After 40 years in the entertainment industry, Amy Madigan took home her first Oscar. The 75-year-old actor won Best Supporting Actress for her eerie role in Weapons at the 2026 Academy Awards.
The win set a new record for the longest gap between a nomination and a victory by any actress. Her playful speech, complete with a witchy cackle and a heartfelt tribute to husband Ed Harris, brought the crowd to its feet.
These 10 photos capture the milestones behind her record-breaking journey.
1. Amy Madigan Accepts Her Historic Oscar (2026)
At age 75, Madigan finally claimed her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and the win came four decades after her first nomination, setting a new record in the category.
Holding the statue at the Dolby Theatre, she celebrated the moment with humour by letting out a witchy laugh and joking about her on-screen character before dedicating the win to husband Ed Harris.
2. Aunt Gladys in Weapons
Madigan's Oscar-winning role in Weapons was brief but unforgettable.
Playing the parasitic witch Aunt Gladys, she appeared on screen for just 14 minutes yet delivered one of the most memorable supporting performances of the year.
Director Zach Cregger's horror hit relied on her unsettling presence, complete with a fiery wig and chilling expressions. Her character also marked a huge victory for the horror genre, as Madigan is the first actor to win an Oscar for a performance in a horror film.
While Natalie Portman won Best Actress in 2011 for Black Swan, the film was categorised as a psychological horror-thriller, rather than a traditional horror.
4. Red Carpet Moments with Ed Harris
Madigan is married to the celebrated and veteran actor Ed Harris, who was in attendance at the ceremony to show his support for his wife. Madigan had shared multiple quiet red-carpet moments with him.
The couple, married since 1983, have long been one of Hollywood's most enduring partnerships. In her acceptance speech, Madigan dedicated the award to Harris, thanking him for standing by her through a career that has spanned decades.
5. Celebrating Backstage With Fellow Stars
Moments after winning, Madigan celebrated backstage with fellow awardees Jesse Buckley and Michael B. Jordan. The trio laughed and hugged while posing for photos with the Oscar statue.
6. Supporting Ed Harris at His Walk of Fame Ceremony
In this photo, Madigan stands proudly beside Ed Harris when he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.
The couple's long-standing support for each other has been a constant throughout their careers, with Harris later returning the favour by cheering her on during her historic Oscar win.
7. The SAG Awards Win
Before the Oscars, Madigan's performance in Weapons had already begun sweeping awards season.
At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, she won Best Supporting Actress and jokingly mimicked a scene from the film while accepting the trophy. The playful moment hinted that a bigger win might soon follow.
8. Talking Weapons at a New York Screening
Weeks before the Oscars, Madigan attended a special screening of Weapons at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York.
Joined by moderator Esther Zuckerman, she spoke about developing the unsettling character of Aunt Gladys. The event helped build buzz around her performance during the final stretch of awards season.
9. A Family Moment at the Golden Globes
Madigan appeared at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards with Ed Harris and their daughter Lilly. The actress lost the award to Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another.
10. Career Highlights
Long before her Oscar victory, Madigan had already left a mark on Hollywood through beloved films like Field of Dreams, Places in the Heart and Love Child.
Her work in these classic dramas remains among the most recognised roles of her career.
Madigan's Oscar for Weapons stands out for the brevity of her role. Lasting only about 14 minutes of screen time, it is one of the shortest performances ever to win Best Supporting Actress.
