Oscar! Oscar! Get ready for the biggest night in show business.

The 98th Academy Awards are Sunday, March 15, and will be livestreamed on Hulu for the first time, but don’t fret if you don’t subscribe to that because they’re also on ABC for free. It can also be watched on YouTube TV, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream.

What time, you ask?

The festivities begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. This year’s Academy Awards will be full of intrigue with several races wide-open and too close to call, but we’re doing it anyway.

If you want office bragging rights on Monday morning — to maybe go along with a little bit of moola — here are some predictions that might crown you king or queen of the Oscars office pool.

Don’t you dare mess around and deviate from the few Oscar locks: Jessie Buckley, Best Actress for “Hamnet,” and Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Director for “One Battle After Another,” among others. Instead, take a swing at a couple of mild surprises based on the current odds (a consensus from various prediction sites. These picks are your ticket to one shining moment (apologies, March Madness) among co-workers.

Best Supporting Actor: Stellan Skarsgård

Many pundits believe Sean Penn has this sewn up, and he’s won all of the meaningful awards leading up to this. But his public indoor smoking at The Golden Globes stunk in the eyes of many. Plus, he’s already won two Oscars, for “Mystic River” and “Milk.”

His top two challengers, in order, are Stellan Skarsgård for his touching role in “Sentimental Value” and Delroy Lindo, who was the anchor in “Sinners”.

I think one of those two will upset Penn, who may skip the ceremony, according to reports. Anyhow, go with Skarsgårdin in a major, high-ranking upset over Penn’s portrayal of Col. Lockjaw.

Best Supporting Actress: Tenya Taylor

Veteran actress Amy Madigan, 73, who is the wife of Ed Harris, is well-respected in Hollywood, and she delivers scene-stealers as a wild, likely psychotic and psychic sort of witch in the supernatural horror movie “Weapons.”

It’s a great performance, just the kind Academy voters adores. The problem, though, is that’s the only nomination the flick received.

Not the best sign.

Meanwhile, Taylor was magnificent as a bad-ass radical leftist in “One Battle After Another.” She plays Perfidia Beverly Hills (awesome name) and holds her own and then some with a movie that includes Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Benicio Del Toro.

Remember, Hollywood loves liberals, as people as well as actors and actresses in the roles they play. I’m calling Taylor in another upset, even though Madigan clearly has the momentum heading into Sunday night.

Best Picture: “Sinners”

“One Battle After Another” is still the heavy favorite (75% of bets at Kalshi are on it to win the night’s biggest prize.

However, “Sinners” has a record-setting 16 Academy Award nominations this year and has been gaining steam since mid-February. It also feels like one of those years when the Best Picture and Best Director (Anderson) awards will be split.

That’s happened five times in the past15 years:

Recent Best Picture/Director Splits

2022: “CODA” (Picture) / Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” (Director)
2018: “Green Book” (Picture) / Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma” (Director)
2016: “Moonlight” (Picture) / Damien Chazelle, “La La Land” (Director)
2013: “12 Years a Slave” (Picture) / Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity” (Director)
2012: “Argo” (Picture) / Ang Lee, “Life of Pi” (Director)

History repeats in 2026.

“Sinners” will be the winner.

Conclusion

The 2026 should be a fun night with Conan O’Brien serving as host for the second consecutive year, following his lauded maiden voyage in 2025 as the welcoming steward to all the nominees. Expect lots of awards for “Sinners” (which earned an Academy Award record 16 nominations) and “One Battle After Another” (13 nominations). So get your picks and wagers in and get ready for a care-free live event that’s second only to the Super Bowl in terms of worldwide viewership. Enjoy the show, y’all.

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