Sam A. Davis won an award at Sunday night's Academy Awards for his short film, 'The Singers.'

It's a tie! But this surprising outcome for best short film is not completely unprecedented — Oscars ties have occurred before, most recently in 2013, when “Skyfall” and “Zero Dark Thirty” shared the

Oscars Best Live Action Short final predictions include a race between "Two People Exchanging Saliva," "The Singers" and "A Friend of Dorothy."

Follow Newsweek's live blog for your complete guide to the 2026 Oscars, from the best picture showdown to who’s performing.

Stars, including Spike Lee in a purple bow tie and matching hat, lit up the red carpet. Best picture, best actor and other top awards remain highly competitive. Brooks Barnes Hollywood’s top stars are arriving for the 98th annual Academy Awards, the industry’s biggest night. Elle Fanning, a supporting actress nominee for “Sentimental Value,” wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and fanned herself, summing up what other A-listers seemed to be thinking in the sunny, 83-degree weather. Fanning was dressed in a white Givenchy gown adorned with a Cartier diamond necklace meant to evoke wisteria, she told an interviewer. Nicole Kidman, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone were among the other stars navigating the 900-foot red carpet, along with Spike Lee, who was sporting a purple bow tie and matching purple hat. Security is always a priority. There were a one-mile perimeter of street closures around the Oscars theater, which is in a shopping mall along the Walk of Fame. “There’s eyes everywhere,” said Detective Jerry Arrieta of the Los Angeles Police Department, as he and other officers patrolled the perimeter. Unlike in recent years, when the top categories were essentially locked up, there are several tight races, including the one for best picture. Will the film academy’s 10,136 voting members choose Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” as the film to represent 2025 in the history books? It’s an adored movie that speaks to the cultural moment (political polarization, extremism, debates about identity). Some voters also view Anderson’s work as overdue for best picture canonization — none of his three previously nominated films won. The big trophy could just as easily go to Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” which is equally topical (the exploitation of Black culture, the resilience needed to survive systemic threats) and beloved, receiving 16 nominations overall, the most in Oscar history. Coogler’s movie was alo a major financial success, unlike “One Battle After Another.” Here’s what to know about the show: How to watch: The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. Eastern time, 4 p.m. Pacific time, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. You can watch the telecast on ABC and Hulu. The show is supposed to last three hours, but it has often run over — sometimes way over: The longest was in 2002, with a running time of 4 hours 23 minutes. A new category: For the first time, the Oscars will honor casting directors with a gold statuette. The nominees helped orchestrate a range of performances. “Marty Supreme” stars Timothée Chalamet but also a “Shark Tank” judge. “The Secret Agent” relies on a distinctive Brazilian cast. “Hamnet” features child actors. “One Battle After Another” relies on a starry ensemble cast. And “Sinners” showcases Michael B. Jordan in two roles. Down to the wire: Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”) is the runaway favorite for best actress, having already won at the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and other influential award ceremonies. But best actor is a nail-biter. Award prognosticators all view Chalamet, Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”) and Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) as plausible winners. Chanel, which does not officially have a men’s wear line, has recently proved a hit with some men, including ASAP Rocky (who is an official friend of the house), Harry Styles and, tonight, Pedro Pascal, who eschewed a jacket and instead went with a big white flower on his white shirt. After going very classic for the run-up awards in suits that easily could’ve been out of “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet ebbed back to his more audacious style tonight. He went head-to-toe white in a Givenchy by Sarah Burton suit and matching alabaster Chelsea boots. A stark (maybe too stark) swerve against all the black tie. With his shaggy haircut and blacked-out shades, the look was honestly a bit ’N Sync.