4.25-98th Academy Awards Preview-Part 4

4.25-98th Academy Awards Preview-Part 4

Author: Jonathan Ytreberg March 12, 2026 Duration: 51:34

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Today is the third of a five episode preview of the 98th Academy Awards where I have been breaking down every category throughout the week. Today I am joined by Swabreen Bakr from the Anti-Brain Rot newsletter and Maria Banson from the Brunello Bombshell newsletter to break down all four acting categories, both screenplay categories, Best Director and the new Best Casting category. I've listed the nominees below along with a few other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Original Screenplay:

  • Blue Moon
  • It Was Just an Accident
  • Marty Supreme
  • Sentimental Value
  • Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay:

  • Bugonia
  • Frankenstein
  • Hamnet
  • One Battle After Another
  • Train Dreams

Best Casting:

  • Hamnet
  • Marty Supreme
  • One Battle After Another
  • The Secret Agent
  • Sinners

Best Supporting Actor:

  • Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another as Sergio St. Carlos
  • Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein as The Creature
  • Delroy Lindo – Sinners as Delta Slim
  • Sean Penn – One Battle After Another as Steven J. Lockjaw
  • Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value as Gustav Borg

Best Supporting Actress:

  • Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value as Rachel Kemp
  • Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value as Agnes Borg
  • Amy Madigan – Weapons as Gladys
  • Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners as Annie
  • Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another as Perfidia Beverly Hills

Best Actress:

  • Jessie Buckley – Hamnet as Agnes Shakespeare
  • Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You as Linda
  • Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue as Claire Cartwright
  • Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value as Nora Borg
  • Emma Stone – Bugonia as Michelle Fuller

Best Actor:

  • Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme as Marty Mauser
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another as Bob Ferguson
  • Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon as Lorenz Hart
  • Michael B. Jordan – Sinners as Smoke and Stack
  • Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent as Marcelo Alves

Best Director:

  • Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
  • Ryan Coogler – Sinners
  • Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
  • Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
  • Cloé Zhao – Hamnet

Other media mentioned in this episode include:

  • Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz
  • Jay Kelly directed by Noah Baumbach
  • Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
  • Get Out directed by Jordan Peele
  • Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho
  • Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery directed by Ria

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There's a whole century of stories waiting in the Academy's archives, and The Oscar Project Podcast is digging through every single one. Instead of just focusing on the current awards season, this show takes the long view, working its way through every film ever nominated for an Oscar starting all the way back in 1929. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific year or a particular film, unpacking not just the cinematic craft on screen but the historical context that shaped it. You'll hear about forgotten gems, surprising snubs, and how the art of filmmaking has evolved over decades. Alongside these detailed reviews and discussions, the podcast regularly features conversations with filmmakers, historians, and authors who provide unique insights into the industry's past and present. It’s for anyone who loves film history as much as the movies themselves, offering a structured but fascinating journey through Hollywood's most celebrated-and sometimes controversial-moments. Tune in to this thoughtfully crafted podcast for a richer understanding of how the Oscars have reflected, and sometimes directed, the entire trajectory of modern cinema.
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