Emmy Awards 2026 live: The Pitt takes out Best Drama as Widow’s Bay wins Best Comedy Series at TV's big night
LIVE UPDATES: The Pitt has taken out Outstanding Drama series as Widow’s Bay dominated the comedy categories at the 2026 Emmy Awards.
The 2026 Emmys have crowned Widow’s Bay as its new champion with the freshman series sweeping every category it was nominated in.
The horror-comedy won six gongs including best comedy series, three acting trophies for stars Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root as well as writing for creator Katie Dippold and directing for Hiro Murai.
It was a decisive victory for streamer Apple TV, which won nine of out of the 19 categories awarded as part of the Primetime Emmys, having also collected victories for its sci-fi drama Pluribus (best drama actress for Rhea Seehorn, writing for a drama) and spy thriller Slow Horses (directing for a drama).
Rhys became the first double lead acting winner, first emerging victorious in the limited series lead actor race for Netflix show The Beast in Me.
The Pitt defended its title of best drama series, winning for the second year in a row, as well another consecutive victory for star and producer Noah Wyle, who won for lead drama actor for his performance as the leader of an emergency room.
Jean Smart went five for five, winning lead comedy actress for the final season of Hacks. She has won for every season of the show.
Stephen Colbert’s now cancelled series picked up a swan song Emmy in the variety race while reality show The Traitors won for the third year in a row in its category. DTF St Louis picked up best limited series.
Most of DTF’s gongs were bumped from the primetime ceremony into the Creative Arts event last week. The result of which is also the show ran short of its scheduled three-hour slot - there was an increase of ad breaks in the last hour, and final presenters Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey admitted onstage they were asked by the producers to vamp for time.
Two of the more surprising wins were in the supporting drama actor categories with Allison Janney picking up for The Diplomat and Tom Pelphrey for Task.
Australian nominees Sarah Snook (lead actress in a limited series or TV movie) and Nicole Kidman (executive producer on nominated comedy series Margo’s Got Money Troubles) both missed out.
Key events
15 Sep 2026 - 11:44 AM
All the best and worst fashion from Emmys blue carpet
15 Sep 2026 - 11:41 AM
Case cracked: Taylor Swift’s hilarious surprise Emmys cameo
15 Sep 2026 - 10:56 AM
Widow’s Bay crowned new champion
15 Sep 2026 - 10:46 AM
The PItt holds off a challenge to claim second drama win
15 Sep 2026 - 10:30 AM
Never forget them
15 Sep 2026 - 10:18 AM
DTF cements its limited series victories
15 Sep 2026 - 10:11 AM
Paying tribute to Dolly Parton
15 Sep 2026 - 09:40 AM
Colbert’s swan song
15 Sep 2026 - 09:20 AM
Matthew Rhys makes history
15 Sep 2026 - 09:09 AM
Taylor Swift makes an appearance, kind of
15 Sep 2026 - 08:56 AM
The doctor is in the house
15 Sep 2026 - 08:34 AM
Rhea Seehorn wins in a tight race
15 Sep 2026 - 08:14 AM
Jean Smart makes it five for five
15 Sep 2026 - 07:38 AM
Zendaya is here!
15 Sep 2026 - 07:23 AM
WATCH: Gomez glitters in gold gown
15 Sep 2026 - 06:18 AM
Aussie actress Shabana Azeez arrives
15 Sep 2026 - 05:49 AM
Welcome!
Widow’s Bay has real teeth
After Widow’s Bay triumphed at the Creative Arts Emmys last week, it was obvious that the series had real momentum, and here’s the proof.
Stephen Root just picked up the Emmy for supporting actor in a comedy.
Meanwhile, what does Harrison Ford have to do to win a competitive gong?
Root even said, “Thank you, Harrison Ford, because my son came up to me, running up to me and said, ‘You’re in a category with Harrison Ford’.
“Thank you, sir, for all your many years of great, great, great, great acting.”
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
Paul W. Downs, Hacks
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Nick Offerman, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay - WINNER
Michael Urie, Shrinking
Tyler Williams, Abbott Elementary
Mariska’s doing just fine
A little nod of appreciation for this zinger from Hargitay.
“Personally, it’s been a big year. I’m hosting the Emmys. I made my Broadway debut, and SVU is currently filming its historic 28th season.
“So, Margo may have money troubles, but Mariska is doing just fine.”
Rhea Seehorn wins in a tight race
In a very competitive category, Rhea Seehorn, who was overlooked for so long for Better Call Saul, has won for Pluribus.
Vince Gilligan wrote the role specifically for Seehorn.
Seehorn revealed that fellow nominee Keri Russell had sent her a gift and card before the ceremony, quoting the late Gloria Steinem that they are all linked and not ranked, “and I feel that about all you women”.
She added, “Thank you, Vince Gilligan for giving me not only the role of a lifetime, but for creating sets where we all get to collaborate, and we are actually made to feel safe to take risks so that we get better as artists.”
Seehorn was an amazing winner, but you kind of have to feel for Russell, who has now played three memorable TV characters (also in Felicity and The Americans) and still no Emmy to show for it while partner Rhys has two with likely a third by the end of the evening.
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
Chase Infiniti, The Testaments
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus - WINNER
Zendaya, Euphoria
Allison Janney adds to her Emmys haul
Allison Janney was a mainstay on the stage during the West Wing years, and now has an Emmy for playing not just a press secretary but now a President. Talk about a promotion.
This win is for political drama The Diplomat, and she bested a raft of competitors from The Pitt, who maybe cancelled each other out.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Taylor Dearden, The Pitt
Fiona Dourif, The Pitt
Allison Janney, The Diplomat - WINNER
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt
Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
Karolina Wydra, Pluribus
Matthew Rhys wins (maybe his first of the night) Emmy
Mine, yours and everyone’s favourite actor Matthew Rhys takes the gong for best actor in a limited series for Beast in Me.
He is also nominated later in the night for Widow’s Bay.
LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Riz Ahmed, Bait
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Oscar Isaac, Beef
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me - WINNER
Buffy lives (sort of)!
First, I’m going to be that annoying person and point out that Buffy doesn’t turn 30 until March 2027. No 29-year-old wants the credit for those extra months.
Having said that, I’m never going to turn down a Buffy reunion, especially when it’s obvious that the chemistry beween Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz has not waned a bit - Buffy and Angel Forever.
(Almost) three decades on, Gellar and Boreanaz acknowledged the awkward age difference between the 16-year-old-slayer and the 200-something vampire.
“More like a May-December 1787 romance,” Gellar quipped.
The two also recognised the “tough two years” for the cast after the deaths of Anthony Head, Michelle Trachtenberg and Nicholas Brendon.
Jean Smart makes it five for five
Jean Smart has now won an Emmy for every season of Hacks, in which she played the (fictional) spiky comedy legend Deborah Vance.
The series ended earlier this year and this Emmys is a valedictory victory win for Smart, who now has eight Emmys overall.
She dedicated the gong to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs.
LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Jean Smart, Hacks - WINNER
Host Hargitay arrives in red
Host Mariska Hargitay has arrived in a red sequined gown.
The Law & Order: SVU star gave the cameras on the carpet a wave as she prepares to fulfill her role as the awards’ host for the first time.
WOOOOOOO! Widow’s Bay is first out of the gate!
Kate O’Flynn just won her brilliant performance in Widow’s Bay, the horror-comedy that has cemented itself as this year’s exciting new favourite.
Among those she beat out was Hannah Einbinder, who won last year for Hacks.
O’Flynn thanked show creator Katie Dippold for trusting this “Lancashire lass”.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Dale Dickey, Widow’s Bay
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay - WINNER
Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Meg Stalter, Hacks
Jessica Williams, Shrinking
Mariska Hargitay kicks off with a song
Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay is the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years, and she started the proceedings with a song, a reworking of I Love Rock and Roll with “I love TV screens”.
A long-time veteran, Hargitay is probably the only one who could’ve gotten away with this joke, “Some shows are here for the first time, and others that are celebrating their series ... finale ... am I saying that right? I’m sorry guys, it’s just that I’ve never had one”.
SVU has been on air since 1999.
