Michael B. Jordan basked in Oscar glory, Timothée Chalamet dealt with loss

How Michael B. Jordan enjoyed Oscar success while others (Timothée Chalamet, Jacob Elordi) missed out. What you didn't see at the 98th Academy Awards.

LOS ANGELES — TV viewers were treated to a movie-fueled spectacular during Sunday’s 98th Academy Awards.

"One Battle After Another" won big with six Oscars, including best picture and best director for Paul Thomas Anderson. "Sinners" scored four wins, including best actor for Michael B. Jordan, whose acceptance speech soared amid a rousing Dolby Theater standing ovation.

But the real drama wasn’t on TV.

Here’s what USA TODAY saw behind the scenes — from the backstage media room, in the audience, and at the Oscar bars — and what you didn’t catch on the ABC broadcast hosted by Conan O'Brien (now streaming on Hulu).

Jordan rode to a strong finish in his first-ever Oscar win, overtaking a strong field that included onetime frontrunners Timothée Chalamet ("Marty Supreme") and Leonardo DiCaprio ("One Battle After Another"). When Jordan stepped from the roaring Dolby Theater crowd into the backstage media room, normally jaded journalists burst into a booming standing ovation — prompting the chuffed actor to ask, "What's up?" and hold his chest for a moment.