Paul Thomas Anderson waited a long time for this one. On Sunday night at the 98th Academy Awards, Anderson won Best Director for “One Battle After Another,” giving him his first Oscar in the category and his second Oscar of the night after also taking Adapted Screenplay earlier in the ceremony. It was his fourth directing nomination, following “There Will Be Blood,” “Phantom Thread,” and “Licorice Pizza.”
READ MORE: 2026 Oscars Winners and Nominees [Complete List]
Anderson bested fellow nominees Ryan Coogler for “Sinners,” Josh Safdie for “Marty Supreme,” Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value,” and Chloé Zhao for “Hamnet.”
Inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel “Vineland,” “One Battle After Another” stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-up revolutionary trying to rescue his daughter, played by Chase Infiniti. The win capped a steady march through awards season for Anderson, who had already taken major directing prizes for the film from BAFTA, the Golden Globes, and the Directors Guild of America.
For Anderson, the moment landed as long-delayed Academy recognition. Before Sunday, he had gone 14 nominations without a competitive win, making the screenplay prize his first Oscar and the directing trophy his immediate follow-up. By the end of the night, one of modern American cinema’s most admired filmmakers was finally off the board in a major way.
Now “One Battle After Another” goes into the Oscar books not just as one of the season’s biggest contenders, but as the film that finally delivered Anderson’s long-awaited Academy recognition.
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
- Rodrigo Perez
