Michael B Jordan defeats Timothee Chalamet to win Best Actor at Oscars

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: At the 98th Academy Awards held on March 15, 2026, actor Michael B. Jordan secured the Oscar for Best Actor, defeating Timothee Chalamet in one of the most talked-about outcomes of the awards season.

The win marked a major moment of the night and drew widespread attention, especially given the intense competition between the two actors throughout the season. The result ultimately confirmed Jordan’s strong awards-season momentum.

Michael B Jordan wins Best Actor at 98th Academy Awards 

Jordan, won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the film 'Sinners.' In the film, he portrayed identical twins who returned to their hometown in the Jim Crow South and confronted a supernatural evil. When his name was announced at the ceremony, Jordan appeared visibly overwhelmed.

The audience responded with a loud standing ovation as he walked to the stage to receive the award. During his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked his mother and father, who had traveled from Ghana specifically to attend the ceremony. He also acknowledged his brother and sister.

Jordan additionally paid tribute to director Ryan Coogler, calling him an “amazing person” and expressing that he felt genuinely honored to work alongside him.

Michael B Jordan just thanked all six Black winners in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories during his own Best Actor speech, "I stand here because of the people that came before me. Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, Will Smith."

The actor triumphed over several high-profile nominees, including Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Wagner Moura and Ethan Hawke. The race had largely been viewed as a tight contest between Jordan and Chalamet throughout the awards season.

Jordan strengthened his position by winning two SAG-AFTRA awards, including Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Timothee Chalamet’s awards season and controversy

Chalamet had also enjoyed a strong awards season leading up to the Oscars. He won his first Golden Globe for portraying ping-pong hustler Marty Mauser in 'Marty Supreme.' He also received the Best Actor award at the Critics’ Choice Awards for the same performance.

Despite these achievements, the Oscars result was expected to sting for Chalamet, who has been open about his ambition to be considered among the greatest actors. 

While accepting a SAG-AFTRA award in 2025 for playing Bob Dylan in 'A Complete Unknown,' he said he was “really in pursuit of greatness” and expressed his desire to become “one of the greats.”

However, his campaign faced turbulence in February after remarks made during a CNN town hall sparked backlash. Chalamet said he had no interest in working in art forms such as ballet or opera, describing them as efforts to keep something alive that “no one cares about anymore.”

The comments triggered strong online reactions. Retired ballet star Misty Copeland criticized the statement, arguing that Chalamet owed more to those traditions than he seemed to realize.

She said he "would not have the opportunities he has as a movie star if it were not for opera and ballet and their relevance to the medium."