Emmy Awards Winners 2026 : The Pitt and Widow’s Bay Dominate the Major Awards

Television’s biggest Emmy Awards night wrapped up Monday, September 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Host Mariska Hargitay, the first woman to lead the Emmys solo in fifteen years, kept the show moving with a musical opener called “I Love TV Screens” and playful jabs at Dick Wolf, Martin Short, and Nicole Kidman. Below is the complete rundown of 2026 Emmy Awards winners and nominees across every major category, along with the records that made this ceremony one to remember.

2026 Emmy Awards Winners at a Glance

Here’s the complete, updated list of 2026 Emmy Awards winners:

Widow’s Bay Makes Emmy History

The biggest storyline of the night belonged to Widow’s Bay, Apple TV’s first-season horror-comedy. Between the Creative Arts Emmys and the main Primetime telecast, Widow’s Bay racked up 14 total wins, making it the single most decorated comedy series in Emmy history, surpassing the previous record set by “The Studio.” Beyond the Emmys, the show also won Best Horror Series at the Critics’ Choice Super Awards, Best Genre TV Show at the Dorian TV Awards, and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy plus Outstanding New Program at the Television Critics Association Awards.

Despite its heavy horror elements, Widow’s Bay was submitted and judged as a comedy series rather than a drama or limited series, a strategic choice that put it up against lighter, more traditional sitcoms. Voters responded to its originality, rewarding a show that didn’t fit neatly into either genre box.

The one major comedy category Widow’s Bay didn’t win went to Jean Smart, who claimed Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the final season of Hacks, her fifth Emmy in the role and a fitting send-off for the acclaimed series.

The Pitt Wins Best Drama Series Again

On the drama side, The Pitt repeated as Outstanding Drama Series for the second year in a row, cementing HBO Max’s medical drama as one of the genre’s new heavyweights. Noah Wyle also won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Dr. Robby, matching last year’s win.

The Pitt entered the night as the most-nominated show with 25 nominations, finishing with six wins. Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus delivered one of the night’s most emotional moments when Rhea Seehorn won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, her first-ever Emmy after years of nominations for Better Call Saul.

Elsewhere, Tom Pelphrey won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Task, while Allison Janney added another Emmy to her collection for The Diplomat. Ernest Harden Jr. and Shailene Woodley took the guest acting prizes for The Pitt and Paradise.

2026 Emmy Awards Comedy: Full Nominations and Winners

Outstanding Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Martin Short

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks — WINNER

Also nominated: Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Elle Fanning, Lisa Kudrow

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Colman Domingo, Paul W. Downs, Harrison Ford, Nick Offerman, Michael Urie, Tyler James Williams

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Dale Dickey, Hannah Einbinder, Janelle James, Michelle Pfeiffer, Megan Stalter, Jessica Williams

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Hiro Murai, Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Randall Einhorn (Abbott Elementary), Christopher Storer (The Bear), Andrew DeYoung (The Chair Company), Lucia Aniello (Hacks)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Tim Robinson & Zach Kanin (The Chair Company), Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs & Jen Statsky (Hacks)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Rob Reiner, The Bear — WINNER

Also nominated: Michael J. Fox, Brett Goldstein, Hamish Linklater, Christopher McDonald

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty Gilpin, Widow’s Bay — WINNER

Also nominated: Leslie Bibb, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cherry Jones, Laurie Metcalf, Kaitlin Olson

2026 Emmy Awards Drama: Full Nominations and Winners

Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt — WINNER

Also nominated: The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, Your Friends & Neighbors

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle, The Pitt — WINNER

Also nominated: Sterling K. Brown, Gary Oldman, Mark Ruffalo, Rufus Sewell

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus — WINNER

Also nominated: Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell, Zendaya

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey, Task — WINNER

Also nominated: Patrick Ball, Billy Crudup, Shawn Hatosy, Gerran Howell, Jack Lowden, Carlos-Manuel Vesga

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Allison Janney, The Diplomat — WINNER

Also nominated: Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Katherine LaNasa, Sepideh Moafi, Julianne Nicholson, Karolina Wydra

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: 

Both races stayed close between Salli Richardson Whitfield, Noah Wyle, Vince Gilligan, and Saul Metzstein. The official winner in each hadn’t been independently confirmed across sources at the time of this report, so check the Television Academy’s live results page for the final call.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Ernest Harden Jr., The Pitt — WINNER

Also nominated: Colman Domingo, Jeff Hiller, Jeff Kober, Jonathan Pryce

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Shailene Woodley, Paradise — WINNER

Also nominated: Brittany Allen, Tal Anderson, Tina Ivlev, Miriam Shor

Emmy Awards 2026 Limited Series and TV Movie: Full Nominations and Winners

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: DTF St. Louis — WINNER

Also nominated: All Her Fault, The Beast in Me, Beef, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

Outstanding Television Movie: Remarkably Bright Creatures — WINNER

Also nominated: Heads of State, Miss You Love You, People We Meet on Vacation, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War

Outstanding Directing / Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Steven Conrad, DTF St. Louis (both categories) — WINNER

Also nominated: Jake Schreier and Lee Sung Jin (Beef), Jason Bateman (Black Rabbit), Megan Gallagher (All Her Fault)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me — WINNER

Also nominated: Riz Ahmed, Jason Bateman, Charlie Hunnam, Oscar Isaac

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures — WINNER

Also nominated: Claire Danes, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Pidgeon, Sarah Snook

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: David Harbour, DTF St. Louis — WINNER

Also nominated: Jason Bateman, Richard Gadd, Richard Jenkins, Charles Melton, Nick Offerman

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis — WINNER

Also nominated: Dakota Fanning, Laurie Metcalf, Joy Sunday, Youn Yuh-jung, Constance Zimmer

Emmy Awards Reality and Variety 2026 : Full Nominations and Winners

Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors — WINNER

Also nominated: Dancing With the Stars, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program: Alan Cumming, The Traitors — WINNER

Also nominated: RuPaul Charles, Kristen Kish, Ariana Madix, Jeff Probst

Outstanding Host for a Game Show: Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire — WINNER

Also nominated: Steve Harvey, Ken Jennings, Colin Jost, Martin Short

Outstanding Structured / Unstructured Reality Program: Antiques Roadshow (Structured); Love On The Spectrum (Unstructured) — WINNER

Also nominated: Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, Love Is Blind, Queer Eye, Shark Tank; Summer House, Welcome To Wrexham

Outstanding Game Show: Jeopardy! — WINNER

Also nominated: Celebrity Family Feud, The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

Outstanding Variety Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — WINNER

Also nominated: The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Variety Special (Live / Pre-Recorded): Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny (Live); The Muppet Show (Pre-Recorded) — WINNER

Also nominated: 83rd Golden Globes, 68th Grammy Awards, The Oscars; Nikki Glaser: Good Girl, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Who Hosted the 2026 Emmy Awards

Mariska Hargitay hosted for the first time this year, becoming the first woman to host the Primetime Emmys solo in fifteen years. In a full-circle moment, her own documentary, “My Mom Jayne,” about her mother Jayne Mansfield, also won an Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special during Creative Arts week.

Biggest Records and Surprises of the Night

• Widow’s Bay became the most decorated comedy series in Emmy history with 14 total wins.

• Matthew Rhys became the first man to win two lead actor Emmys in a single year.

• The Pitt repeated as Outstanding Drama Series for a second consecutive year.

• HBO Max led all networks with 122 total nominations this season, ahead of Netflix with 111 and Apple TV with 87.

Conclusion

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will be remembered as the night a debut season rewrote the record books. Widow’s Bay became the most decorated comedy in Emmy history, and Matthew Rhys pulled off a genuinely unprecedented double win. Established favorites held their ground too, with The Pitt repeating as Best Drama Series and Jean Smart closing out Hacks with one more trophy. Add in Rhea Seehorn’s long-overdue first win and DTF St. Louis’s clean sweep of the limited series categories, and the headline is clear: television’s biggest night belonged to Widow’s Bay.

FAQs About Emmy Awards Winners 2026