Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley emerged as the top winners at the Academy Awards, taking home the Oscars for best actor and best actress respectively for their performances in Sinners and Hamnet.
Jordan secured his first Oscar for portraying twin brothers Smoke and Stack in the blues-infused supernatural drama set in 1930s Mississippi.
The film, which received a record 16 nominations at the ceremony, marked another successful collaboration between Jordan and filmmaker Ryan Coogler.
Accepting the award, Jordan reflected on the long journey that led to the moment and acknowledged the Black actors who paved the way before him, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith.
Jordan became only the sixth Black actor to win the best actor Oscar.
His win was announced by last year’s winner Adrien Brody, prompting loud applause inside the Dolby Theatre.
The other nominees in the category included Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent.
Jordan’s career has been closely tied to Coogler since their first collaboration in Fruitvale Station in 2013, which was followed by projects such as Creed and Black Panther.
Before his film breakthrough, he gained early recognition on television with roles in The Wire, All My Children and Friday Night Lights.
Jordan later shared the screen with Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther, and had previously dedicated an award earlier this year to his late friend.
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Meanwhile, Buckley won her first Oscar for her emotionally powerful portrayal of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare, in Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao.
Her performance, widely praised for its emotional depth, had already earned her major honours throughout the awards season, including victories at the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA Awards and Critics Choice Awards.
Taking the stage to accept the award, Buckley laughed before beginning her speech and dedicated the honour to mothers, noting that it was Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom. The Irish actor also made history as the first performer from Ireland to win the best actress Oscar.
Buckley triumphed in a competitive category that included Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, two-time winner Emma Stone for Bugonia and Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue.
The ceremony celebrated two standout performances from actors whose work dominated the awards conversation this season, marking a major career milestone for both Jordan and Buckley.
