Ballots are now in the hands of nearly 10,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, with a deadline of March 5th to submit their votes for the 98th Annual Academy Awards, set to take place on March 15, 2026. This year’s Oscar race has been unusually protracted, beginning almost eleven months prior with the April 17, 2025, release of “Sinners,” which garnered a record-breaking 16 nominations.
The Academy has implemented a new policy requiring voters to attest they have viewed all nominated films, either in theaters, through the Academy’s digital screening room, or by other means. This measure, according to sources within the Academy, aims to address concerns that a limited number of films dominate the nominations due to incomplete viewership among voters. The Television Academy has employed similar, though less formalized, systems in the past.
This year’s nominations reflect a concentrated field, with just 30 films represented across 20 categories, excluding short film and documentary feature categories. Half of those 30 titles received only a single nomination. Eliminating the Animated Feature and Makeup/Hairstyling categories further narrows the field to just 15 films with multiple nominations, indicating a significant disparity in attention among contenders.
The shift towards fewer films dominating the nominations has prompted the Academy to seek greater transparency from its members. The new attestation requirement is intended to level the playing field, though its effectiveness remains to be seen. The success of a campaign, or the backing of a distributor like Neon – which secured four of the five nominations in the Best International Film category – remains a significant advantage for contenders.
The acting categories demonstrate this concentration particularly starkly. Eleven of the twenty acting nominations are attributed to just three films: “One Battle After Another” (4 nominations), “Sentimental Value” (4 nominations), and “Sinners” (3 nominations). The Academy’s voting process allows individual branches to nominate, but the final vote is cast by the entire Academy, provided members verify they have seen the nominated films. This gives nominees from widely recognized films a distinct advantage.
Despite the odds, several actors are hoping to overcome the limitations of lesser-known films. Ethan Hawke has received praise for his performance in “Blue Moon,” but the film only received two nominations. Kate Hudson’s performance in “Song Sung Blue” is supported by a campaign from Focus Features, but she faces strong competition from Jessie Buckley in “Hamnet,” also distributed by Focus Features. Rose Byrne, nominated for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” is hoping to leverage wins at the Golden Globes and Indie Spirits, despite her film’s limited visibility. Amy Madigan, nominated for “Weapons,” is the sole representative of that film, a horror title that rarely garners Oscar attention.
Historically, winning an acting Oscar with a single nomination is rare. Forest Whitaker was the last Best Actor winner with a single nomination, for “The Last King of Scotland” in 2006. Julianne Moore achieved the same feat in 2014 with “Still Alice.” Penelope Cruz won Best Supporting Actress for “Vicki Cristina Barcelona” in 2007, a film from a director with a strong track record at the Academy.
Oscar voting continues through Thursday, March 5th at 5pm PT. The 98th Annual Academy Awards will air on ABC and Hulu at 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
