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Songwriters behind Kpop Demon Hunters' "Golden" had their acceptance speech cut short during the 2026 Oscars on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
"Golden" Singer EJAE Reveals What She Would’ve Said During Oscars 2026 Speech Before Mic Cut
Not everything was golden at the 2026 Oscars.
The producer behind the March 15 ceremony addressed backlash over how the songwriters of "Golden" from Kpop Demon Hunters—which won Best Original Song, making it the first-ever K-pop track to receive the honor—were forced to cut their acceptance speech short. (Click here to see all the celebs on the red carpet.)
After performer Ejae stepped away from the microphone to allow another one of her fellow songwriters speak, the orchestra began to play them offstage as the telecast went to commercial break.
"One thing, as we post mortem for next year, will be to look at how we’re handling speeches,” Rob Mills—the executive vice president, unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television—told Variety in a March 16 interview. “I don’t know what the most elegant solution is, but it’s obviously something we should look really, really long and hard at."
After all, Mills understands how "difficult" it must be "cutting somebody off and it’s their one moment."
"Do we need to look at it and say, OK, designate one person to speak," he continued. "Maybe you continue it backstage, and we have a feed on social or something like that."
Whatever the case may be next year, Mills hopes to find "the most elegant solution" that will allow all winners to have their time in the spotlight.
Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images
But the "Golden" songwriters weren't the only ones who faced difficulties in getting their speeches in at the Conan O'Brien-hosted award show. After a historical tie in the Best Live Action Short Film category, Two People Exchanging Saliva filmmaker Alexandre Singh, who was asked to deliver his speech following the producers of The Singers, had his time cut short.
In fact, the microphone started to lower down into the stage just as he approached it.
"I just want to say congratulations to both winners. You just ruined 22 million Oscar pools," O'Brien quipped following the technical gaffe. "I know we're tight, but to retract a microphone on a man as he's speaking is hilarious."
For more winners at the 2026 Oscars, read on.
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
WINNER: One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Actress in a Leading Role
WINNER: Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
Emma Stone - Bugonia
Actor in a Leading Role
Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon
WINNER: Michael B. Jordan - Sinners
Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent
Actress in a Supporting Role
Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value
WINNER: Amy Madigan - Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku- Sinners
Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another
Actor in a Supporting Role
Benecio Del Toro - One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo - Sinners
WINNER: Sean Penn - One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård - Sentimental Value
Director
Chloé Zhao - Hamnet
Josh Safdie - Marty Supreme
WINNER: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier - Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler - Sinners
Original Screenplay
Blue Moon
It Was Just An Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
WINNER: Sinners
Costume Design
Avatar: Fire and Ash
WINNER: Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Original Song
"Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless
WINNER: "Golden" from KPop Deamon Hunters
"I Lied to You" from Sinners
"Sweet Dreams of Joy" from Viva Verdii
"Train Dreams" from Train Dreams
International Feature Film
The Secret Agent
It Was Just an Accident
WINNER: Sentimental Value
Sirat
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Live Action Short Film
Butcher's Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen's Period Drama
WINNER (Tie): The Singers
WINNER (Tie): Two People Exchanging Saliva
Documentary Short Film
WINNER: All the Empty Rooms
Armed Only With A Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Children No More: "Were and Are Gone"
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly a Strangeness
Original Score
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
WINNER: Sinners
Visual Effects
WINNER: Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Cinematography
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
WINNER: Sinners
Train Dreams
Film Editing
F1
Marty Supreme
WINNER: One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Production Design
WINNER: Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Adapted Screenplay
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
WINNER: One Battle After Another
Train Dreams
Documentary Feature Film
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
WINNER: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbor
Casting
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
WINNER: One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners
Animated Short Film
Butterfly
Forevergreen
WINNER: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters
Makeup & Hairstyling
WINNER: Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Animated Feature Film
Arco
Elio
WINNER: Kpop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Sound
WINNER: F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirat
Watch the Oscars 2026 Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and streaming on Hulu.
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