Leonardo DiCaprio captivated attendees at the 2026 Oscars with a striking new appearance, featuring noticeably darker hair and a prominent mustache. The 51-year-old actor arrived at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, drawing immediate attention on the red carpet while dressed in a classic tuxedo. Nominated for Best Actor in One Battle After Another, DiCaprio later joined model Vittoria Ceretti in the audience.
Fans React to DiCaprio’s Bold Makeover
Social media erupted with reactions to DiCaprio’s transformation. Many fans humorously noted the resemblance to Pedro Pascal’s usual facial hair, especially since Pascal appeared clean-shaven. One viewer tweeted: “Leonardo DiCaprio stole Pedro Pascal’s mustache and the ceremony hasn’t even started yet, I’m not ready.” Another simply called it a “porn stache.”
Additional comments included: “Pedro Pascal gave his mustache to Leonardo DiCaprio! #Oscars,” accompanied by a side-by-side photo. One fan observed, “Leonardo DiCaprio has a mustache and Pedro Pascal is clean shaven.” Others compared his look to comedian Shane Gillis or offered compliments like, “He’s actually attractive for an old man.” Supporters praised his style: “Leonardo DiCaprio owns the red carpet—classic black tux, bow tie, and that bold mustache giving major leading-man swagger. Timeless yet fresh; he’s ready to take home the gold.”
2026 Oscars Highlights
Conan O’Brien hosts the ceremony for the second consecutive year, following Jimmy Kimmel. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners leads with a record 16 nominations, the most in Academy Awards history. The horror film, set in 1930s Mississippi, follows twin brothers confronting supernatural evil and competes for Best Picture alongside Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Train Dreams.
Best Actor Category
Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) faces stiff competition from Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent). Chalamet earned early wins at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, but Jordan prevailed at the Actor Awards.
Best Actress and Supporting Races
Jessie Buckley leads Best Actress nominees for Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao, which explores Shakespeare’s family life. She competes against Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).
Best Supporting Actor includes Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn (One Battle After Another), Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), and Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value). Notable snubs: Paul Mescal, Adam Sandler, and Jesse Plemons.
Best Supporting Actress nominees: Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Amy Madigan (Weapons), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another). Ariana Grande and Gwyneth Paltrow were overlooked for Wicked: For Good and Marty Supreme, respectively.
Other Key Categories and New Award
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, a black comedy thriller, secured 13 nominations, including Best Director and acting nods for DiCaprio, del Toro, and Penn. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein earned nine nominations.
The Academy introduces Best Casting, with nominees: Nina Gold (Hamnet), Jennifer Venditti (Marty Supreme), Cassandra Kulukundis (One Battle After Another), Gabriel Domingues (The Secret Agent), and Francine Maisler (Sinners).
Full 2026 Oscars Nominees
Best Picture
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
Best Director
- Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
- Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
- Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
- Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
- Ryan Coogler – Sinners
The ceremony airs live on ABC at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, streaming on Hulu and other platforms.
