Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter each won their first Emmy this weekend, putting both stars halfway toward the coveted EGOT milestone.
September 07, 2026
Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter Reach a Major Milestone
Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter have officially added Emmy winners to their résumés. Both artists picked up their first Emmy Awards during the 78th Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, marking a major new achievement in careers already filled with music and entertainment milestones.
Their victories also bring them halfway to EGOT status. Both had previously won Grammy Awards, meaning each now has two of the four prizes required for an EGOT: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.
Credit: WireImage
Sabrina Carpenter Wins for The Muppet Show
Carpenter’s first Emmy came for The Muppet Show, which won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). She was credited as both an executive producer and performer on the Disney+ special, making the recognition especially meaningful because her contribution extended beyond appearing on camera.
The project also gave Carpenter an opportunity to enter a completely different corner of entertainment. After building her profile through pop music and acting, taking on a producing role with a beloved franchise helped demonstrate another side of her creative career.
Bad Bunny Wins for His Super Bowl Halftime Show
Bad Bunny earned his first Emmy through the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny. The special won Outstanding Variety Special (Live), with the Puerto Rican superstar credited as both a performer and producer.
The halftime show was the biggest winner of the first night of Emmy ceremonies, collecting seven awards overall. In addition to the top variety-special prize, it was recognized for areas including music direction, choreography, sound mixing, lighting, technical direction and directing.
What It Means to Be Halfway to EGOT
An EGOT is one of the entertainment industry’s rarest distinctions, requiring competitive wins at the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards. Carpenter and Bad Bunny now each have an Emmy and Grammy, leaving an Oscar and Tony as the remaining pieces.
Neither has reached the halfway mark through the same career path, though. Carpenter’s achievements are increasingly spread across music, performance and television, while Bad Bunny continues to expand from music into acting and other entertainment projects. Their routes toward a potential EGOT could therefore look very different.
Carpenter Already Has Grammy Recognition
Carpenter entered the Emmy race with an established Grammy résumé. She won two Grammy Awards in 2025, giving her a strong foundation in music before adding television’s biggest honor to her collection.
Her Emmy victory also reinforces how quickly her career has expanded. What began as a rise through acting and songwriting has developed into a much broader presence as a recording artist, performer and creative contributor behind major entertainment projects.
Bad Bunny’s Emmy Adds to His Growing Résumé
Bad Bunny’s first Emmy comes after years of recognition across music. He is already a major award winner, and his move into television and film has created another avenue for him to build a wider entertainment résumé.
His Super Bowl performance demonstrated that his reach extends well beyond the recording studio. The seven Emmy wins attached to the production also positioned the performance as one of the most decorated projects of the night.
Neither Star Was at the Ceremony
Neither Carpenter nor Bad Bunny was physically present at the Creative Arts Emmy ceremony to accept the awards. Their victories were announced during the first night of the multi-day Emmy celebrations, ahead of the main Primetime Emmy telecast scheduled for September 14.
That did not make the milestones any less significant. Both now officially have Emmy wins attached to their names, adding an important television achievement to careers that have largely been defined by music and performance.
Credit: Disney/Mitch Haaseth
The Emmy Wins Come at Different Career Stages
Carpenter and Bad Bunny are arriving at this milestone from different directions, but both have been broadening their creative portfolios. Carpenter has moved further into television and producing, while Bad Bunny has continued crossing between music, acting and large-scale live entertainment.
That versatility makes the EGOT conversation particularly interesting. An eventual Oscar or Tony could come through a number of possible avenues, although neither artist has publicly completed those remaining parts of the journey.
The 2026 Emmy Race Has Several Big Firsts
The first night of the 78th Emmy Awards has already delivered several notable career milestones. Along with Carpenter and Bad Bunny’s first wins, the early ceremonies have recognized performers and projects across television, documentary and variety categories.
For Carpenter and Bad Bunny, however, their victories stand out because of what they represent beyond a single trophy. Both have now officially entered the EGOT conversation, turning a hypothetical career achievement into something they are already halfway toward accomplishing.
Their EGOT Paths Are Just Beginning
Reaching halfway to an EGOT does not guarantee the remaining two awards, and both stars still have a long way to go before they could claim the full distinction. An Oscar and Tony each require success in very different competitive fields, making the next steps considerably less predictable.
For now, the significance is simply in what happened this weekend. Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny are Emmy winners for the first time, and two of music’s biggest contemporary stars have added another major form of recognition to their already growing careers.
Credit: X
Final Thoughts
Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny have reached an impressive new career milestone with their first Emmy wins. Carpenter was recognized for her work on The Muppet Show, while Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance earned the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
With Grammy wins already on their records, both stars are now halfway to EGOT status. Whether either eventually completes the rare achievement remains to be seen, but the latest victories have added an exciting new chapter to both careers.
FAQs
What did Sabrina Carpenter win an Emmy for?
Sabrina Carpenter won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) for The Muppet Show, on which she was credited as an executive producer and performer.
What did Bad Bunny win his Emmy for?
Bad Bunny won for the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny, which received the award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
Why are Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter considered halfway to an EGOT?
Both artists have now won an Emmy and previously had Grammy Awards, giving them two of the four awards required for EGOT status.
Were Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny at the Emmy ceremony?
No. Neither star was present at the first night of the 78th Creative Arts Emmy Awards to accept their awards.
What awards do Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter still need for an EGOT?
Both would still need an Oscar and a Tony Award to complete the EGOT.
Published by HOLR Magazine