Amy Madigan Wins Oscar For ‘Weapons,’ Ending 40 Year Wait For First Victory
Share
Amy Madigan has won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Weapons’, marking a historic moment at the 2026 Academy Awards.
The win didn’t just bring a standing ovation inside Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, it also set a new Oscars record, Madigan now holds the longest gap between a first nomination and first win for any actress, waiting 40 years and one month to finally take home the trophy.
Her first nomination came back in 1985 for ‘Twice in a Lifetime’, where she starred alongside Gene Hackman, Ann-Margret, and Ellen Burstyn (per Hollywood Reporter).
A standing ovation and a heartfelt speech
Madigan was visibly moved as she accepted the award, which was presented by last year’s winner Zoe Saldaña, the moment her name was announced, the crowd rose to its feet.
In her speech, Madigan joked about the usual Oscars advice not to thank too many people:
“We were advised not to rattle off a list of names because nobody knows who the hell those people are.”
Still, she leaned into the moment and thanked those who helped bring her performance to life, starting with ‘Weapons’ director Zach Cregger:
“Thank you for writing me a dream part and letting me grab it by the throat and we had a ball.”
She also acknowledged Warner Bros. executives Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca, along with the team at New Line, before giving a nod to her fellow nominees.
Madigan reflected warmly on the camaraderie she experienced during the awards season:
“When I was doing all the Weapons stuff, I was kind of traveling on my own and people from One Battle and people from Sinners and all the films, they just kind of gave me a hug and said, ‘Yeah, come on in and let us know you. You can know us.’”
A tribute to family and “all the dogs”
Madigan wrapped up the speech with a heartfelt dedication to her family.
“Ed has been with me forever, and that’s a long ass time. And none of this would mean anything if he wasn’t by my side.”
The actor also thanked her daughter Lily, her son-in-law Sean, and, memorably, “all the dogs.”
In ‘Weapons’, Madigan plays Aunt Gladys, a mysterious figure tied to the strange disappearance of 17 children in the film’s eerie storyline, the character’s unsettling look and presence quickly became one of the movie’s most talked about elements online.
Weapons trailer
The role has sparked renewed interest in Madigan’s decades-long career, and director Zach Cregger has already hinted that the story of Aunt Gladys may not be finished yet.
