the horror thriller “Weapons” in a pre-taped bit, Sunday's ceremony was quirky, a little clunky and preoccupied with the shifting place of movies in culture. There was, of all things, a tie for best live-action short film.

As expected, the Netflix sensation “KPop Demon Hunters,” 2025’s most-watched film, won best animated feature, as well as best song for “Golden.” It was a big win for Netflix but a more qualified victory for the movie’s producer, Sony Pictures. Though it developed and produced the film, Sony sold “KPop Demon Hunters” to the streaming giant instead of giving it a theatrical release.

On Netflix, “KPop Demon Hunters” became a cultural phenomenon and the streaming platform’s biggest hit. It has more than 325 million views and counting.

“This is for Korea and Koreans everywhere,” said co-director Maggie Kang.

Another Netflix release, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” picked up three awards for its lavish craft, for costume design, makeup and hairstyling and for production design.

Amy Madigan won best supporting actress for her performance in the horror thriller “Weapons,” a win that came 40 years after the 75-year-old actor was first nominated, in 1986, for “Twice in a Lifetime.” Letting out a giant laugh as she hit the stage, Madigan exclaimed, “This is great!”

Hosting for the second time, O'Brien began the Dolby Theatre show alluding to “chaotic and frightening times.” But he argued that the current geopolitical climate made the Oscars all the more resonate as a globally unifying force.

“We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today — optimism,” O'Brien said. “We’re going to celebrate. Not because we think all is well, but because we work, and hope, for better.”

Throughout the show, O'Brien hit a number of targets, like Timothée Chalamet — who again missed out on winning his first Oscar, this time for “Marty Supreme” — for his diss of opera and ballet. But the ceremony seldom wasn't shadowed by politics, whether in references to changes under U.S. President Donald Trump or the recently launched war in Iran.

Joachim Trier, whose Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” won best international film, quoted James Baldwin in his acceptance speech: “All adults are responsible for all children,” he said. “Let’s not vote for politicians that don’t take this seriously into account.”

Presenter Jimmy Kimmel, whose late-night show last year was suspended after comments he made about Charlie Kirk's killing, was among the most blunt.

“There are some countries that don’t support free speech,” said Kimmel. “I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”

Shortly after, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” a film about a Russian primary schoolteacher who documents his students' indoctrination to support Russia's war with Ukraine, won best documentary.

“'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' is about how you lose your country,” co-director said. “And what we saw when working with this footage is that you lose it through countless, small, little acts of complicity.”

“We all face a moral choice,” he added, “but, luckily, a nobody is more powerful than you think.”

Elegy also marked the Oscars. Producers expanded the in memoriam segment following a year that featured the deaths of so many Hollywood legends, including Keaton, Robert Duvall and Redford. Barbra Streisand spoke about Redford, her “The Way We Were” co-star.

“Bob had real backbone,” said Streisand, who called Redford “an intellectual cowboy” before singing a few bars of “The Way We Were.”

Billy Crystal paid tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner, who were killed in their home in December. Crystal, a close friend of Rob Reiner's who memorably starred in 1989's “When Harry Met Sally...” and 1987's “Princess Bride.” In his moving remarks, Crystal quoted the latter.

“All we can say is: Buddy, how much fun we had storming the castle,” said Crystal.

Yet again, the night’s final award again didn't go to a streaming release; Apple's “CODA” remains the only streaming film to achieve that distinction. “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” were both theatrical releases shot on film.

Apple's top contender this time, the Formula One race drama “F1,” a movie that it partnered with Warner Bros. to distribute theatrically, won for best sound. The lone blockbuster of the year to go home with a win was “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” for visual effects.

Some of O’Brien’s best digs came at the expense of the streamers. Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, he joked, was in a theater for the first time. The host also lamented the lack of nominees for Amazon MGM: “Why isn’t the website I order toilet paper from winning more Oscars?”

“I’m honored to be the last human host of the Academy Awards,” said O’Brien. “Next year it’s going to be a Waymo in a tux.”

For more coverage of the Oscars, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards.

CORRECTS SPELLING OF MICHELE- Billy Crystal presents a tribute about Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jessie Buckley, left, winner of the award for best actress in a leading role for "Hamnet," and Michael B. Jordan, winner of the award for best actor in a leading role for "Sinners," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Sara Murphy, left, winner of the award for best picture for "One Battle After Another," and Paul Thomas Anderson, winner of the awards for writing (adapted screenplay), directing, and best picture for "One Battle After Another," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Jessie Buckley, winner of the award for actress in a leading role for "Hamnet," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Michael B. Jordan, left, winner of the award for actor in a leading role for "Sinners," and Ryan Coogler, winner of the award for writing (original screenplay) for "Sinners," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Michael B. Jordan, left, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw, winner of the award for cinematography for "Sinners," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Ryan Coogler, winner of the award for writing (original screenplay) for "Sinners," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Michael B. Jordan, winner of the award for actor in a leading role for "Sinners," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Joong Gyu Kwak, from left, EJAE, and Mark Sonnenblick, winners of the award for music (original song) for "Golden" from "K-pop Demon Hunters," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Radovan Sibrt, from left, Alzbeta Karaskova, David Borenstein, and Pavel Talankin, winners of the award for documentary feature film for "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Joachim Trier, winner of the award for international feature film for "Sentimental Value," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Jessie Buckley accepts the award for actress in a leading role for "Hamnet" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Ryan Coogler, winner of the award for writing (original screenplay) for "Sinners," poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Michael B. Jordan accepts the award for actor in a leading role for "Sinners" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Paul Thomas Anderson, left center, Sara Murphy, right center, and the team from "One Battle After Another" accept the award for best picture during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Paul Thomas Anderson accepts the award for directing for "One Battle After Another" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jessie Buckley arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Michael B. Jordan accepts the award for actor in a leading role for "Sinners" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Autumn Durald Arkapaw accepts the award for cinematography for "Sinners" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Joachim Trier arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Ryan Coogler accepts the award for writing (original screenplay) for "Sinners" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Paul Thomas Anderson accepts the award for writing (adapted screenplay) for "One Battle After Another" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Timothee Chalamet arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Miles Caton, far left, performs 'I Lied to You' from "Sinners" with Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, and Wunmi Mosaku during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Host Conan O'Brien performs during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Chris Appelhans, from left, Maggie Kang, and Michelle L.M. Wong accept the award for animated feature film for "K-pop Demon Hunters" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Amy Madigan accepts the award for actress in a supporting role for "Weapons" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Amy Madigan arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Host Conan O'Brien appears during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Kate Hudson arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Teyana Taylor arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Ryan Coogler, left ,and Zinzi Evans arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Timothee Chalamet arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Bella Thorne arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Neckwav, from background left, Kevin Woo, Andrew Choi, Danny Chung, and SamUIL Lee pose for a photograph as they arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Chase Infiniti arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Liza Powel O'Brien, left, and Conan O'Brien arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

A general view of atmosphere inside the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Michael B. Jordan poses with the awards for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role and outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture for "Sinners" during the 32nd Annual Actor Awards on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Academy Awards host Conan O'Brien poses atop a roll of red carpet during the annual Oscars red carpet roll out on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 21, 2026--

Samsara (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations Platform®, today launched an industry-first dynamic Smart Compliance solution for fleets across the EU and UK. The platform enables a proactive approach to tachograph (tacho) compliance, helping organisations manage critical elements of driver safety and regulatory workflows in one place.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260421086632/en/

Designed for compliance managers and safety leaders across industries, Samsara’s Smart Compliance integrates prevention, management, and coaching into a single, open platform.

Traditional compliance often requires managing multiple, disconnected systems for tacho downloads and telematics. This creates administrative burdens and increases the risk of legal fines. With 60% to 80% of EU fleets operating across borders, managing these complexities is a daily challenge.

Samsara is the first platform that eliminates the need for fragmented, legacy systems by seamlessly consolidating AI-based safety, telematics, and comprehensive compliance into a single experience. As one of the first in the industry to offer proactive pre-infringement audio alerts, we empower drivers to correct errors in real time before they result in infringements.

While other solutions offer a patchwork of tools, Samsara provides a true one-stop shop with advanced rulesets for 17 European countries. This unified approach gives organisations the accurate insights they need to scale cross-border operations while keeping their people safe and their supply chains resilient.

“Previously, we would wait for the infringement report and deal with everything in bulk, which could take most of the day,” said Matt Crossland, UK Area Manager at Mulgrew Haulage Ltd, one of the first customers to trial Smart Compliance. “Now everything is in one place—the infringement, manager response, and driver acknowledgement—and it takes about two minutes per infringement with Smart Compliance. Instead of looking back at last month’s infringements, we review yesterday’s, deal with them immediately, and send them straight to the driver digitally to fully understand what happened. This reduces what previously took a day, to a matter of minutes.”

Key innovations for smarter operations

The stakes for maintaining compliance have never been higher. In 2024, tachograph offenses accounted for 58% of all DVSA HGV prosecutions, and the regulatory landscape continues to evolve. Starting in July 2026, these requirements will extend to cross-border LCVs over 2.5 tonnes, putting additional pressure on international fleets. For many organisations, the risk of non-compliance goes beyond financial penalties; it can lead to the loss of their operator’s licence, making a unified, reliable compliance platform an essential part of their long-term resilience.

Samsara helps physical operations organisations improve safety and efficiency. By moving to an integrated, data-driven system, fleets can reduce administrative costs and significantly cut down on fines. With costs of up to £5,000 per infringement and the risk of suspension or loss of an Operator's License, proactive compliance is critical for fleet operations. This approach also boosts driver retention by replacing punitive measures with helpful, respectful coaching.

"Our customers' operations in Europe are some of the most complex in the world, and there is a huge opportunity to use AI to spot risks and avoid infringements,” said Praveen Murugesan, VP of Engineering EMEA. “Smart Compliance takes the guesswork out of compliance by automating the toil that office teams grapple with every day. We're super excited to provide the technology that keeps these essential supply chains moving safely."

Samsara’s Smart Compliance will be available from today, for fleets across the EU and in the UK. To learn more, visit samsara.com/eu-smart-compliance.

About Samsara

Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Platform, which is an open platform that connects the people, devices, and systems of some of the world’s most complex operations, allowing them to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara is a proud technology partner to the people who keep our global economy running, including the world’s leading organizations across industries in transportation, construction, wholesale and retail trade, field services, logistics, manufacturing, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, food and beverage, and others. The company's mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.

Samsara is a registered trademark of Samsara Inc. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Mulgrew Haulage Ltd