March 15, 2026Updated March 16, 2026, 1:03 a.m. ET
It’s been a long road to Oscar glory for Amy Madigan.
The “Field of Dreams” star, 75, has won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her creepy turn as the villainous aunt Gladys in the hit horror movie “Weapons.”
“This is great,” she said after cackling with glee upon taking the stage. “Everybody’s asking me, ‘Well, it’s been 40 years, what’s different about this time?’ Different is I have this little gold guy!”
It was the first Oscar win of Madigan’s career, which came 40 years after she was nominated for the first time in 1986 for her role in “Twice in a Lifetime.”
Amy Madigan breaks Oscars record with best supporting actress win for ‘Weapons’
This sets a new record for the longest amount of time between an actress’ first Oscar nomination and their first win, according to Gold Derby.
The previous record for longest Oscar nomination-to-win gap for an actress was held by Geraldine Page, who was nominated for best supporting actress for the first time in 1954 for “Hondo” and won best actress 32 years later, for “The Trip to Bountiful.”
Coincidentally, Page won her Oscar at the same 1986 ceremony where Madigan was nominated for the first time.
Amy Madigan says ‘Weapons’ role as Aunt Gladys was a ‘dream’
In her Oscar speech, Madigan described Gladys as a “dream part” and thanked “all the people who helped me get here,” adding that she was “flummoxed” and her legs were shaking.
Madigan’s win followed an opening sketch where Oscars host Conan O’Brien dressed as Aunt Gladys and ran through clips of the nominated movies while being chased by children, parodying the end of “Weapons.”
Madigan’s win is also a rare Academy Awards victory for the horror genre; she’s the first actor to win an Oscar for a performance in a horror movie since 2011, when Natalie Portman won best actress for “Black Swan.” Last year, Demi Moore was considered a strong candidate to win best actress for a horror movie, “The Substance,” but she ultimately lost to “Anora” star Mikey Madison.
The Academy has generally been reluctant to embrace horror movies at the Oscars throughout its history, but this year was an unusually strong showing for the genre. Between Madigan’s victory and Michael B. Jordan winning best actor for Ryan Coogler’s vampire film “Sinners,” 50% of the acting awards went to performances in horror movies.
What is ‘Weapons’ movie about?
In “Weapons,” which centers on the mysterious disappearance of a class of 17 children, Madigan earned rave reviews for her scene-stealing role as a witch who shows up late in the film and is revealed as the mastermind behind the horrific events.
Even though “Weapons” itself was not an Oscar juggernaut, receiving only one nomination, Madigan consistently racked up awards love throughout the season. She won best supporting actress at the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Actor Awards, and the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, and she was nominated for a Golden Globe.
Amy Madigan teases Aunt Gladys prequel after Oscar win
Madigan, speaking to reporters following her win, said she “loved” the “Weapons” script the moment she read it and that she felt connected to Aunt Gladys.
“As soon as I read it, I knew this woman. I knew a lot about her, I just knew I could grab it by the throat. She’s pushed to the limit, she’s fighting for survival,” Madigan said, holding her shiny gold trophy. “She’s kind of inspiring in a strange way.”
When asked about an Aunt Gladys prequel, she said she believes her win might bode well for one. “He kind of said, ‘Yes, this is going to happen,’ but we know how long stuff takes, nothing is real until it is,” she said. “But if it worked out, that would be great. I trust [director] Zach [Cregger] and he’s got a lot of whack ideas.”
Speaking to USA TODAY in December after earning her Golden Globe nod, Madigan said the awards love “feels good, when you put it all in perspective of my life.”
She also reflected at the time, “It’s difficult for women in the business and it’s difficult for women when we get older. A lot of people, regardless of their age, really love acting and collaborating with other people. Just investigate all the opportunities that you have, even if they’re few and far between. Hope springs eternal in the mind of an actor!”
Contributing: Patrick Ryan