Last Year's Acting Oscar Winners to Present at 98th Academy Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday that last year's winners of the top acting categories will serve as the first presenters at the 98th annual Academy Awards, set for March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Adrien Brody, Mikey Madison, Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña, who claimed the best actor, best actress, best supporting actor and best supporting actress honors, respectively, during the 2025 ceremony, will hand out trophies at the event, which will be hosted by Conan O'Brien for the second consecutive year.

The broadcast will air live on ABC and stream on Hulu, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time and 4 p.m. Pacific time. This tradition of having prior year's acting winners present awards in their categories dates back decades and underscores the ceremony's emphasis on celebrating cinematic continuity. Producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, in confirming the actors' participation, highlighted how such moments allow winners to "pass the baton" to the next generation of talent.

Madison's victory for her lead role in Anora, directed by Sean Baker, marked her first Oscar and contributed to the film's near-sweep, including the best picture...