Oscars 2026: Ranking the 3 best and worst moments from the prestigious ceremony including 'Avengers' reunion
The 2026 edition of the Oscars concluded recently with major wins for Paul Thomas Anderson's Pynchon adaptation 'One Battle After Another' and the allegorical period vampire movie 'Sinners', directed by Ryan Coogler.
While Anderson finally took home the Oscar statuette for Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay, Coogler scored his first Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay. The events were also marked by a heartfelt tribute section, perhaps an overwhelming emphasis on host Conan O' Brien, and a rare seventh tie in. For all those who missed the broadcast of the Oscars 2026 on ABC and Hulu, here are the highlights from best to worst.
1) The I Lied To You performance (Best)
'Sinners' breakout star Miles Canton performed 'I Lied To You' to a packed audience that couldn't help but feel euphoric. The music almost brought the roof down and was hands down one of the best musical performances to have ever graced the Oscars ceremony.
Also present on the stage alongside Caton were Shaboozey, Brittany Howard, ballet legend Misty Copeland, the film's co-songwriter, Rafael Saadiq, and other members of the energetic ensemble, including other musicians and performers.
2) The heartfelt tribute (Best)
Every year, the Oscars honour actors and celebrities who have passed away. This year, the ceremony decided to do away with the boring montages and presented heartfelt tributes to Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, and Rob Reiner. Reiner's tribute, in particular, was presented by Billy Crystal and was especially heartfelt.
The In Memoriam section of the 2026 Oscars moved the audience deeply. Rachel McAdams was close to tears while presenting the tribute for Keaton. Barbara Streisand's tribute to Redford was also memorable.
3) Marvel's Avengers and Bridesmaids cast reunion (Best)
Despite not having collaborated since 'Avengers: Endgame' in 2019, Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. donned penguin suits to take on their presenting roles. They were just one of the reunions that took place on the Oscars night.
On the other hand, the cast members of 'Bridesmaids', including Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Ellie Kemper, had a reunion of their own on stage. The stars also shared a joke about how well they had aged. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman sang some of their lines from 'Moulin Rouge' before presenting the awards.
4) Conan O'Brien fatigue (Worst)
Although O'Brien has been a familiar fixture on the Oscars as the bona fide host, this time he came across as pushing the envelope a little too hard. His monologue had its bright spots, yet failed to leave an impression because it had been stretched beyond its capacity to entertain.
Moreover, his opening montage and monologue ran up to 20 minutes and featured boring stereotypes and forgettable one-liners, thus suggesting that it might be a good idea for O'Brien to take a break.
5) That ruined Oscars tie-in (Worst)
Tie-ins are rare at the Oscars, with only 7 in total. The Oscars 2026 saw the award for Best Live-Action Short Film going to both 'Two People Exchanging Saliva' and 'The Singers'. The moment was most certainly ruined when the production team abruptly tried to cut off the acceptance speech of the 'The Singers' team and started playing over them.
This eventually led them to try to retract the microphone. Following a moment of audience groans and an awkward pause, the camera returned to the winners.
6) The Golden performance (Worst)
Rei Ami, EJAE, and Audrey Nuna were scheduled to perform the chart-busting track 'Golden' from the Oscar-winning Netflix animated show 'K Pop Demon Hunters'. However, by the time the artists took to the stage, it was almost 10 p.m. ET, and most of the audience watching from the comfort of their homes were way past their bedtime.
The performance that followed featured an abbreviated version of the song and felt strangely anticlimactic. Also, check out the Oscars 2026 best dressed and standout fashion moments.
