This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Whether you are a movie lover, or you just love staying up to date on everything pop culture, the Oscars are a big event. They showcase the movies that stood out this year and give everyone in the film industry a chance to win big. Down below, I’ve listed my predictions for the upcoming 2026 Oscars, including my predicted nominations and wins.
Best actor
Best Actor is given to the leading man who gave the most deserving performance. Leonardo DiCaprio is, in my mind, a definite nominee for this year’s award. His performance in “One Battle After Another” proved to be masterful.
Michael B. Jordan may receive a nomination for his performance in “Sinners,” in which he played not only one, but two great performances.
Timothée Chalamet will most likely receive a nomination for “Marty Supreme,” which debuts on Christmas Day. With the amount of publicity the movie has received so far, without even coming out yet, it is sure to be very popular.
Jeremey Allen White may receive a nomination for “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” as biopics have proven to receive nominations.
I think that Ethan Hawke will receive a nomination for his performance in “Blue Moon,” a biographical drama.
With all of these great candidates, I think that the ultimate decision will be hard to reach. However, I ultimately think that DiCaprio will go home with his second win, or Chalamet will receive his first win. It’s hard to decide which actor it will go to, as “Marty Supreme” has yet to be released, but I think it will be between these two actors.
Best actress
Best Actress is the award given to the leading woman who delivered the best performance in a movie. Going hand-in-hand with the best actor category, best actress is definitely going to be up for grabs this year between so many wonderful actresses.
I believe that Rose Byrne will receive a nomination for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” I also believe Jessie Buckley will be nominated for her role in “Hamnet.” Emma Stone will most likely be nominated for her role in “Bugonia.” I think Renate Reinsve will receive a nomination for her starring role in “Sentimental Value.” Finally, I believe Amanda Seyfried will be nominated for “The Testament of Ann Lee.”
Overall, although all of the nominees are great choices, I think Buckley will go home with the award. This will be her first win for Best Actress and only her second nomination overall. I think Stone would be the second choice, as she’s a great actress and is a favorite of the Academy.
best supporting actor
Best Supporting Actor is awarded to the best side male character in a movie. I think that Jacob Elordi is going to be nominated for his portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster in “Frankenstein.” Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro are both strong candidates for nominations for their performances in “One Battle After Another.” Stellan Skarsgård is likely to receive a nomination for his role in “Sentimental Value.” Finally, Paul Mescal may receive a nomination for “Hamnet.”
I think that Penn will win the award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “One Battle After Another.” This will be Penn’s first win for Best Supporting Actor; however, he has won two Oscars for Best Actor previously.
Best supporting actress
Best Supporting Actress is the award given to the best female character who plays a side role. I believe that Teyana Taylor will receive a nomination for her portrayal in “One Battle After Another.” Ariana Grande will most likely receive recognition for her performance of Glinda in “Wicked: For Good.”
Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas may both be nominated for their roles in “Sentimental Value.” Finally, I think that Gwyneth Paltrow will gain a nomination for her role in “Marty Supreme.”
I think that Grande has a strong chance of going home with the award for Best Supporting Actress. Her dedication to the role in two movies has proved strong, and her portrayal in the second movie may just win her an Oscar. This would be Grande’s first win and second nomination.
best director
Along with incredible actors, directors hold a special place within the trajectory of movies’ popularity. Five directors will receive nominations for Best Director. My predictions are Chloe Zhao for “Hamnet,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “One Battle After Another,” Jafar Panahi for “It Was Just an Accident,” Ryan Coogler for “Sinners,” and Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value.”
While all of these films were impeccable and each director did a great job, I think that Anderson will win for Best Director. This will be Anderson’s first win for Best Director; however, he has been nominated multiple times.
best picture
This year was full of movie releases, leading to so many possible Best Picture nominees. My predictions for the ten nominations are “Frankenstein,” “Wicked: For Good,” “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “One Battle After Another,” “Marty Supreme,” “Sentimental Value,” “Begonia,” “It Was Just an Accident” and “Jay Kelly.”
Out of all of these phenomenal pictures, I think that “One Battle After Another” will bring home the award. It gained a lot of attraction this year for its storyline, and had one of the highest turnouts for the theater in 2025, besides “Wicked: For Good.”
As the 2026 Oscars inch closer, one thing is certain: the race will keep going. Performances we haven’t yet seen, campaigns still gearing up and the unpredictable momentum of awards season will reshape the landscape in ways the industry can’t fully anticipate. But that’s part of the thrill, watching the industry’s biggest night come into focus one surprise, one standout performance and one breakout film at a time.