The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026, delivered one of the most unforgettable moments in Oscars history: a tie in the Best Live Action Short Film category.
In a night already filled with glamour, suspense, and record-breaking wins, Hollywood witnessed a rare shared victory as The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva were both awarded the coveted Oscar.
Ties at the Oscars are exceedingly rare, making this moment both historic and exciting for film lovers worldwide.
As presenters announced the tie, the audience erupted in cheers, and the filmmakers stepped onto the stage to accept their statuettes, marking the seventh tie in Academy Awards history.
Ties have punctuated Oscars history in surprising ways, often leaving fans and the industry buzzing:
- 1932 – Best Actor: Wallace Beery and Fredric March shared the award.
- 1950 – Best Documentary Short Subject: A Chance to Live and So Much for So Little tied.
- 1969 – Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand famously shared the Oscar.
- 1987 – Best Documentary Feature and 1995 – Best Short Film (Live Action) also saw shared wins.
- 2013 – Best Sound Editing: Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty tied.
The live stage moment was electric. Presenter Kumail Nanjiani opened the envelope, paused for dramatic effect, and then announced:
“It’s not a joke — it’s actually a tie.”
First, The Singers’ team of director Sam A. Davis and co-creator Jack Piatt walked up to accept their award. Their speech highlighted the importance of storytelling in short-form cinema and celebrated the collaborative efforts behind their project.
Next, Two People Exchanging Saliva’s filmmakers, Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, took the stage to share their gratitude and reflect on the creative journey that brought their film to life.
Both teams received individual Oscars, as the Academy ensures each winner is honoured with their own statuette in the rare event of a tie.
The stage moment also included light-hearted interactions, including laughter over timing issues during acceptance speeches.
The Oscars’ voting system is designed to produce clear winners, so ties are uncommon. When they do occur, it’s typically because two nominees receive exactly the same number of votes, a statistical anomaly given the Academy’s thousands of voters.
For audiences, ties add drama, surprise, and a sense of celebration for multiple creative voices being recognised simultaneously. For filmmakers, it’s a reminder that sometimes art cannot be ranked neatly, and excellence can coexist.
The tie announcement naturally became a trending topic on social media, with clips from the acceptance speeches circulating widely, cementing the event as one of the most memorable Oscars in recent memory.