The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards brought together some of television’s biggest names on September 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Hosted by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay, the ceremony celebrated the outstanding shows, performers and creative talent from the 2025-26 television season.

One of the biggest highlights of the evening was Jean Smart’s historic achievement, while Noah Wyle, Matthew Rhys and several other stars also took home major honors.

Jean Smart Makes Emmy History With ‘Hacks’ Win

Jean Smart created Emmy history by winning the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award for her performance in Hacks.

This marked Smart’s fifth consecutive victory in the category. Her latest win made her the first performer to win an acting Emmy for every season of the same show, making the achievement particularly significant in Emmy history.

Jean Smart Profile
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Which Shows Received the Most Nominations?

The Pitt led this year’s nominations with a total of 25, making it the most-nominated show at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay followed with 19 nominations.

Before the main ceremony began, Widow’s Bay had already collected eight Emmy awards. DTF St. Louis had secured six awards, while The Pitt had won four.

The Pitt Profile
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2026 Emmy Awards Winners

Here is the list of major winners from the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, recognizing the best television performances and productions from the 2025-26 season.

Drama Categories

  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Noah Wyle, The Pitt
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - Allison Janney, The Diplomat
  • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Ernest Harden Jr., The Pitt
  • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series - Shailene Woodley, Paradise

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Comedy Categories

  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Jean Smart, Hacks
  • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
  • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Rob Reiner, The Bear
  • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Betty Gilpin, Widow’s Bay

Limited or Anthology Series Categories

  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
  • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
  • Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - DTF St. Louis
  • Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - DTF St. Louis

Reality, Variety and Other Winners

The major winners in the reality, variety and other categories included:

  1. Outstanding Reality Competition Program - The Traitors
  2. Outstanding Television Movie - Remarkably Bright Creatures
  3. Outstanding Variety Special (Live) - The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
  4. Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) - The Muppet Show
  5. Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
  6. Outstanding Animated Program - South Park

Where Were the 2026 Emmy Awards Held?

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards took place at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles. Mariska Hargitay hosted the ceremony, which was broadcast live in the United States on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

For viewers in India, the 2026 Emmy Awards were available to watch live on JioHotstar. The main ceremony began at 5:30 AM IST on September 15, while the red carpet and pre-show started at 4:30 AM IST. Following the live broadcast, the ceremony was also made available on demand.

The 78th Emmy Awards became a memorable night for television, particularly because of Jean Smart’s record-breaking achievement and the strong performances recognized across drama, comedy, limited series, reality and variety categories.

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