Michael B. Jordan Upsets at Actor Awards
Michael B. Jordan shocked pundits by winning Best Actor for "Sinners" at the 2026 Actor Awards, beating heavily favored Timothée Chalamet. The vampire drama also won Outstanding Performance by a Cast, positioning it as a major Oscar contender. Jessie Buckley took Best Actress for "Hamnet" while Harrison Ford received a lifetime achievement award.
In "Sinners," Jordan plays twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, in a supernatural thriller set in the 1930s Jim Crow South. The film, which blends horror elements with historical drama, marks his latest collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, a partnership that has included "Fruitvale Station," "Creed," and "Black Panther". The victory for "Sinners" continues its strong awards season performance, which includes a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations. Jordan's win for Best Actor is his third Actor Award, adding to his previous nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA for the same dual-role performance. The actor widely favored to win, Timothée Chalamet, was nominated for his role as table tennis player Marty Mauser in "Marty Supreme". This was Chalamet's ninth Actor Award nomination; he won in the same category last year for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in the biopic "A Complete Unknown". Best Actress winner Jessie Buckley has also been sweeping this awards season, previously winning a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her role in "Hamnet". In the film, directed by Chloé Zhao, Buckley portrays Agnes Shakespeare, the wife of William Shakespeare, as they grieve the death of their son. The lifetime achievement award recipient, Harrison Ford, is the 61st actor to receive the honor. The 83-year-old actor received a standing ovation before accepting the award from presenter Woody Harrelson. Ford's previous career honors include the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2000 and the Golden Globes' Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2002.
