The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards brought together television’s biggest stars in Los Angeles, with Widow’s Bay emerging as the night’s biggest winner. The Apple TV series took home six awards at the main ceremony, bringing its total haul for the year to 14, including honors presented at the Creative Arts Emmys earlier this month.
The Pitt won Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year, while DTF St. Louis was named Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
The ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater and hosted by Mariska Hargitay, also produced a major milestone for Matthew Rhys, who became the first actor to win two lead acting Emmys in different categories in the same year.
Matthew Rhys makes Emmy history
Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me.
Having previously won the drama acting Emmy for The Americans, Rhys became the first actor to claim lead acting awards across three different genres during his career.
Widow’s Bay also earned acting awards for Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root, while director Hiro Murai and writer Katie Dippold won in their respective categories.
The Pitt repeats its drama win
HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt successfully defended its Outstanding Drama Series title. Noah Wyle also took home the lead actor award for the second time.
Rhea Seehorn won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Pluribus, while the show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, was recognized for drama writing.
In the supporting categories, Allison Janney won for The Diplomat, while Tom Pelphrey was honored for Task. Slow Horses director Saul Metzstein won the directing award.
Jean Smart wins for a fifth straight year
Jean Smart continued her remarkable run with Hacks, winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the fifth consecutive time.
Smart became the first woman to win the award for every season of the series and took her career Emmy tally to eight. She now shares the record for eight acting Emmys with Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Janney also reached eight career Emmys after winning for The Diplomat.
Sally Field becomes oldest winner in her category
DTF St. Louis won Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, while Remarkably Bright Creatures was named Outstanding Television Movie.
At 79, Sally Field became the oldest winner in the lead actress category for a limited series or television movie. Her fourth Emmy was met with a standing ovation from the audience.
Linda Cardellini and David Harbour won the supporting acting awards for DTF St. Louis.
The Late Show bows out with an Emmy
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which is ending its run this year, won Outstanding Variety Talk Series.
The Traitors took home the award for Outstanding Reality Competition Program, while host Alan Cumming had already won the corresponding hosting award at the Creative Arts Emmys.
Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in recognition of his contributions to television and his advocacy work.
Dolly Parton and Catherine O’Hara remembered
One of the ceremony’s most emotional moments came during a tribute to Dolly Parton, who died in August. Following remarks from Sally Field, Reba McEntire performed Parton’s “Appalachian Memories.”
Catherine O’Hara was also remembered during the ceremony by her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin and Schitt’s Creek cast members Dan Levy and Annie Murphy. Culkin described O’Hara as “the mother to all of us.”
Noah Kahan performed “Bridge Over Troubled Water” during the In Memoriam segment, which honored television and entertainment figures who died over the past year, including James Van Der Beek, Ted Turner, Eric Dane and Diane Ladd.
Taylor Swift makes a surprise appearance
Hargitay became the first woman to host the ceremony in 15 years. Taylor Swift also made a surprise appearance in a pre-recorded opening sketch, portraying a rookie employee at the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit office.
Swift did not attend the ceremony in person, but her appearance quickly became one of the evening’s most talked-about moments.
Key winners at the 2026 Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle, The Pitt
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Allison Janney, The Diplomat
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey, Task
- Outstanding Director in a Drama Series: Saul Metzstein, Slow Horses
- Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Vince Gilligan, Pluribus
- Outstanding Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
- Outstanding Director in a Comedy Series: Hiro Murai, Widow’s Bay
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series: Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay
- Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: DTF St. Louis
- Outstanding Television Movie: Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
- Outstanding Variety Talk Series: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
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