The brightest stars of television are warming up for their big night: the 2026 Emmy Awards. The 78th edition of this glamorous ceremony will pay tribute to the best series, programs and performances of the past year. One of the main aims of the gala will be to improve the audience for the 2025 Emmys, which drew 7.4 million viewers and established itself as the most-watched ceremony in the last five years.
It will also be about limiting the winners’ acceptance speeches, something that failed last year. The host of the ceremony, Nate Bargatze, offered a donation of $100,000 to a nonprofit and pledged to add $1,000 for every second that the winners stayed under the 45-second limit assigned for their speeches. But for every second they exceeded, he would deduct $1,000. At the end of the broadcast, the tally stood at negative $60,000. Finally, CBS, which was broadcasting the ceremony, still donated $350,000.
Last year, the big winner at the Emmys was The Studio, the brilliant Apple TV+ satire about the big studios of Hollywood. The series starring Seth Rogen broke the record as the comedy series with the most awarded season in history with thirteen statues. The Pitt (HBO) was the best drama series and Adolescence (Netflix) won in the category of best miniseries.
In 2026, the Television Academy will introduce several changes to the Emmys. The categories for Best Scripted Variety Series and Best Interview Program have been merged into a single category. And the category for Best Movie has been renamed Best Film. The Legacy Award has also been launched to recognize television programs that have had a lasting impact on audiences and remain relevant today. In its inaugural edition, the award went to the series I Love Lucy.
When are the 2026 Emmy Awards held?
The 78th edition of the Emmy Awards will take place on Monday, September 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will begin at 8:00 p.m. (2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 15 in Spain) and will be broadcast live on NBC. In our country, this glamorous, emotional, and star-studded night can be watched through Movistar Plus.
Mariska Hargitay, with her two Creative Arts Emmys.
Who will host the 2026 Emmy Awards?
Mariska Hargitay, the star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will host this year’s Emmy Awards. The actress, who has played Olivia Benson on the police series since 1999, winner of an Emmy in 2006 and of two Creative Arts Emmys this same year, will be the first woman to host the ceremony solo in the last fifteen years.
Guest stars at the 2026 Emmy Awards
NBC has already announced that some of the most prestigious names in American television and film will be the ones presenting the awards. Among them we will see stars as well-known as Zendaya, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Julianna Margulies, and Amy Poehler. But the big night of television holds more surprises in store for fans of the series.
Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd and Kate Jackson, in Charlie’s Angels.
Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd, the stars of Charlie’s Angels, will reunite on stage to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the series. The same will happen with the stars of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz. The cult series about vampires will celebrate its 30th anniversary next March.
Also present at the awards ceremony will be the leads of the comedy series Schitt’s Creek, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy. The duo may be part of a tribute to the Emmy-winning star of the show, the late Catherine O’Hara, alongside her son in the movie Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin.
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, the stars of Hacks.
Who are the favorites for the 2026 Emmy Awards?
The Pitt heads the nominations list with an astonishing 25 nominations, including Best Drama Series and Best Actor in a Drama Series for Noah Wyle. It is followed by Hacks with 24 nominations, a record for a comedy series in a single year. Other frontrunners include Widow’s Bay, with 19 nominations; Pluribus, with 18; and Beef, with 16. Among this year’s nominees there are also 28 performers making their Emmy debuts.
What are the Creative Arts Emmys?
The Creative Arts Emmys are a division of the Emmys aimed at recognizing the technical, artistic, and production achievements behind the scenes in American television. And several stars have already taken one of them home after the two ceremonies held on September 5 and 6.
Sabrina Carpenter won her first Emmy as executive producer and performer on The Muppet Show, which took the award for the best variety special. The late Rob Reiner won the award for best guest actor in a comedy series for his role as Albert in The Bear.Bad Bunny also took home his first Emmy, as his Super Bowl LX show earned seven awards, including the Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
