Oscars 2026: Paul Thomas Anderson wins first award Paul Thomas Anderson has won his first Academy Award in 14 nominations. 16 March 2026 Paul Thomas Anderson won his first Academy Award on Sunday (15.03.26) night. Paul Thomas Anderson won his first Oscar The 55-year-old filmmaker scooped the Best Adapted Screenplay award for One Battle After Another ahead of Bugonia' Will Tracy, Frankenstein's Guillermo del Toro, Hamnet' Chloe Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell, and Train Dreams' Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, and he admitted he was "incredibly honoured" by the recognition.