Paul Thomas Anderson has gone from Oscar nominee to Academy Award winner, as his film One Battle After Another won best adapted screenplay at the 2026 Oscars.
“I owe a huge debt of adoration and love to Thomas Pynchon,” he began his speech, paying tribute to the novelist behind the 1990 novel Vineland, which loosely inspired One Battle After Another.
“Any writer knows that … your special thanks is really to your family and the people that you share a roof with that put up with what it means to live with a writer,” Anderson said. “I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them, but also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”
The award marks PTA’s first Oscar. Also securing his first Academy Award was Ryan Coogler, whose movie Sinners won best original screenplay.
During his speech, Coogler thanked the academy for recognizing the film and his fellow nominees for “the gifts that your movies were and for y’all friendship over the past couple years and months.” He expressed gratitude to Warner Bros., the cast and crew of Sinners, his parents, producer Sev Ohanian and his partner, Zinzi Coogler, whom he called “the best mom and wife in the world.”
“Every day I get to spend with you is better than the one that came before it,” he said to Zinzi. He then shared a message to his children. “I apologize for all the time away. Dad loves you. Memories are all we have. I hope I give you some great ones,” he said. “When y’all blessed to live a long life, and dad becomes just a memory, I want y’all to remember this one thing: I love y’all more than anything.”
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