The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are airing live tonight on NBC and Peacock, moved off their traditional Sunday slot to avoid competing with NFL Week 1, with “The Pitt” leading all nominees at 25 and “Hacks” close behind at 24, a record for a comedy series. Mariska Hargitay is hosting, the first woman to do so in 15 years, while also nominated three times for her own HBO documentary about her mother.
Why is Mariska Hargitay hosting, and why does it matter that she’s nominated too?
Hargitay, the longtime star of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” is the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years. She’s also nominated three times this year for “My Mom Jayne,” her HBO documentary about her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield — putting her in the unusual position of hosting a show where she’s also a contender. The documentary has already won two awards heading into Monday’s ceremony.
Who actually has the best shot at winning?
The nomination counts point to two clear front-runners. “The Pitt” leads the field with 25 nominations, and “Hacks” isn’t far behind at 24 — a record haul for a comedy series. Behind them, a wave of newer shows picked up serious nomination counts of their own: “Widow’s Bay” with 19, “Pluribus” with 18, “Beef” with 16, and “DTF St. Louis” with 13. That spread suggests this year’s ceremony won’t be a single-show sweep the way some recent years have been, with real competition across multiple categories rather than one dominant title.
Who’s won so far tonight?
With the ceremony still underway, early winners include Stephen Root for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (“Widow’s Bay”), Rhea Seehorn for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (“Pluribus”), and Allison Janney for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (“The Diplomat”). Michael J. Fox is also being honored tonight with the Television Academy’s Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, recognizing his advocacy work on Parkinson’s disease research. Check back for updates as the rest of the major categories are announced.
Sources: NBC Insider · Television Academy / 78th Primetime Emmy Awards · Yahoo Entertainment · NBC News (live updates)
Update: Here’s every major winner from the 78th Emmy Awards
Update, Sept. 15: The ceremony wrapped Monday night with “Widow’s Bay” setting a new Emmys record for a comedy series — 14 total wins, sweeping best comedy series, lead actor, and both supporting acting categories. “The Pitt” took best drama series. Here’s the full rundown of the top categories:
- Drama Series: “The Pitt”
- Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
- Limited or Anthology Series: “DTF St. Louis”
- Lead Actor, Drama: Noah Wyle, “The Pitt”
- Lead Actress, Drama: Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus”
- Lead Actor, Comedy: Matthew Rhys, “Widow’s Bay”
- Lead Actress, Comedy: Jean Smart, “Hacks”
- Lead Actor, Limited Series/Movie: Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
- Lead Actress, Limited Series/Movie: Sally Field, “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
- Supporting Actor, Drama: Tom Pelphrey, “Task”
- Supporting Actress, Drama: Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”
- Supporting Actor, Comedy: Stephen Root, “Widow’s Bay”
- Supporting Actress, Comedy: Kate O’Flynn, “Widow’s Bay”
- Supporting Actor, Limited Series/Movie: David Harbour, “DTF St. Louis”
- Supporting Actress, Limited Series/Movie: Linda Cardellini, “DTF St. Louis”
Matthew Rhys became the first male performer to win lead actor in two different categories in the same ceremony, taking both comedy lead actor for “Widow’s Bay” and limited series/movie lead actor for “The Beast in Me.” The Traitors, Alan Cumming’s competition series, and the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show starring Bad Bunny each picked up seven wins on the night.
Update sources: Hollywood Reporter · Global News · CBC News
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