How to watch the 2026 Oscar nominations

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Cinephiles, assemble.

The nominations for this year’s Academy Awards will be announced on Thursday in a live online event, and it’s likely to generate a lot of discussion. Although many experts have a good idea of who will be nominated, as seen with recent awards like the Golden Globes and last year’s Oscars, there are always a few unexpected picks.

Here’s everything you need to know about the announcement.

Awards

As a huge movie fan, I’ve been following the awards season closely, and now that the major guild nominations are in, things are really heating up! Glenn Whipp, a fantastic awards columnist, is breaking down the Best Picture race just as Oscar voting begins – it’s a great time to see who the frontrunners are!

How can I watch?

Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman will announce the nominations for all 24 awards, including the new award for casting, in a live broadcast from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The event starts at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time and can be watched on the Academy’s website and social media, as well as on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “ABC News Live,” Disney+, and Hulu. American Sign Language will be available on YouTube. The first nine categories will be announced at 5:30 a.m., followed by the remaining fifteen after a brief pause at 5:41 a.m.

Brook received an Oscar nomination for her performance in the 2024 film “The Color Purple.” Pullman appeared in the 2023 Oscar-winning film “Top Gun: Maverick,” and also starred with Amanda Seyfried in “The Testament of Ann Lee,” which is expected to be a strong awards contender this year.

Awards

The Oscars will be recognizing casting for the first time in 2026, so we spoke with six top casting directors to learn about their work and how it contributed to some of the year’s most acclaimed movies.

When are the Oscars?

The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 15th at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood. You can watch it live on ABC and stream it on Hulu, starting at 4 p.m. Pacific Time.

Who’s hosting the awards show?

Conan O’Brien is coming back to host after a very successful appearance in 2025 that brought the show its largest viewership in five years.

In an unusually early statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang praised Conan O’Brien’s hosting, saying he was exactly what the night needed – funny, kind, and respectful of the occasion.

I was really pleased to see the veteran comedian pop up in Mary Bronstein’s film, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” I’m predicting Rose Byrne, who is fantastic in it, will definitely be nominated for an acting award.

Review

Conan O’Brien navigates the Oscars through song, dance and awards

The comedian, who used to host a late-night show, hosted the ceremony, which featured musical performances and references to Los Angeles, the movie industry, and what’s happening in politics today.

Who are the projected front-runners?

Ryan Coogler’s horror film, “Sinners,” is expected to receive the most Oscar nominations this year, potentially as many as 15. It could tie or surpass the record of 14 nominations, which was previously held by films like “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” is also predicted to be a strong contender for a high number of nominations.

As a film buff, I’m really excited about a few other movies gaining traction. Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” was a big winner at the Golden Globes for drama, and Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” and Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” are definitely ones to watch. And keep an eye on “The Secret Agent” – after its Golden Globes success, it’s now aiming for Oscar gold!

Jessie Buckley is almost certain to win the award for her performance in “Hamnet.” Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio are widely expected to be nominated for their work in “Marty Supreme” and “One Battle,” respectively. Chalamet actually won the Golden Globe Award over DiCaprio on Sunday.

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2026-01-16 14:03