The 2026 Oscars - Squish Edition
Something to celebrate after 30 years!
We don’t make enough time to reflect on our life journey. We usually save the effort for some milestone birthday, or a life-changing event. It can feel like there is no time for it because it doesn’t “contribute” to what you’re doing now but let’s stop and smell the flowers that bloomed in Hollywood Sunday night. The Oscars reflect the year in cinema. Granted, it is an exclusive group of people who decide - and it is not always aligned with the popular tastes of the general public. That said, my Oscar 2026 Winners List celebrates the winners whose communities I have traveled within, if even for a short time - to reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going on this cinematic adventure. These are the films I’ve touched in a small way…
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson (BOOGIE NIGHTS, INHERENT VICE, MAGNOLIA)
Ryan Coogler (CREED)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Timothée Chalamet (INTERSTELLAR)
Leonardo DiCaprio (J.EDGAR, THE BASKETBALL DIARIES)
Michael B. Jordan (CREED)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Rose Byrne (THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU, KNOWING)
Emma Stone (CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Benicio del Toro (INHERENT VICE)
Delroy Lindo (DOMINO, SAHARA)
Sean Penn (THE TREE OF LIFE, I AM SAM, BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, HURLYBURLY)
Stellan Skarsgård (DANCER IN THE DARK)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Elle Fanning (BABEL, I AM SAM)
Wunmi Mosaku (FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM)
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Ryan Coogler (CREED)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson (INHERENT VICE, MAGNOLIA, BOOGIE NIGHTS)
Guillermo del Toro (THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, BLADE 2)
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES - Original Score
Ludwig Goransson (CREED, WE’RE THE MILLERS)
Alexandre Desplat (THE SISTERS BROTHERS, ARGO, EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE, THE TREE OF LIFE, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, LIES & ALIBIS, BIRTH)
Jonny Greenwood (INHERENT VICE, PRISONERS)
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES - Original Song
Raphael Saadiq (with Goransson) (NEW YEAR’S EVE, STEP UP, LOVE & BASKETBALL)
CASTING
Cassandra Kulukundis (INHERENT VICE, HER, MAGNOLIA)
Nina Gold (HAPPY GO LUCKY, SAHARA, THE JACKET, VERA DRAKE)
Francine Maisler (VICE, THE SISTERS BROTHERS, CREED, BLACK MASS, THE TREE OF LIFE, BABEL, S1M0NE)
COSTUME DESIGN
Kate Hawley (THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY)
Ruth E. Carter (BAMBOOZLED, PRICE OF GLORY, LOVE & BASKETBALL, B.A.P.S.)
It’s interesting to see where things concentrate. Many shared credits with Alexandre Desplat and Francine Maisler. I noticed men seem to have a little more longevity as artists in front of the camera. Nothing revealing there. The oldest credit is shared with Ruth E. Carter. My favorite was because of the feeling I got being new to the industry and this film was BOLD-Diggler. My least favorite involved confusion of language that snowballed out of my reach. These are the artists I remember (you know of my great skill to forget). I may have missed some credits and names.
I concentrated on the list highlights because this took longer than I thought. Time slowed down as I started to remember the wins, the F-ups, and the Hail Marys. It helped me focus on this craft I have been working on most of my life. It’s been an unbelievable journey! Reflecting on this list makes me feel grateful for how things have evolved. Don’t wait too long to do a review of your highlights. Definitely don’t wait - before it is too late. You’ll see…reflection time is precious and necessary.
With this list in mind, I will keep cheering for cinema and the communities of talented people who labor in the name of this art. I’m optimistic we will continue to build communities with film - we all need more community right now.