S26 - Ep 11 - 98th Oscars - Original Score

As Oscar night draws near, Below the Line turns to one of the most emotionally powerful — and hotly debated — categories of the year: the Academy Award for Best Original Score.

In Episode 11 of our 2026 Oscar series, Skid is joined by returning panelists Chris Molanphy, Louis Weeks, and Jennie Armon to break down the five nominees recognized at the 98th Academy Awards: Bagonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Sinners.

With just over a week until the ceremony on March 15, the conversation balances prediction, perspective, and deep craft analysis — examining not only who might win, but what each score is attempting to accomplish.

The discussion covers:

• Jerskin Fendrix’s anarchic, genre-bending approach to Bagonia — and whether creative “broken communication” can be a feature rather than a flaw
• Alexandre Desplat’s lush, violin-forward score for Frankenstein and what makes it feel both classical and quietly subversive
• Max Richter’s restrained work on Hamnet, including the complicated legacy of “On the Nature of Daylight” and how previously composed music intersects with Oscar eligibility
• Johnny Greenwood’s immersive, pulse-driven soundscape for One Battle After Another — and why some scores only reveal their full power in context with picture
• Ludwig Göransson’s sweeping, thesis-driven score for Sinners, a front-runner that uses music not just to support story, but to make an argument of its own

Along the way, the panel debates what the Academy tends to reward in this category: traditional orchestral craftsmanship, avant-garde experimentation, cultural resonance, or sheer emotional impact. They also spotlight overlooked scores from the year and reflect on how film music continues to evolve — especially as composers move fluidly between pop, concert, and cinematic worlds.

As the 98th Academy Awards approach, this episode offers both a critical deep dive and a celebration of how music shapes the movies we love.

🎧 Press play — or watch the full conversation on YouTube — and join us Below the Line as our 2026 Oscar series heads into its final stretch. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.