Oscar Winners Capture Joyful Moments in Backstage Photobooth
Fresh from their triumphant victories at the 98th Academy Awards, Oscar winners Jessie Buckley, Michael B. Jordan and Amy Madigan gathered for celebratory photobooth snaps backstage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The candid photographs captured the raw emotion and jubilation of the winners moments after leaving the stage.
Top Acting Winners Share Intimate Celebration
Best Actress winner Jessie Buckley, 36, lifted her statuette triumphantly while Best Actor winner Michael B. Jordan, 39, rested his head on Amy Madigan's shoulder. Madigan, who won Best Supporting Actress, thrust her golden award toward the camera in a moment of pure elation. The three winners, representing the top acting categories of the evening, shared this intimate celebration captured by a specially designed backstage photobooth installation.
In other behind-the-scenes moments, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson posed proudly with his three Oscars, including the coveted Best Director award. Anderson was later seen grinning broadly as he and producer Sara Murphy inspected the photobooth print-outs, savoring their historic night.
'One Battle After Another' Dominates Awards Ceremony
The evening belonged to One Battle After Another, which concluded the 2026 awards season by winning Best Picture. The Leonardo DiCaprio-led film about ex-revolutionaries reuniting to rescue a comrade's daughter earned six Oscars total, the most of any film that night. Paul Thomas Anderson accepted the top prize alongside Teyana Taylor and the rest of the cast and crew.
The American black comedy action-thriller triumphed over a highly competitive field that included:
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
Major Upset in Best Actor Category
The most talked-about moment of the ceremony came when Michael B. Jordan shocked the awards season by upsetting favorite Timothée Chalamet to win Best Actor for his dual role in Ryan Coogler's film Sinners. Jordan portrayed both brothers Elijah 'Smoke' Moore and Elias 'Stack' Moore in the vampire-themed thriller about siblings returning to their hometown.
The 39-year-old actor appeared in disbelief as he walked to the stage, where he was greeted by last year's winner Adrien Brody. Jordan's victory came against a formidable field that included:
- Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme
- Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another
- Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon
- Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent
Buckley Continues Winning Streak
Jessie Buckley continued her remarkable awards season success by earning Best Actress for her work in Hamnet. The Irish actress, looking stunning in an off-the-shoulder pink and red dress, triumphed over strong competition including:
- Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
- Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue
- Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
- Emma Stone - Bugonia
Notable Wins and Absences
Amy Madigan, 75, took home the first award of the night, winning Best Supporting Actress for her work in Zach Cregger's supernatural mystery horror film Weapons. The veteran actress prevailed in one of the most contentious categories of the evening.
In a notable absence, Sean Penn earned his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his work in One Battle After Another but was not present to accept the award. His name was announced by Kieran Culkin to an empty spot in the auditorium.
Other significant wins included:
- Ryan Coogler finally earning his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Sinners
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw's touching win for Best Cinematography for Sinners
- The groundbreaking win for KPop Demon Hunters as Best Animated Feature Film
From UK Weddings to Hollywood's Biggest Night
The exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs were captured by The Flash Pack, a South London-based creative production company with humble beginnings. Founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife team Tyson and Victoria Benton, the company started with a single photobooth transported in the back of a van to weddings across the UK.
Now employing 17 staff members, The Flash Pack reached the pinnacle of their industry when the Academy invited them to design and install the backstage photobooth at the Oscars ceremony.
Tyson Benton explained their creative approach: "The creative reference point was the now famous Ellen DeGeneres Oscars selfie, a candid image that became one of the most shared moments in Academy Awards history. We were thrilled to be able to get three of the biggest winners of the night together for some celebratory photos."
The team designed the photobooth to give winners a space for authentic photographs immediately after leaving the stage. Benton reflected on their journey: "When we started out, we were putting the photo booth into the back of a van and heading to weddings in places like Stevenage and Norwich. Now we're working with the Academy Awards in Los Angeles covering the biggest showbiz event in the world."
The resulting collection of exclusive photographs shows Oscar winners celebrating in an unfiltered environment rarely seen by the public, capturing genuine moments of glory from Hollywood's most prestigious night.
