The 98th Academy Awards was a night of historic triumphs and missing icons, but perhaps no absence was more celebrated than that of Hailee Steinfeld.
While her genre-bending blockbuster Sinners led the evening with a record-breaking 16 nominations, the 29-year-old actress watched the ceremony from home as she prepares to welcome her first child with husband and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Steinfeld, who has been a mainstay of the 2026 awards circuit, confirmed via her “Beau Society” newsletter that she chose to prioritize the imminent arrival of her baby over the red carpet, describing the final days of her pregnancy as a “grounding and introspective” experience.
The night’s emotional peak came during the Best Actor presentation, when Michael B. Jordan secured his first-ever Oscar for his dual role as twins Smoke and Stack in the Ryan Coogler-directed epic.
As Jordan stood at the podium, he ensured his co-star’s presence was felt inside the Dolby Theatre.
“Hailee’s at home, she’s getting ready to have a baby right now,” Jordan told the audience during his acceptance speech. “Thank you so much for being the other half of Stack. I love you.”
Jordan’s victory makes him only the sixth Black actor to win in the category and the first to win for portraying identical twins, a feat he dedicated to the “giants and ancestors” who paved his way.
A historic night for Sinners
Although the Best Picture prize ultimately went to Paul Thomas Anderson’sOne Battle After Another, the Sinners team still walked away with four major accolades.
Along with Jordan’s historic win, the film secured trophies for Best Original Screenplay (Ryan Coogler), Best Original Score (Ludwig Goransson), and a groundbreaking win for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who became the first woman and first Black person to win Best Cinematography.
The film’s impact on 2026 cinema was undeniable, with Michael B. Jordan noting that the recognition was a testament to the “original ideas and culture” that the production team worked tirelessly to bring to the screen.
For Steinfeld and Allen, the conclusion of the awards season marks the beginning of their most significant role yet.
The couple, who married in May 2025 and announced their pregnancy in December, have shared glimpses of their journey through social media and personal newsletters, with Steinfeld joking about the “emotional” process of choosing nursery furniture.
Josh Allen, enjoying the NFL offseason, recently expressed his excitement about becoming a father, calling it the most important role he will ever have.
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