The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards celebrated television’s biggest performances and productions, with “The Pitt,” “Widow’s Bay,” “Pluribus,” and “DTF St. Louis” among the night’s biggest winners.
September 15, 2026: Television’s biggest night has officially wrapped, and the 2026 Emmy Awards delivered a ceremony filled with major wins, historic milestones, emotional tributes, and a few surprises.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards took place Monday, September 14, at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. Mariska Hargitay hosted the ceremony, which aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Heading into the ceremony, HBO Max’s The Pitt led all nominees with 25 nominations, while Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay had 19. By the end of the night, both shows had major reasons to celebrate.
HOLR breaks down the complete 2026 Emmy Awards winners list, the biggest records and the moments everyone is talking about.
“The Pitt” Wins Best Drama Series Again
One of the night’s biggest victories went to The Pitt, which won Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year.
The HBO Max medical drama entered the ceremony as the most-nominated program with 25 nominations and finished the night with six wins. The series follows the staff of a Pittsburgh emergency department and has been praised for its realistic depiction of emergency medicine.
The show’s victory also continued its impressive Emmy run following its first-season success in 2025.
Noah Wyle also repeated his victory for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, winning for his performance as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. This marked his second Emmy for the role.
The Pitt is scheduled to return for Season 3 in January 2027.
Instagram @thepittpage
“Widow’s Bay” Makes Emmy History
If there was one show that dominated the 2026 Emmys, it was Widow’s Bay.
The Apple TV horror-comedy won Outstanding Comedy Series and finished the overall Emmy competition with a record-breaking 14 awards, the most ever won by a comedy series. It surpassed the previous record of 13, set by The Studio the year before.
The show also won several major acting awards, including:
- Matthew Rhys — Lead Actor, Comedy
- Kate O’Flynn — Supporting Actress, Comedy
- Stephen Root — Supporting Actor, Comedy
- Hiro Murai — Directing, Comedy
- Katie Dippold — Writing, Comedy
The series had 19 nominations overall and became one of the biggest Emmy success stories of the year.
Instagram @widowsbay
Matthew Rhys Makes Emmy History
Matthew Rhys had an especially extraordinary night.
He won Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay, but he had already won Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Netflix’s The Beast in Me.
That made Rhys the first actor to win two lead acting Emmys in the same Emmy season.
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Jean Smart Wins Again for “Hacks”
Jean Smart continued her remarkable Emmy run by winning Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks.
It was her fifth consecutive Emmy win in the category, further cementing her place among the most decorated television performers.
The win also put Smart in elite Emmy company. According to the Television Academy, her career total now places her alongside other performers with eight career Emmy wins.
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Rhea Seehorn Wins Her First Lead Actress Emmy
After years of Emmy recognition for her work on Better Call Saul, Rhea Seehorn took home the Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for Pluribus.
She defeated a competitive field that included Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell, and Zendaya.
Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, also won Writing for a Drama Series for Pluribus.
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“DTF St. Louis” Takes Limited Series
HBO’s DTF St. Louis won Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
The series defeated All Her Fault, The Beast in Me, Beef and Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
The program also picked up acting awards during the Emmy ceremonies, including wins for Linda Cardellini and David Harbour.
TV Insider
Sally Field Wins for “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Sally Field won Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Remarkably Bright Creatures.
The victory added another major television honor to Field’s decades-long career. At 79, she also became the oldest winner in the category, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Matthew Rhys won the corresponding Lead Actor award for The Beast in Me.
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2026 Emmy Awards Complete Winners List
Here is the major winners list from the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Drama Series
Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Rhea Seehorn—Pluribus
Other nominees included Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Chase Infiniti (The Testaments), Keri Russell (The Diplomat), and Zendaya (Euphoria).
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Noah Wyle—The Pitt
Other nominees were Sterling K. Brown, Gary Oldman, Mark Ruffalo and Rufus Sewell.
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Allison Janney — The Diplomat
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Tom Pelphrey — Task
Directing for a Drama Series
Winner: Saul Metzstein — Slow Horses
Writing for a Drama Series
Winner: Vince Gilligan — Pluribus
Comedy Winners
Outstanding Comedy Series
Winner: Widow’s Bay
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Jean Smart — Hacks
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Matthew Rhys — Widow’s Bay
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Kate O’Flynn — Widow’s Bay
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Stephen Root — Widow’s Bay
Directing for a Comedy Series
Winner: Hiro Murai — Widow’s Bay
Writing for a Comedy Series
Winner: Katie Dippold — Widow’s Bay
Limited Series and Television Movie Winners
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Winner: DTF St. Louis
Outstanding Television Movie
Winner: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Winner: Sally Field — Remarkably Bright Creatures
Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Winner: Matthew Rhys — The Beast in Me
Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Winner: Linda Cardellini — DTF St. Louis
Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Winner: David Harbour — DTF St. Louis
Variety and Reality Winners
Outstanding Variety Series
Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
The victory came after the CBS late-night program ended its 11-year run in May.
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
Winner: The Traitors
It marked the show’s third consecutive Emmy win in the category.
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program
Winner: Alan Cumming — The Traitors
Guest Acting Winners
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Rob Reiner — The Bear
Reiner’s win was announced during the September 6 ceremony and was awarded posthumously following his death. He was recognized for his role as Albert Schnurr in Season 4 of The Bear.
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Betty Gilpin — Widow’s Bay
Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Shailene Woodley — Paradise
Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Ernest Harden Jr. — The Pitt
Special and Earlier Emmy Winners
The 2026 Emmy Awards were spread across three ceremonies, with awards presented September 5, September 6 and September 14. The Television Academy confirmed that the September 14 telecast featured 19 categories.
Among the earlier winners was Bad Bunny, who won his first Emmy for the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.
Variety Special Live
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Variety Special Pre-Recorded
Winner: The Muppet Show
Emotional Moments From the 2026 Emmys
The ceremony wasn’t only about trophies.
The 2026 Emmys included tributes to several major entertainment figures who died during the year, including Dolly Parton, Rob Reiner and Catherine O’Hara.
Reba McEntire performed a tribute to Parton, while the In Memoriam segment featured Noah Kahan performing “A Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Jamie Lee Curtis also remembered Reiner and director James Burrows during the tribute.
Michael J. Fox was also honored with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy and fundraising work through the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Mariska Hargitay Makes Her Emmy Hosting Debut
Hargitay took on hosting duties while continuing her long-running connection to television through Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
The Television Academy noted that she was the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years. She had already won two Emmys during the Creative Arts ceremonies for the documentary My Mom Jayne.
The hosting role added another major milestone to an already busy year for the actress.
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The Biggest Winners of the Night
Looking at the overall results, a few programs clearly stood above the rest.
Widow’s Bay was the night’s biggest breakout, collecting six awards during the televised ceremony and 14 overall, setting a new comedy record.
The Pitt continued its awards dominance with six total wins and another Outstanding Drama Series trophy.
Pluribus also had a strong evening, with Rhea Seehorn taking home Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Vince Gilligan winning for writing.
Meanwhile, DTF St. Louis took home the top limited-series prize and several acting awards.
What Made the 2026 Emmys Historic?
The 2026 ceremony was particularly notable for the number of records and milestones attached to the winners.
Among the biggest:
- Widow’s Bay set a new record with 14 Emmy wins for a comedy series.
- Matthew Rhys became the first actor to win two lead acting Emmys in the same season.
- Jean Smart won her fifth consecutive Lead Actress in a Comedy Emmy.
- Noah Wyle repeated as Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
- The Pitt won Outstanding Drama Series for a second consecutive year.
- Sally Field became the oldest winner of the Lead Actress award in the limited-series/movie category.
- Bad Bunny won his first Emmy for the Super Bowl LX halftime show.
- Rob Reiner received a posthumous Emmy for The Bear.
The 2026 Emmy Awards Put Television’s Biggest Stories in the Spotlight
From the continued success of The Pitt to the record-breaking rise of Widow’s Bay, the 2026 Emmy Awards reflected a television landscape filled with established favorites and new breakout hits.
The ceremony also gave longtime performers such as Jean Smart, Noah Wyle and Sally Field another opportunity to add to their legacies, while stars including Rhea Seehorn and Matthew Rhys reached new career milestones.
With another Emmy season officially in the books, attention will now turn to the next wave of television releases—and whether this year’s biggest winners can repeat their success.
HOLR has the latest news on the 2026 Emmy Awards, the winners, nominees and the biggest moments from television’s biggest night.
FAQs
Who won the 2026 Emmy for Best Drama Series?
The Pitt won Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year.
Who won the 2026 Emmy for Best Comedy Series?
Widow’s Bay won Outstanding Comedy Series and set a record with 14 total Emmy wins.
Who won Best Actress at the 2026 Emmys?
Rhea Seehorn won Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Pluribus, while Jean Smart won Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks. Sally Field won the corresponding limited-series/movie category.
Who won Best Actor at the 2026 Emmys?
Noah Wyle won Lead Actor in a Drama Series for The Pitt, while Matthew Rhys won Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay and Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me.
Who hosted the 2026 Emmy Awards?
Mariska Hargitay hosted the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.
What show won the most Emmys in 2026?
Widow’s Bay won 14 Emmys overall, the most ever for a comedy series.
Published by HOLR Magazine