Pop Culture Happy Hour | 2026 Oscars Guide and What's Making Us Happy
Date: March 13, 2026
Hosts: Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon, Aisha Harris
Overview
The Pop Culture Happy Hour team delivers an in-depth guide to the 2026 Oscars, examining this year’s diverse nominees across Best Picture, major acting categories, and Best Director, along with insightful predictions on who will win and who should win. The episode also explores exciting Oscar trends, industry shifts, and heartfelt picks from the hosts. The show concludes with the beloved "What's Making Us Happy" segment, spotlighting joyful pop culture discoveries of the week.
Highlights and Key Discussion Points
The Evolving Oscars: Genre Diversity and Shifting Traditions
[00:26–01:24]
- The 2026 Oscars are marked by a notably diverse slate: sports dramas, sci-fi, horror, thrillers, musicals, and historical dramas.
- Glen Weldon hails genre inclusion as “progress,” noting, "This year is a genre fest. Sports movies. Sci fi, horror, action thriller, political thriller, and a couple historical dramas in there... I call that progress." [05:39]
- The Academy's nominations reflect changing tastes, breaking from old norms that favored prestige historical dramas and biopics.
Best Picture Analysis
Nominees:
- Marty Supreme (sports drama, Timothée Chalamet)
- F1 (sports, Brad Pitt)
- Begonia (comedy-thriller, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone)
- Frankenstein (horror, Guillermo del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac)
- The Secret Agent (international, Brazil)
- Sentimental Value (international, Norway)
- Hamnet (historical drama, Shakespeare, Jessie Buckley)
- Train Dreams (historical, Americana)
- Sinners (horror, Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan)
- One Battle After Another (action-thriller, satire, Paul Thomas Anderson, Leonardo DiCaprio)
Will Win vs. Should Win
[06:30–13:32]
- Glen Weldon predicts One Battle After Another will win due to its traditional appeal and how ranked choice voting favors broadly liked films.
“I think One Battle is gonna win because it is the traditional pick of the two frontrunners... You need everyone to kind of like your movie.” [06:30]
- Aisha Harris agrees, citing the “It’s Time” effect for director Paul Thomas Anderson.
- Stephen Thompson holds out hope for Sinners, noting its parallels to Everything Everywhere All at Once, strong critical and box office performance, and breadth of nominations.
“I feel like Sinners has an extraordinary amount of momentum right now for a movie that came out very early in the year... Both films made an enormous amount of money when they weren't necessarily expected to.” [10:07]
- All hosts agree that Sinners is their collective “should win” pick, citing artistry, energy, and cultural relevance.
Linda Holmes: “It's hard for me to argue against a movie that I believe is nominated in every category which it was eligible at all... the music is great, the visual effects are great, the costumes are amazing, the cinematography is amazing, the acting is amazing across a bunch of different roles.” [13:20]
Notable Quote:
- Aisha Harris: “I wish I had your optimism, Stephen. But also, we don't know, really. We're saying all these things, and we can predict it, and sometimes the Oscars does surprise us. So maybe it will turn out that it does win.” [12:30]
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
- Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
- Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
- Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
- Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
- Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
Predictions and Insights
[14:40–21:04]
- Aisha Harris and Glen Weldon predict Chalamet will win for Marty Supreme, crediting his “big, showy, campaign-heavy” performance, though acknowledging his recent campaign persona has been divisive.
- Stephen Thompson and Linda Holmes (and Aisha, as her personal wish) endorse Michael B. Jordan as “should win,” highlighting his nuanced work as twins in Sinners.
“He gives them distinct personalities where you can tell them apart... he's really kind of playing not just twins, but then he has to play a twin who has turned into a vampire. So there’s lots of layers. It’s not quite three characters, but it’s like two and a half.” — Aisha Harris [18:35]
Notable Moment:
- Glen Weldon describes Jordan’s acting:
“He creates two distinct characters... Before you process any of the visual cues of costume or anything, you know who you're looking at. Which becomes hugely important in the film when the poop hits the fan later on.” [20:31]
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
- Emma Stone (Begonia)
- Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)
- Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You)
- Renata Reinsveh (Sentimental Value)
- Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Insights
[21:12–28:38]
- All hosts agree Jessie Buckley (“should and will win”) for Hamnet, citing her powerful, emotionally immersive performance and cumulative body of work.
Stephen Thompson: “She is the giant concrete beam holding up this film.” [22:14]
- Rose Byrne’s performance in If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You garners strong praise as a “should win” pick for some.
- Aisha Harris singles out Renata Reinsveh (Sentimental Value) as her “should win,” valuing the complexity and subtlety of her character.
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees:
- Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value)
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value)
- Amy Madigan (Weapons)
- Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners)
- Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)
Predictions
[29:10–36:39]
- All pick Teyana Taylor (“will win”) for her dynamic, scene-stealing role and successful Oscar campaigning.
“She disappears for a really long stretch of this movie, but you never forget her face and you never forget her presence.” — Stephen Thompson [32:21]
- Amy Madigan (Weapons) cited as a favorite “should win” (Linda, Glen, Stephen): “I really love the idea of a performance that I just would not have even been able to conceive of until I saw it winning an award.” — Linda Holmes [33:22]
- Aisha Harris stands out, picking Elle Fanning’s multi-layered performance in Sentimental Value.
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees:
- Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another)
- Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)
- Delroy Lindo (Sinners)
- Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)
- Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)
Discussion
[37:12–42:24]
- Oscars might favor Sean Penn (“showy, committed performance”), but some hosts (Aisha, Stephen) predict a win for Stellan Skarsgård, referencing Academy resonance with the film's director/father theme.
- Universal agreement: Delroy Lindo (“should win”), praised for his magnetic, layered performance in Sinners.
“He pops off the screen every time he shows up, which is what you want from a supporting performance.” — Stephen Thompson [41:11]
- Jacob Elordi acknowledged for his uniquely physical, subtle take on Frankenstein’s creature.
Best Director
Nominees:
- Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
- Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
- Chloe Zhao (Hamnet)
- Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
- Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
Predictions
[42:55–47:16]
- Glen and Aisha: Paul Thomas Anderson (“It’s Time” effect and Academy tradition).
- Stephen and Linda: Ryan Coogler (“will and should win”), motivated by Sinners’ artistic achievement and the symbolic importance of potentially being the first Black director to win Best Director.
"It's never happened until it happens. Beyonce never won album of the year until she won album of the year… I'm going with my heart, man. I think it's Frank Coogler." — Stephen Thompson [46:50]
- Glen: “If we're gonna make long overdue history with this win, this is the film to do it with because it's kind of commenting on that history. It's also using genre elements to comment on something real.” [46:26]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “This year is a genre fest… I call that progress.” — Glen Weldon [05:39]
- “I just sat down with [Sinners] a few days ago and just reveled in how gorgeous it looks, how beautifully it's acted, how fun it is, how exciting it is. The musical centerpiece of this film is one of my favorite scenes in a movie in years.” — Stephen Thompson [10:07]
- “These awards, in the grand scheme of things, they don't really make any sense. So my choice is going to be one that doesn't necessarily come from logic…” — Aisha Harris, on Michael B. Jordan [18:35]
- “If Jessie Buckley wins… her body of work is so impressive, and I am always looking forward to whatever she is in.” — Aisha Harris [26:52]
- “The physicality of [Amy Madigan’s] role, the makeup, the wigs, is so potentially distracting that for the movie to work, you need the menace to establish it… And she nails that.” — Glen Weldon [34:21]
- “He pops off the screen every time he shows up, which is what you want from a supporting performance.” — Stephen Thompson on Delroy Lindo [41:11]
- “It's never happened until it happens.” — Stephen Thompson, on Coogler’s Oscar chances [46:50]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Oscars Genre Shift/Best Picture Discussion: [00:26–13:32]
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: [14:40–21:04]
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: [21:12–28:38]
- Best Supporting Actress: [29:10–36:39]
- Best Supporting Actor: [37:12–42:24]
- Best Director: [42:55–47:16]
- What's Making Us Happy: [48:04–52:55]
What's Making Us Happy This Week
[48:04–52:55]
- Glen Weldon: Praises the animated film Arco, a sci-fi adventure reminiscent of Miyazaki, with a fun English dub cast.
- Aisha Harris: Recommends Buddy Guy’s Tiny Desk concert, highlighting his performance with Miles Kayton from Sinners.
- Stephen Thompson: Highlights the charity benefit compilation Help 2, especially Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of “The Book of Love” and Aruj Aftab & Beck covering “Lilac Wine.”
- Linda Holmes: Enjoyed the so-bad-it’s-good Chris Pratt film Mercy, calling it a “good bad movie” full of giggle-worthy moments.
Final Thoughts
This episode provides a comprehensive and lively Oscars preview, balancing industry insight with personal passion. The hosts bring both expertise and humor, offering grounded predictions, honest enthusiasm, and warmth. Whether you’re making your own ballot or catching up on the buzz, this episode delivers everything you need to join the 2026 Oscar conversation.
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Letterboxd best-of lists: letterboxd.com/NPRpopculture