With the 2026 awards season kicking off, March 15 will hold the prominent Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, coming up on their 98th year of honoring the great achievements of the films of the year.

Nominations were announced on Jan. 22, with “Sinners” setting an all-time record of a 16-nomination count. Unlike last year where “Wicked” was nominated in ten categories, the underwhelming sequel “Wicked: For Good” did not receive a single nomination this year, opening a new stage for more effectual films.

I had the pleasure to watch many of last year’s released projects, mostly in theaters, discovering both phenomenons and disappointments, yet art nonetheless. With a year’s worth of contributions and developments in film, I still hold onto a certain bunch of specific performances that I believe are qualified to take home the Oscar statues.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Stellan Skarsgård in “Sentimental Value”

For his role in “Sentimental Value,” Stellan Skarsgård earned his first ever Oscar nomination in his over 50-year career for his portrayal of a neglectful father trying to reconcile his relationship with his daughters. Skarsgård’s character’s emotional hurt silently resonates with audiences who could not help but grow a heavy heart in his desperation. Though he is up against Academy Award winners Sean Penn and Benecio Del Toro, I believe Skarsgård’s compelling performance of someone who realizes the importance of family and love a bit too late in his life tackled the execution of such art in a more impactful fashion.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in “Sentimental Value”

“Sentimental Value” is the kind of film that could not have been executed in the same way that it was without Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who plays the main character’s younger sister and mediator of their family conflict. I found Lilleass to become beautifully and increasingly crucial to the film’s foundation as the movie played out. She communicates heavy emotions through body language and facial expressions over direct dialogue, giving Lilleaas a certain grounding and tenderness that nominees in the same category just don’t have.

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Timothée Chalamet in “Marty Supreme”

From playing a prophet messiah in the desert to Willy Wonka and working with brilliant directors like Christopher Nolan and Luca Guadagnino, Timothée Chalamet’s diverse career has led him down the path of portraying the narcissistic and self-absorbed table tennis icon Marty Reisman in Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme.” I considered Chalamet’s performance, full of aggressive greed and pride, to be vigorously well-acted and put him in a really good spot against tough competition. Since January, Chalamet has won award after award following nomination after nomination. If Chalamet and the film critics keep this energy up, the Oscar ballot for Best Actor in a Leading Role will reveal Chalamet’s name in front of many.

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessie Buckley in “Hamnet”

Irish actress Jessie Buckley brings William Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes Hathaway, to life in “Hamnet,” a horribly tragic and devastating film that explores a fictionalized telling of how Shakespeare’s legendary “Hamlet” came to be. Buckley plays a young mother navigating grief and delivers a totally raw performance that left me and everyone else in the theater sniffling and in tears by the time the credits rolled. Her heartfelt connection with the role comes so easily that I could not ignore how effortlessly Agnes outshined the other characters by a wide margin. After already sweeping the major awards of this season, Buckley’s hands are undoubtedly within grasp of an Oscar.

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Beginning his filmmaking career in the early 1990s, Paul Thomas Anderson has made a respected name for himself through captivating films like “Phantom Thread” and “There Will Be Blood”— and he continues this legacy through his newest film, “One Battle After Another.” Anderson directs iconic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn with rising actress Chase Infiniti in his comedy-drama. His evident passion for cinema reached global audiences through “OBBA’s” storytelling in distinctive camera shots and acceptance speeches for already attained rewards. Upon taking home both the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award for Best Director, the chances are more stronger than ever for PTA to finally win his long-awaited Oscar.

Best Picture: “One Battle After Another”

Delving into the complexities of secrets and the importance of found family, “One Battle After Another” does not for one moment lack in keeping audiences anticipating the next second. The picture is profoundly fluid in that every element constituting it— the score by Jonny Greenwood, the transcendent cinematography, the engaging plotline— makes “OBAA” one of if not the most significant cinematic experience of 2025. The film’s cast and production team received a total of 13 Oscar nominations, demonstrating the prosperity of this year’s frontrunner.

About a month and a half stands between now and Oscars night. In the coming weeks, BAFTA and SAG awards will take place, coming as close to finalizing chances of Oscar wins as possible. Will certain actors like Chalamet and Buckley still reign as the sole winners of these major awards, or will the underdogs of their categories pull through and build up anticipation for the real deal? Just like every year, a legion of factors will contribute to the Academy’s choice of the “best” in each respective category, but I stand confident in my predictions. Only time will tell who will walk home empty-handed or with a golden statue.