The 2026 Emmy Awards huge wins and moments: ‘Widow’s Bay’ dominance, Catherine O’Hara tribute

First-time Emmys host Mariska Hargitay, recognized for her long-running starring function in “Legislation & Order: Particular Victims Unit,” wasn’t anticipated to supply a lot in the way in which of political commentary or controversy, however it looks like anybody can be extra attention-grabbing than final yr’s host Nate Bargatze.

“The Pitt” went into the night because the belle of the ball, with a number one 25 nominations and an expectation it will clear up within the drama classes, whereas beginner “Widow’s Bay” appeared set to upset reigning champ “Hacks” in comedy.

As host, Hargitay began the printed with a secure and considerably saccharine opening wherein she sang a track with the refrain “I really like TV screens” to the tune of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” whereas name-checking numerous collection, together with “Abbott Elementary,” “The Pitt” and “Hacks.” The bit ended along with her using a sluggish horse — get it? — into the theatre. The viewers appeared to like it, giving Hargitay a standing ovation. However then a hilarious routine by presenter John Mulaney reminded us what we lose when award-show hosts aren’t comedians. Mulaney had the viewers roaring with a monologue about how the nominees in the perfect drama actor class had been “males being males … And what a crop of promenade kings we have now,” he mentioned. “They’re not gentle just like the dad on ‘Bluey.’

“A number of the males on this class do methodology appearing and a few do common, much less annoying appearing,” he added. “These males give all of it in each single take until the protection is on the opposite actor and so they may bounce early.”

The upstart horror-comedy a couple of haunted island was anticipated to offer showbiz satire “Hacks” a run for its cash, particularly after profitable eight awards at what was referred to as the Inventive Arts Emmys. It went on to take a whopping 14 of its 19 nominations.

“Widow’s Bay” claimed the very first trophy of the night time in one thing of an upset, with British actor Kate O’Flynn making good on her inaugural nomination for enjoying the delightfully awkward municipal assistant. O’Flynn thanked collection creator Katie Dippold for “trusting this Lancashire lass to play a sassy broad like Patricia.”

Veteran actor Stephen Root continued the “Widow’s Bay” run with a win for greatest supporting comedy actor. He used a lot of his speech to thank fellow nominee Harrison Ford, a sentimental favorite for his function in “Shrinking,” for “all of your a few years of nice, nice, nice appearing.”

Because the night time wore on, “Widow’s Bay” appeared like an unstoppable comedy power, relegating earlier comedy champ “Hacks” to an also-ran. After appearing trophies had been bestowed on Stephen Root and Matthew Rhys, “Widow’s Bay” additionally took writing for collection creator Katie Dippold and directing for Hiro Murai.

Dippold joked that she’d at all times thought that if she ever gained an Emmy, she’d maintain it someplace just like the storage. “However standing right here now, I promise all of you nobody will ever step foot in my residence with out seeing this factor,” she mentioned. “I’ll create a system of mirrors, so regardless of the place you stand in my residence that is going to be in your direct eye line.”

And when the final trophy of the night time was offered, excellent comedy collection, “Widow’s Bay” sealed its triumph. “This was such an incredible collaboration of the perfect fantastic weirdos and artists,” mentioned Dippold.

Nonetheless, the newcomer present couldn’t maintain Jean Sensible down. Sensible gained her fifth greatest actress Emmy for portraying growing older comic Deborah Vance in “Hacks,” setting a file as the primary actress to win for each season of a present. “What a experience this has been!” she mentioned in her acceptance speech.

Matthew Rhys did it. He turned the primary actor to triumph in all three lead appearing classes, and the primary actor to win two lead appearing classes in the identical yr.

Up first was a victory for the restricted collection “The Beast in Me.” “Oh, good grief,” mentioned Rhys, earlier than referring to presenter Amy Poehler’s joke about how the Emmy losers ought to make enjoyable of the Emmy winners, including, “In case you attempt to taunt me I’ll stab you within the eye with this.”

He additionally took the perfect comedy actor prize for the surging “Widow’s Bay.”

Rhys thanked his mother and father and his sister — though not his accomplice, fellow actor Keri Russell — in addition to “the nice and good folks of Wales,” ending with some phrases in Welsh.

The world’s most well-known pop star made an Emmys look, however not on the reside ceremony — in a pre-filmed sketch wherein Hargitay and different members of the “L&O: SVU” forged gathered within the squad room to determine if Taylor Swift can be on the Emmys. Swift performed the a part of a rookie detective. “I feel what we’re gonna be on the lookout for is hiding in plain sight,” she mentioned. The considerably foolish sketch ended with the workforce concluding that Swift wouldn’t be there as a result of she’d be watching her husband, Travis Kelce, play soccer as a substitute. (Certainly, she was on the Monday night time Kansas Metropolis NFL sport, sitting subsequent to Tom Cruise.)

The veteran actor was a shock winner within the lead actress in a restricted collection or film class with a statue for the Netflix flick “Remarkably Vibrant Creatures.” 4 a long time after Area turned well-known for her “You want me, you actually like me” speech upon profitable her second Oscar in 1985, she turned the oldest girl to win her Emmy class on the age of 79.

Area had type phrases for the forged and people concerned within the movie but additionally for Canada, the place the film was made.

“Bless Canada — our neighbour, our buddies,” she mentioned to applause.

She additionally expressed gratitude for her fellow artists, a neighborhood she mentioned she had been a part of “for 62 years or one thing. Our voices matter, our range, our distinctive storytelling issues. We will’t let these voices be silenced or compromised or merged.”

Stephen Colbert, whose late-night speak present was cancelled by CBS in what some consider was a political resolution to pacify Donald Trump, claimed the perfect selection present trophy. “The Late Present with Stephen Colbert” had already gained six nods on the earlier weekend’s non-televised awards.

Colbert shouted out the individuals who helped make the present, together with the younger workers members. “Rent them!” he advised the viewers. He thanked all of the folks within the theatre who had been company on his present and introduced his spouse to tears by saying hers was “the chortle that I need for the remainder of my life.”

And “I wish to say to the viewers, thanks for watching. We hope you loved the present.”

The viewers appeared genuinely moved when Canadian actor Michael J. Fox was wheeled onstage to just accept the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy for a treatment for Parkinson’s illness.

Fox, 65, who was recognized with Parkinson’s on the age of 29, talked about being impressed by Hope, who “was greater than an entertainer; he was a selfless champion of troopers and army households like mine for many years.”

He famous that Hope gave up holidays to go to troops “in Berlin, Saigon, with a turkey leg and a golf membership, and possibly in case you’re fortunate, Lola Falana.”

Fox additionally thanked these in Hollywood who enabled him to maintain appearing regardless of his illness. “All of you made me really feel like I may maintain doing this.”

Harrison Ford, with whom Fox appeared in the latest season of “Shrinking,” appeared notably moved.

The restricted collection class was underwhelming in comparison with earlier years, however when push got here to shove, it wasn’t acclaimed anthology collection “Beef” that took the prize however the extra modest “DTF St. Louis,” a comedy-drama hybrid about male friendship, infidelity and loneliness starring Jason Bateman, Linda Cardellini and David Harbour.

The collection had already gained for writing, directing and supporting actor and actress on the earlier weekend’s awards. Collection creator Steven Conrad gave a very low-key acceptance speech. “We’re all grateful and we every ship our nice appreciation,” he mentioned.

The late Canadian actor and comic was given a particular honour on the prime of the in memoriam section, with three of her co-stars coming onstage to pay tribute to her.

“She might have forgotten me, twice, however we are going to at all times keep in mind her,” quipped Macaulay Culkin, who performed the son she left behind in two “Residence Alone” motion pictures.

Probably the most affecting tributes got here from O’Hara’s “Schitt’s Creek” forged mates Annie Murphy and Dan Levy.

Murphy recounted being approached by folks eager to share their reminiscences of O’Hara after she died in January on the age of 71. She mentioned she was stopped on an Air Canada flight and in an LCBO, and “hugged by a particularly gruff fuel station attendant.”

Levy mentioned he realized to at all times say sure to O’Hara. “Say sure to that rewrite she emails you, typically the night time earlier than. It can at all times enhance the story,” he mentioned. “Say sure to the idea of a wig wall. Say sure to her asking to put on a wig as a hat. Say sure to her naming that wig.”

The in memoriam section ended with Jamie Lee Curtis tearfully paying tribute to Rob Reiner, who was killed alongside his spouse Michelle final December. “He was beneficiant and type and humorous as hell,” Curtis mentioned.

Reiner had posthumously gained a visitor appearing Emmy for “The Bear.” Curtis famous the 48-year-gap between that and his earlier appearing win for “All within the Household” was the longest in Emmys historical past, eclipsing the 37-year file set by his father, Carl Reiner.

To nobody’s shock, buzzy medical drama “The Pitt” claimed its second excellent drama trophy, whereas lead Noah Wyle took his second appearing Emmy for enjoying the troubled however compassionate Dr. Robby Rabinovich.

But it surely wasn’t fairly the romp that some had been anticipating.

Favourites Katherine LaNasa and Shawn Hatosy misplaced the supporting actress and actor trophies to a few shock winners: Allison Janney for “The Diplomat” and Tom Pelphrey for “Process.”

The drama directing statuette went to Saul Metzstein for spy present “Sluggish Horses” and writing was gained by Vince Gilligan for “Pluribus,” the alien drama that had been seen as the principle competitors for “The Pitt.”

In maybe essentially the most satisfying non-”Pitt” win, “Pluribus” star Rhea Seehorn claimed her first Emmy for starring as a misanthropic creator who should save the world, a balm to followers who felt she’d been robbed in earlier nominations for “Higher Name Saul.”

When “The Pitt” took the massive prize, a Canadian obtained to just accept the award: collection creator R. Scott Gemmill, who mentioned that what’s extra necessary than awards and scores is “a complete neighborhood that’s nonetheless attempting to do the fitting factor.

“It’s so exhausting to inform what’s actual and what we will consider anymore, which makes telling trustworthy tales about actual human struggles extra necessary than ever,” he mentioned.

“Folks must know the reality. We have to inform them that in no matter type we will.”