Amy Madigan wins first Oscar for Weapons nearly 40 years after last nomination

Actor Amy Madigan won her first Academy Award on Sunday night, taking home the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in the horror hit Weapons.

Madigan received the award during the 98th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, earning the golden statuette for her portrayal of Aunt Gladys in the film. Her victory came early in the ceremony and quickly became one of the night’s memorable moments.

Amy Madigan talks about her #Oscar win: “Who would have thought this would end up like this because of Aunt Gladys?” pic.twitter.com/7wlNIfyguC

— Variety (@Variety) March 16, 2026

The win marks the first Oscar of Madigan’s career and comes nearly four decades after her previous nomination. She was last nominated in 1985 for her role as Sunny in Twice in a Lifetime, creating one of the longest gaps between nominations for an actress.

During her acceptance speech, Madigan drew laughter from the audience with a candid remark about preparing for the moment.

“I was in the shower last night trying to think of something to say as I was shaving my legs, and I went, I got pants on,” she joked on stage.

Madigan’s performance in Weapons had already gained strong recognition during awards season. Before the Oscars, she won best supporting actress honours at both the Critics Choice Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Conan O’Brien spoof references her character

Madigan’s character from Weapons also appeared in one of the ceremony’s opening comedy segments.

In a pre-recorded bit, host Conan O’Brien was shown wearing the character’s heavy Aunt Gladys makeup from the film. The segment featured him being chased by angry children, recreating a scene from the horror movie shortly before Madigan won the award.

Historic moment for Marquette University

Madigan’s Oscar win also marked a milestone for Marquette University, where she graduated in 1972.

According to the university, she is the first Marquette alum to win an Academy Award in an acting category. The university has previously been represented at the Oscars through production designer Adam Stockhausen, a 1995 graduate who won the Academy Award for best production design for The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Fans react online to Madigan’s Oscar moment

Madigan’s victory quickly sparked reactions online, with viewers celebrating both the performance and the long-awaited win.

Fans on social media praised her portrayal of Aunt Gladys in Weapons and the emotional moment of her first Oscar victory after decades in the industry.

I cannot believe anyone is shocked that Amy Madigan won an #Oscar. I feel like that win was locked in longer than OBAA.

— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) March 16, 2026

Fast food chain Wendy’s also joined the conversation with a playful congratulatory message on X, formerly Twitter.

“Congrats to our Aunt on winning Best Supporting Actress!” the brand wrote, referencing Madigan’s character in Weapons. The post included an image of a T-shirt replacing the traditional Wendy’s logo with the film’s title and featuring Aunt Gladys in place of the mascot.

Congrats to our Aunt on winning Best Supporting Actress! pic.twitter.com/5EVi2wrFcH

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) March 15, 2026

Madigan’s win stood out as one of the early highlights of the Oscars ceremony, which brought together Hollywood’s biggest names to celebrate the year’s most acclaimed films and performances.