The 78th Emmy Awards brought together television’s biggest stars, creators, and storytellers on September 14th at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, celebrating the best of the 2025–2026 television season. Hosted by Emmy winner Mariska Hargitay, the ceremony marked the conclusion of three nights of Emmy celebrations, with more than 100 awards presented across the ceremonies.
The evening belonged largely to Widow’s Bay, which took home six awards during the ceremony, including Outstanding Comedy Series. Combined with its eight Creative Arts Emmy wins, the series finished the year with 14 Emmys, setting a new record for the most wins by a comedy series in a single year.
The Pitt Continues Its Emmy Run
HBO Max’s The Pitt claimed Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive season, while Los Angeles-born actor Noah Wyle won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. The win placed Wyle in Emmy history, making him the first actor since Bryan Cranston to win the category for the first two seasons of a series.
Jean Smart Makes Emmy History
Seattle-born actress Jean Smart added another milestone to her celebrated career with her fifth Emmy for Hacks, winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. The victory brought her career acting Emmy total to eight, tying her with Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for the most acting wins by a performer. Smart also became the first performer to win an Emmy for every season of the same series, further cementing Hacks as one of the defining television achievements of her career.
Sally Field Sets a New Record
California-born actress Sally Field made Emmy history with her win for Outstanding Lead Actress for Remarkably Bright Creatures. At 79, Field became the oldest winner in the category, adding another landmark moment to a career that has spanned more than six decades.
Other notable winners included Spider-Noir, which earned five Emmys, while Pluribus took home four. Beef, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and Palm Royale each earned three, with Bridgerton and Fallout receiving two apiece. The ceremony also introduced additional performing categories this year, including supporting actor and actress in a limited or anthology series. Among the evening’s other acting winners were Linda Cardellini and David Harbour for DTF St. Louis, Shailene Woodley for Paradise, Betty Gilpin for Widow’s Bay, and the late Rob Reiner for The Bear.
Matthew Rhys Has a Historic Night
Matthew Rhys was a standout of the evening, becoming the first performer to win two lead acting Emmys in the same year. He won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay and Outstanding Lead Actor in The Beast in Me. His wins also gave him the distinction of being the first actor to win lead acting Emmys across the drama, comedy, and limited-series categories, following his 2018 win for The Americans.
A Night of Tributes
Beyond the awards, the ceremony included several memorable tributes. Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy and work supporting Parkinson’s disease research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The evening also honored Dolly Parton, with Reba McEntire performing “Appalachian Memories,” while Noah Kahan performed “Bridge Over Troubled Water” during the In Memoriam tribute.
With record-setting victories, career milestones, and tributes to some of television’s most influential figures, the 2026 Emmys closed the season with a celebration of both television’s enduring stars and its next generation of storytellers.
