Widow's Bay and Matthew Rhys were the big winners at the 2026 Emmy Awards, held Monday, Sept. 14, at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles and hosted by Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Rhys made Emmy history during the ceremony. He won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Widow's Bay and also took home Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me, sweeping both categories in the same night.
Widow's Bay itself had been nominated across several top categories, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The show went on to win Outstanding Comedy Series, along with Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Kate O'Flynn, Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Stephen Root and Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Betty Gilpin.
Jean Smart makes history for Hacks
Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks, becoming the first female performer ever to win an Emmy for every season of their series.
Smart thanked her children, whom she called "my anchor," before dedicating the award to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs.
"This one I'm dedicating to Lucia, Jen and Paul W. Downs," she said. "It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much. What a ride this has been!"
The Pitt leads the drama winners
The Pitt won Outstanding Drama Series, beating out The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses and Your Friends and Neighbors. The Pitt's Noah Wyle won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Rhea Seehorn won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Pluribus, Allison Janney won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Diplomat, and Tom Pelphrey won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Task.
Creative Arts Emmys held the week before
More Emmys were handed out the previous week at the Creative Arts ceremony.
Shailene Woodley won her first Emmy, taking Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role in season two of Paradise. The late Rob Reiner won a posthumous Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in The Bear, nine months after his death.
DTF St. Louis costars David Harbour and Linda Cardellini also won their first Emmys, for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, respectively.
"It's kind of an out-of-body experience to be honest," Harbour told E! News backstage on Sept. 6. "There's just so much build-up."
Full list of 2026 Emmy winners
- Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle, The Pitt
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Allison Janney, The Diplomat
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey, Task
- Outstanding Comedy Series: Widow's Bay
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys, Widow's Bay
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O'Flynn, Widow's Bay
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root, Widow's Bay
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty Gilpin, Widow's Bay
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Rob Reiner, The Bear
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Shailene Woodley, Paradise
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Ernest Harden Jr., The Pitt
- Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: DTF St. Louis
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
- Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: Love on the Spectrum
- Outstanding Structured Reality Program: Antiques Roadshow
- Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program: Alan Cumming, The Traitors
- Outstanding Variety Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
- Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
- Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): The Muppet Show
- Outstanding Host for a Game Show: Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
