The Oscars took place last Sunday March 15 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, and the nominee with the most buzz was, of course, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. The critically acclaimed vampire flick received a record setting 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards. Both Coogler and frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan received their first Oscar wins during the live event. Some viewers noticed the Black Panther director using American Sign Language during his acceptance speech, and there’s an awesome story as to why Coogler casually used the signing language throughout the night.
After some unexpected Golden Globe snubs, audiences were rooting for a Sinners sweep at the 2026 Academy Awards. While it fell short to One Battle After Another for Best Picture, Sinners took home Oscars in four other major categories: Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. Every time one of his collaborators took the stage, the camera would pan to Coogler, who would casually flash ASL signs for “I love you” and “Thank you.”
