The 2026 Emmy Awards delivered a genuine piece of television history Monday night, as Mariska Hargitay became the first woman in 15 years to host the Primetime Emmys — and did it hours after winning two trophies of her own.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards aired live from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on NBC and Peacock, starting at 8 p.m. ET, honoring television released between June 2025 and May 2026. Hargitay, best known for playing Captain Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: SVU,” took over hosting duties during NBC’s 100th anniversary year, with the ceremony produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment.
A host with her own award-season storyline
Hargitay’s night carried extra weight because she wasn’t only presiding over the 2026 Emmy Awards — she was part of the story. Earlier this year, at the Creative Arts Emmys, she won Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program for “My Mom Jayne,” her film about her mother, actress Jayne Mansfield. She got the call asking her to host the main ceremony while backstage performing in the Broadway play “Every Brilliant Thing,” and has said the offer initially left her wondering if she was somehow in trouble.
Instead of a traditional roast-style monologue, Hargitay built her hosting approach around genuine affection for the television industry. The show opened with a pre-taped sketch — a song parody of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” retitled “I Love TV Screens,” featuring cameos from NBA star Jalen Brunson and “Hacks” star Jean Smart — before Hargitay walked onstage in a silvery-white gown to formally open the telecast.
Why this year’s format felt different
Rather than following the typical late-night-comedian playbook of recent Emmy hosts, Hargitay used her monologue to acknowledge the milestone directly, noting her pride in becoming the first woman to lead the ceremony in 15 years. She has said she wanted to build what she called “the Mariska Emmys” — a night centered on celebrating the craft of television rather than mocking it.
The ceremony leaned into nostalgia throughout, staging reunions for the casts of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Charlie’s Angels” alongside presenting duties from Sofía Vergara, Matthew McConaughey, Zendaya and Alan Cumming. Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan performed “Bridge Over Troubled Water” during the In Memoriam segment.
The race at the top of the 2026 Emmy Awards ballot
Heading into the night, HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” led all nominees with 25 nods, including nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, writing, directing and multiple acting categories, as it defended last year’s Best Drama win. Close behind was “Hacks,” which picked up 24 nominations for its fifth and final season — a record for a single comedy season — with star Jean Smart chasing a fifth consecutive lead actress win. Apple TV’s freshman horror-comedy “Widow’s Bay” (19 nominations) and sci-fi drama “Pluribus” (18 nominations) rounded out the field of shows with the deepest support.
Confirmed winners at the 2026 Emmy Awards so far
Smart’s bid paid off: she won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing Deborah Vance on “Hacks,” her eighth career Emmy, tying her with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most Emmys ever won by a performer. It marked her fifth win in the role and her last, since the series has ended.
Elsewhere in comedy, Kate O’Flynn won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay,” dedicating her win, in her words, “to all the Patricias out there.” Stephen Root also won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the same show.
On the drama side, Noah Wyle won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for “The Pitt,” while Rhea Seehorn took Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for “Pluribus” — her first Emmy win, after two prior nominations for “Better Call Saul.” Allison Janney won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for “The Diplomat.”
In the limited-series categories, Matthew Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for “The Beast in Me,” while “DTF St. Louis” picked up multiple wins, including Outstanding Supporting Actor for David Harbour and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Linda Cardellini.
The night’s biggest prizes — Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series — were still to be presented as the broadcast continued, with “The Pitt” and “Hacks” considered the frontrunners, though “Widow’s Bay” and “Pluribus” remained live possibilities given their nomination hauls. NPR’s live results tracker was updating category winners in real time as the ceremony progressed (external source: NPR — Emmys 2026 winners).
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What comes next
With “Hacks” now finished and several of the night’s biggest contenders — “The Pitt,” “Pluribus,” “Widow’s Bay” — expected to return for new seasons, the results from the 2026 Emmy Awards will shape how voters and audiences view the current run of prestige television heading into next year’s race. The final tally of major series wins, along with any surprises in the Best Drama and Best Comedy categories, will determine whether “The Pitt” completes a full defense of its 2025 sweep or whether newer entries like “Widow’s Bay” and “Pluribus” break through.
