The 2026 Emmys will hand out its trophies on Monday, Sept. 14, breaking from the ceremony's usual Sunday night slot, with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay hosting the 78th annual show on NBC and Peacock.
The switch comes down to football. NBC and Peacock hold the broadcast rights this year under the long-running "wheel deal," the agreement among ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX to rotate airing the Emmys annually and pay $8.25 million in license fees, according to Variety. Both NBC and Peacock also carry NFL Sunday Night Football.
Because the Dallas Cowboys were scheduled to play the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 13, the Emmys were bumped to Monday so the network and streamer could air both events. NBC last aired the Emmys in 2022 and 2017, and both of those ceremonies were also held on Monday nights to avoid the same conflict with Sunday Night Football.
Ceremony details and Hargitay as host
The 2026 Emmy Awards begin at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT on Monday, Sept. 14. Hargitay, who has played Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC crime drama for nearly 30 years, said she was initially reluctant to take the hosting job.
"At first I thought, 'This is ridiculously thankless, a difficult job that everyone gets ripped apart for. Why? Why would I do that?'" Hargitay told Variety in August. She said the offer arrived as she was planning to step back from the camera, but changed her mind. "It was just the biggest wrench in the works," she said. "And then I thought about why I love television. Television, in my opinion, is extraordinarily healing."
Asked whether she might channel Benson during the broadcast, Hargitay teased, "We've had five amazing ideas just for the opening," adding cryptically, "I've always wanted to do 'SVU: The Musical.'" Hargitay is also a nominee this year: her documentary My Mom Jayne earned three nominations, including one for cinematographer Tony Hardmon. She said she was "thrilled and deeply moved," thanking producer Trish Adlesic and the rest of her team.
Comedy category nominees react
Connor Storrie, nominated for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live, called it "a 'pinch me' moment." Lisa Kudrow, up for Lead Actress in a Comedy for The Comeback, called the nomination for her character Valerie and for the writing she did with Michael Patrick King "a very big, very meaningful honor."
Matthew Rhys landed nominations for both Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow's Bay and Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me. He thanked Widow's Bay showrunner Katie Dippold and director Hiro Murai, and said he was "joyous" to be nominated for The Beast in Me alongside Claire Danes, crediting Apple and Netflix.
Michelle Pfeiffer, a Supporting Actress in a Comedy nominee for Margo's Got Money Troubles, called it "an honor to be recognized along with my wonderful Margo family." Brett Goldstein, nominated for Guest Actor in a Comedy for Shrinking, joked, "Ahhhhhhhhhh get the [expletive] outta here!" before praising his "Shrinking family."
Tyler James Williams, up for Supporting Actor in a Comedy for playing Gregory on Abbott Elementary, said he was "lucky to be a part of a show that continues to resonate with so many people." Hannah Einbinder, earning her fifth nomination for Hacks, thanked creators Paul W Downs, Jen Statsky and Lucia Aniello "for changing my life 6 years ago." Her castmate Jean Smart, a seven-time Emmy winner nominated again for Lead Actress in a Comedy, said, "I think we saved the best for last this season." Fellow Hacks nominee Megan Stalter, up for Supporting Actress in a Comedy, said she "couldn't do any of this without my team, my incredible partner and God."
Yahya Abdul-Mateen earned his first Lead Actor in a Comedy nomination for Marvel's Wonder Man, calling it "a gift." His Shrinking co-star Jason Segel, also nominated for Lead Actor in a Comedy, said, "Every single person pours their heart into making this show." Nick Offerman, a Supporting Actor in a Comedy nominee for Margo's Got Money Troubles, thanked writers David Kelley and Eva Anderson and also flagged Death By Lightning, written by Mike Makowsky. Michael Urie, a repeat Supporting Actor in a Comedy nominee for Shrinking, credited castmate Harrison Ford: "I feel like I didn't even learn how to act in front of the camera until I met Harrison."
Drama category nominees react
Carrie Coon, nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama for The Gilded Age, noted the show earned eight nominations this year, its most ever. Taylor Dearden, up for Supporting Actress in a Drama for The Pitt, said the show has had "a profound impact on the lives of so many across both the healthcare and my own neurodivergent communities."
Chase Infiniti earned her first nomination, for Lead Actress in a Drama for The Testaments, thanking Hulu and naming fellow nominees Carrie Coon, Rhea Seehorn, Zendaya and Keri Russell. Russell, also up for Lead Actress in a Drama for The Diplomat, is married to fellow nominee Matthew Rhys and said, "What an exciting day for our household!" naming castmates Rufus, Debora, Allison Janney and Bradley. Janney, nominated for Supporting Actress in a Drama for The Diplomat, said playing Grace Penn "continues to be one of the great privileges of my career."
Mark Ruffalo, nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama for Task, praised co-star Tom Pelphrey's supporting nomination as "so richly deserved" and credited writer Brad Ingelsby's team. Pelphrey said simply, "I'm honored to be nominated." Sepideh Moafi, a first-time Supporting Actress in a Drama nominee for The Pitt, said she is believed to be the first Iranian actress and first from the SWANA/Middle East region nominated in the category, calling it "a tribute to all the powerhouse women who came before me." Her Pitt castmate Tal Anderson, nominated for Guest Actress in a Drama, said she thought of "that little girl who wanted to be seen." Rhea Seehorn, the Breaking Bad alum nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama for Pluribus for the first time, reacted, "Holy Cow!"
Limited series, reality and variety nominees
Richard Gadd, nominated for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for Half Man, credited co-star Jamie Bell's "fearless, visceral and deeply nuanced work." Charles Melton earned his first Emmy nomination, for Beef, thanking creator Lee Sung Jin, A24 and Netflix, and giving "a special shoutout to Baker, the teamster who drove me to and from work every day."
Dakota Fanning was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for All Her Fault and for Outstanding Comedy Series as an executive producer on Margo's Got Money Troubles. She praised her sister and Lewellen Pictures partner, as well as David E. Kelley and Nicole Kidman, and called All Her Fault co-star Sarah Snook "indomitable."
In the reality and variety categories, Carl Radke of Summer House, nominated for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, told E! News the recognition was "a big testament to what we've been building." Jeff Probst, nominated again for Outstanding Host and Outstanding Reality Competition Show for Survivor, said, "After 25 years and 50 seasons, recognition like this means as much as ever." Nikki Glaser, nominated for Outstanding Variety Special for Nikki Glaser: Good Girl, quipped, "So I guess I was a Good Girl?"
