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The Oscars' First New Category in 24 Years Finds Its Winner With 'One Battle After Another'

The Academy introduced its first new Oscar category in over two decades, Best Casting, and awarded the inaugural prize to Cassandra Kulukundis for the film *One Battle After Another*. Kulukundis, a longtime collaborator with director Paul Thomas Anderson, has cast all of his major features since *Magnolia* (1999). The winning film earned 13 nominations, marking Anderson’s first Oscar win. The new category underscores the growing industry appreciation for casting’s role in filmmaking.