The 78th edition of the Emmy Awards took place at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles to pay tribute to the best in television from the past year. Mariska Hargitay, a four-time Emmy winner and best known for portraying Olivia Benson in the long-running series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, was the host of the ceremony, the first woman to do so in the last fifteen years.
Widow’s Bay, the Apple TV comedy-horror, was the big winner of the night, setting a new historical record by becoming the comedy series with the most Emmy awards in history, with a total of 14. Its lead actor, Matthew Rhys, also triumphed tonight by taking home two Emmys: Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Best Lead Actor in a Miniseries, Anthology Series or Movie.
Actress Jean Smart also took home the eighth Emmy of her career as Best Actress in a Drama Series for Hacks –the fifth for that role, one for each season of the show–. In the drama category, The Pitt won the award for Best Drama Series again after winning it last year, and its lead actor, Noah Wyle, also won the Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In the category of miniseries, anthology series or movie, DTF: St. Louis took home the Emmy.
The ceremony paid tribute to Dolly Parton, Catherine O’Hara, Rob Reiner –who posthumously won a Creative Arts Emmy last week for his guest-starring role in The Bear– and to several other professionals in the television industry in their In Memoriam section. Below, we review the most notable moments of the awards ceremony, with romantic dedications and some of the most moving speeches.
Mariska Hargitay and Taylor Swift, at the Emmys.
Taylor Swift, detective
The pop star Taylor Swift joined Mariska Hargitay in a fun pre-recorded sketch to help solve the mystery of whether Taylor Swift would appear at the Emmys. Spoiler: she wasn’t going to appear… unless it was in a pre-recorded sketch. The singer played the role of another agent in the Special Victims Unit office, parodying the way Swifties usually dig into clues left by the singer in each of her social media posts or interviews.
The most emotional In Memoriam moments
Some of Catherine O’Hara’s children on screen and in film – Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy – joined to pay tribute to the late actress in an emotional tribute. Culkin, who worked with her in Home Alone, said: “You may have forgotten me twice, but we will always remember her,” before Murphy, his co-star in Schitt’s Creek, shared touching stories of ordinary people who have approached her — on flights or at gas stations — to tell her the impact O’Hara had on their lives.
Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy.
And Levy, co-creator of Schitt’s Creek, concluded by saying: «The greatest lesson I learned from Catherine, both professionally and personally, was to always say yes. I said yes to working with her. I said yes to her rewrites. Yes to the wig wall». Before the In Memoriam segment began, Levy finished his speech with: »Say yes to her dinner invitations, to her stories, to her wisdom and generosity; those are the things you will treasure most. Always say yes to any opportunity to delight in the presence of greatness«.
For his part, Jamie Lee Curtis remembered her good friend, the late actor Rob Reiner. The actress could not hold back tears as she paid tribute to her co-star on shows like New Girl and The Bear, who she called “a very beloved legend.” About Reiner she added that “he was generous, kind and incredibly funny. And a friend to everyone. We all miss Rob, Michele, and all those we have lost this year.”
Rhea Seehorn finally wins an Emmy
Wherever she is, Kim Wexler is smiling. After four Emmy nominations – two of them for her memorable portrayal of Kim in the series Better Call Saul, the spin-off of Breaking Bad – Rhea Seehorn has finally won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Carol, one of the last women alive on Earth, in Pluribus.
Tom Pelphrey’s dedication to Kaley Cuoco
The actor Tom Pelphrey, who portrayed Robbie Prendergrast in the first season of Task, took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In a passionate speech, Pelphrey said: “I thank God for my life and my sobriety. I thank my family and friends for all your love and support over the years, from the Emmys to small theatres and everything in between.”
Finally, the actor dedicated some romantic words to his fiancée, The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco. “And to my favorite actress in this room, my love, my best friend, my partner, the very pregnant Kaley: I love you more than anything, and our family is the crown jewel of my life.”
Stephen Colbert and the love for his wife
Stephen Colbert reserved his most sincere gratitude for his wife, Evelyn “Evie” McGee-Colbert, after The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won the award for Best Variety Series for its latest season. “There can only be one favorite guest, and that is my wife, Evie McGee. Thank you, darling. Thank you for being my only crew, my only guest during the COVID pandemic, and my only audience – and the only audience that truly matters to me – your laughter is what I want for the rest of my life.”
Sally Field at the Emmys 2026.
