The 2026 Oscars named the best director among a group of highly regarded nominees. Paul Thomas Anderson ultimately won the Best Directing category for One Battle After Another during the Sunday, March 15, awards show at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. "You make a guy work hard for one of these," Anderson, 55, quipped at the beginning of his speech. "I really appreciate it." Anderson, who had previously been nominated for three best director Oscars but never won, went on to acknowledge his fellow nominees before joking that he was still happy to finally earn the honor.