Television’s biggest night returned with the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, celebrating the best in television from standout stories, performances and creators of the year.
Mariska Hargitay, the longtime Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star and a three-time Emmy winner, was hosting the show. She was the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years, following Jane Lynch in 2011.
She opened the show with a musical tribute to television viewing, I Love TV Screens, sung to the tune of I Love Rock ’n’ Roll. A recorded start featured NBA champion Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks and actor Jennifer Coolidge. It continued inside the theatre with a group of dancers with TVs for heads.
“NBC is celebrating its 100th year, and I have been on Law & Order: SVU for all of them,” Hargitay said, who has starred in the show for 27 seasons.
Mariska Hargitay becomes the 4th woman in history to host the Emmy Awards
Widow’s Bay star Matthew Rhys won lead actor in a limited series early in the show Monday night for another show, The Beast in Me.
“This is a real shock, not least because the caliber and company of the actors in this program. We had a holy trinity of scribes in the glorious form of Daniel Pearle, Gabe Rotter, and Howard Gordon, who really brought out the beast in all of us,” he said as he accepted his award.
“We were guided so beautifully by Antonio Campos, but certainly led ferociously, fiercely, fervently by the incredible Claire Danes. Thank you for letting me join the mystery machine and bringing out the beast. You are an intimidating scene partner, but I’m very grateful for for all this,” Rhys added.
Rhys also made history at this year’s Emmy Awards for winning lead actor in a limited series and a comedy series during the same ceremony.
Matthew Rhys at the 78th Emmy Awards held at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images
The Apple TV horror comedy Widow’s Bay also broke the record for a comedy series with 14 awards including best comedy series.
Widow’s Bay banked eight awards at the Creative Arts ceremonies and six more during Monday’s broadcast.
It broke the comedy record set last year by The Studio when it won 13.
Rhys won best actor, Stephen Root won best supporting actor and Kate O’Flynn won best supporting actress. Katie Dippold won for writing.
The Pitt won the Emmy Award for best drama series for the second straight year on Monday night, along with best actor for star Noah Wyle.
HBO Max’s 24-hours-in-the-life-of-an-emergency-room series created by R. Scott Gemmill has now won for each of its first two seasons.
Hacks star Jean Smart won lead actress in a comedy for the fifth time, making her the first female performer to take home an Emmy for every season of a show.
“Just the men stay standing. The girls get to sit down,” Smart joked as she accepted the award. “I’m serious. Every time this happens, I think of the girls who are going: ‘I just got comfortable. Why she did have to —?’ You got your Spanx and your corset and your tape and your shoes that are cutting your toes off, going, ‘Oh my god. She’s not that good. You just stood up ’cause she’s old.”
Smart, 75, went on to dedicate her win to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs.
“It all begins and ends with them,” she added. “I love you guys so much. What a ride this has been.”
Jean Smart at the 78th Emmy Awards held at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images
Sally Field won the Emmy for lead actress in a limited or anthology series or TV movie for her portrayal of Tova Sullivan in the Netflix film, Remarkably Bright Creatures.
“This is not supposed to happen,” the 79-year-old actor said. “The story of an old woman, a young man, and an octopus doesn’t come around a lot.”
“I have been so grateful and so proud to be a part of this community — the arts — for 62 years or something,” she continued. “With art, we matter. Our voices matter. Our diversity, our unique story telling matters.”
She also gave a shout out to Canada, where the film was made, saying, “Blessed Canada, our neighbours, our friends.”
Sally Field accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ onstage during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles on September 14, 2026.
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Canadian actor Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy and contributions to Parkinson’s disease research.
“Thank you to everyone involved for this amazing and humbling honour, ” he said.
“Initially, I kept my Parkinson’s diagnosis a secret. I worried that it would affect my work and my relationship with audiences. Would they laugh if they knew I was sick? And then I was stunned by the support I got,” Fox continued.
“The support from all of you. It was so uplifting. It made me feel like I could keep doing this and I hadn’t lost what I do and they couldn’t take this away from me. And it’s because you stood up for me, and I really appreciate it,” he added.
Michael J. Fox accepts the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award onstage during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Find a list of the nominees and winners in the major categories, bolded below.
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Outstanding Drama Series
The Diplomat
The Gilded Age
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Paradise
**WINNER: The Pitt
Pluribus
Slow Horses
Your Friends & Neighbors
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Shrinking
**WINNER: Widow’s Bay
Lead Actor, Drama
Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo, Task
**WINNER: Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat
Lead Actress, Drama
Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
Chase Infiniti, The Testaments
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
**WINNER: Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
Zendaya, Euphoria
Lead Actor, Comedy
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man
Steve Carell, Rooster
**WINNER: Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders In The Building
Lead Actress, Comedy
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
**WINNER: Jean Smart, Hacks
Supporting Actor, Drama
Patrick Ball, The Pitt
Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt
Gerran Howell, The Pitt
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
**WINNER: Tom Pelphrey, Task
Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus
Supporting Actress, Drama
Taylor Dearden, The Pitt
Fiona Dourif, The Pitt
**WINNER: Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt
Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
Karolina Wydra, Pluribus
Supporting Actor, Comedy
Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
Paul W. Downs, Hacks
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Nick Offerman, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
**WINNER: Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
Michael Urie, Shrinking
Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Supporting Actress, Comedy
Dale Dickey, Widow’s Bay
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
**WINNER: Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Megan Stalter, Hacks
Jessica Williams, Shrinking
Guest Actor, Drama
Colman Domingo, Euphoria
**WINNER: Ernest Harden, Jr., The Pitt
Jeff Hiller, Pluribus
Jeff Kober, The Pitt
Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses
Bradley Whitford, The Diplomat
Guest Actress, Drama
Brittany Allen, The Pitt
Tal Anderson, The Pitt
Tina Ivlev, The Pitt
Miriam Shor, Pluribus
Merritt Wever, The Gilded Age
**WINNER: Shailene Woodley, Paradise
Guest Actor, Comedy
Michael J. Fox, Shrinking
Brett Goldstein, Shrinking
Hamish Linklater, Widow’s Bay
Christopher McDonald, Hacks
**WINNER: Rob Reiner, The Bear
Connor Storrie, Saturday Night Live
Guest Actress, Comedy
Leslie Bibb, Hacks
Jamie Lee Curtis, The Bear
**WINNER: Betty Gilpin, Widow’s Bay
Cherry Jones, Hacks
Laurie Metcalf, Hacks
Kaitlin Olson, Hacks
Lauren Weedman, Hacks
Outstanding Reality Competition Series
Dancing with the Stars
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor
Top Chef
**WINNER: The Traitors
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
All Her Fault
The Beast In Me
Beef
**WINNER: DTF St. Louis
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette
Outstanding Television Movie
Head of State
Miss You, Love You
People We Meet on Vacation
**WINNER: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War
Lead Actor, Limited Series or Movie
Riz Ahmed, Bait
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Oscar Isaac, Beef
**WINNER: Matthew Rhys, The Beast In Me
Lead Actress, Limited Series or Movie
Claire Danes, The Beast In Me
**WINNER: Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
Carey Mulligan, Beef
Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette
Sarah Snook, All Her Fault
Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie
Jason Bateman, DTF St. Louis
Richard Gadd, Half Man
**WINNER: David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
Richard Jenkins, DTF St. Louis
Charles Melton, Beef
Nick Offerman, Death by Lightning
Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie
**WINNER: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault
Joy Sunday, DTF St. Louis
Youn Yuh-jung, Beef
Constance Zimmer, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bissette
Christine Tremarco, Adolescence
Outstanding Variety Program
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
**WINNER: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Saturday Night Live
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— with files from The Associated Press
