Oscars 2026: Rare tie is only the 7th in Academy history

In a surprising turn at Sunday night’s 98th Academy Awards, the Best Short Live Action Film category ended in a tie, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva both claiming the coveted prize.

The unusual result prompted a mix of laughter and applause from the audience. “It’s a tie, wow, we didn’t know that could happen,” said The Singers director Sam A. Davis alongside producer Jack Piatt. The 18-minute musical comedy celebrates the unifying power of music and art in a disconnected world.

The 36-minute French-language dystopian film Two People Exchanging Saliva, co-directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh, also took the stage to accept their award. Singh delivered part of his speech even after the microphone was cut and stage lights dimmed, saying, “We believe that art can change people’s souls… through theatre, ballet, and creativity.” Musteata described the recognition as “such a dream.”

"It's a tie, I'm not joking, it's actually a tie," said Kumail Nanjiani, who was presenting the award.

"Everyone calm down, we're going to get through this, focus up," Nanjiani told the laughing crowd, before saying he would announce one winner, let them have their moment, and then announce the other.

"Ironic that the short film Oscar's going to take twice as long," he joked.

Ties at the Oscars are rare. This marks only the seventh in nearly a century, joining moments such as Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty sharing Best Sound Editing in 2013, and Katherine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand sharing Best Actress in 1969.

Other notable Academy Award ties include Best Feature Documentary in 1987 and Best Short Film (Live Action) in 1995, illustrating that while uncommon, ties remain part of Oscar history.