‘Sinners’ Dominates Oscar Nominations but Faces Major Snubs at 2026 Academy Awards
The film “Sinners,” directed by Ryan Coogler, entered the 2026 Academy Awards with a historic number of nominations. While the film secured several major wins, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan, a number of key categories ended in surprising snubs.
The “Oscars So White” movement reached a viral fever pitch in 2015, calling attention to the Academy Awards’ lack of diversity in nominations. Eleven years later, the 2026 ceremony boasted 16 nominations for one celebrated film: “Sinners.” While the vampire horror film was the most-nominated movie in Oscar history, the night seemed poised to be a defining moment in Black history.
However, it quickly became evident that snubs would reshape what many hoped would be a historic sweep. And we could not ignore the cringe. Host Conan O’Brien delivered a mix of hit-or-miss jokes while moments like the mildly funny “Intrusive” YouTube ad featuring Jane Lynch probably should have been titled “Annoying.” At times, viewers wondered if they had missed the joke; at others, they just wished they could fast-forward live TV.
Perhaps all the awkwardness foreshadowed that “Sinners” would be in for major snubs, even as it managed to snag a few big wins.
Moment: ‘Sinners’ Onstage Performance
For a brief moment, it looked like the night would belong to “Sinners.” The iconic juke joint dance scene took the stage with a flawless performance of “I Lied to You,” featuring two of the songwriters, Raphael Saadiq and Miles Caton, who played Sammy. The ensemble of actors, musicians and dancers included legendary Blues singers Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy, ballerina Misty Copeland and singer-songwriter Shaboozey.
The performance set the bar high, but later “I Lied to You” failed to take home the award in the Best Original Song category.
Snub: Best Supporting Actress
Teyana Taylor attends the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
This year, two first-ever Oscar nominees were in the running for Best Supporting Actress — Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”) and Wunmi Mosaku (“Sinners”). Nominated for her portrayal of revolutionary leader Perfidia, Taylor was the frontrunner, but Mosaku’s characterization of Annie, a Hoodoo practitioner who was also Smoke’s lover, garnered notable attention. Both lost to “Weapons” star Amy Madigan, who took to the stage with a sweet, somewhat bumbling disbelief.
Snub: Best Supporting Actor
In one of the most disappointing losses, 73-year-old Delroy Lindo, who played Delta Slim in “Sinners” and has 40 films to his credit, lost to Sean Penn, whose performance in “One Battle After Another” took the Oscar … and Penn wasn’t even there! This was Lindo’s first-ever Academy Award nomination.
Snub: Best Casting
Another snub was in the Best Casting category, where Francine Maisler’s work on “Sinners” was overlooked. Maisler assembled a diverse ensemble, championing actors of color. Ultimately, the award went to Cassandra Kulukundis for “One Battle After Another.”
Snub: Best Costume Design
Ruth E. Carter is the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history across all categories. She could have become a triple-Oscar winner for “Sinners,” but lost in the “Best Costume Design” category to “Frankenstein.”
Snub: Best Director
Ryan Coogler would have made history as the first Black person to win Best Director. The seventh Black man to be nominated for the category, Coogler lost to Paul Thomas Anderson for “One Battle After Another.”
Snub: Best Picture
Ryan Coogler and his wife Zinzi Coogler share producing credits with Sevak “Sev” Ohanian for “Sinners.” The win could have been a household victory for the Cooglers, but instead it went to “One Battle After Another,” which had six awards and was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Win: Best Cinematography
Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman in history to win an Oscar for Best Cinematography. Her accomplishment, following her milestone as the first woman of color ever nominated, felt like long-overdue recognition in a night full of snubs. In her acceptance speech, she thanked Coogler, her husband and her adorable son. She also acknowledged every woman in the room in a heartfelt nod to sisterhood.
Win: Best Original Score
Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson won Best Original Score for “Sinners,” capturing the 1930s with a bluesy score that felt like a time capsule. It was his third win in the category. One of his previous wins was for “Black Panther” in 2019.
Win: Best Original Screenplay
Coogler claimed his first Oscar, winning Best Original Screenplay for “Sinners” in a high-stakes victory over fellow nominees like Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie for “Marty Supreme.” Coogler joined Jordan Peele as one of only two Black filmmakers to ever win in the category, both highlighting genre-bending storytelling.
Win: Best Actor
One of the night’s biggest awards left both fans and critics cheering for Michael B. Jordan, who won his first-ever Oscar for his dual performance as “Smoke” and “Stack” in Sinners. In a heartfelt speech, Jordan exclaimed, “God is good!” and thanked everyone — from his parents and siblings to director Ryan Coogler, whom he acknowledged as a brother — as well as the audiences who supported the film in theaters. In a powerful moment, he honored every Black actor who won the award before him. Jordan became the sixth Black man in history to win Best Actor and earned a standing ovation from the crowd … and many watching at home.
This article first appeared on The Root, read the full story here – https://www.theroot.com/cringey-2026-oscars-snub-the-heck-out-of-sinners-2000094243