'Weapons' Defies the Academy Awards' Bias for Horror With Historic Win for Amy Madigan

3 weeks ago 11

Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in the kitchen in 'Weapons'

Published Mar 15, 2026, 7:24 PM EDT

A cinematic obsessive with the filmic palate of a starving raccoon, Rob London will watch pretty much anything once. With a mind like a steel trap, he's an endless fount of movie and TV trivia, borne from a misspent youth of watching monster movies on TV, perusing the sun-faded goods at the local video rental shop, and staining his fingers with ink from the Video Movie Guide. Areas of interest include science fiction, film noir, horror flicks, '70s disaster pictures, Bond movies, '90s action, giant robots, dinosaurs, super heroes, and the exuberantly schlocky output of Cannon Films. He also enjoys both Star Trek and Star Wars when they're good, and maybe even more when they're bad. As a Canadian, he also has a vested interest in Canadian movies and TV shows, especially the cheesier ones dubbed "Canuxploitation."

An expert on Marvel Comics, he has also written for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, and is a member of the Marvel Research Team. He can frequently be found pontificating on comic-book continuity or bemoaning the misfortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs on his Twitter account.

The 98th Academy Awards are tonight, and things have gotten off to a great start as Amy Madigan has taken home the trophy for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Weapons. This is Taylor's 2nd nomination and 1st win, marking a historic moment for the iconic star who has over 40 years between her nomination for Weapons and her first nomination for Twice in a Lifetime — the longest ever period of time between nominations for an Academy Award nominee in history. It is also the 1st and only nomination for the film, but it is still a big win for the horror genre, which has often been cast aside at the historic award show.

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Who Were the Other Nominees for Best Supporting Actress?

Sentimental Value had two nominees this year, with Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas nominated for her role as the estranged daughter of a Norwegian director, and Elle Fanning for her role as an American movie star. Wunmi Mosaku was one of the many nominees from the period vampire thriller Sinners; she plays Annie, the estranged wife of musician Smoke. Teyana Taylor earned a nod for her role as ex-revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills in One Battle After Another. Madigan is the only Best Supporting Actress nominee this year to have a previous Oscar nomination; she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1985 for her performance in Once in a Lifetime, but lost to Anjelica Huston in Prizzi's Honor.

In the lead-up to the Oscars, there was no clear frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress. Madigan won the Actor Award from the Screen Actors Guild, while Taylor took home the Golden Globe; meanwhile, Mosaku triumphed at the BAFTA Awards.

The Academy Awards have just kicked off, so stay tuned to Collider for future updates.