2026 Emmy Awards: The Pitt Triumphs as Matthew Rhys and Jean Smart Make History

The television industry’s biggest stars gathered in Los Angeles as the 78th Emmy Awards celebrated another year of outstanding performances and productions. The ceremony, held at the Peacock Theatre, saw The Pitt claim the Outstanding Drama Series award for a second consecutive year, while Widow’s Bay emerged as the night’s biggest winner in the comedy category.

The ceremony also produced several historic moments. Matthew Rhys became one of the evening’s most remarkable figures after winning acting awards for two different productions. He was named Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow’s Bay and later won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for The Beast in Me.

Another milestone belonged to Jean Smart. The star of Hacks became the first woman to win the Outstanding Lead Actress award in every season of a five-season series, adding another extraordinary achievement to her already distinguished Emmy career.

The ceremony was hosted by Mariska Hargitay, the longtime star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, who has been part of the series for 28 years.

The Pitt remains the drama to beat

One of the most prestigious prizes of the evening once again went to The Pitt. The medical drama successfully defended its Outstanding Drama Series title, defeating a competitive field of acclaimed productions.

The show also collected a major acting award, with Noah Wyle taking home Outstanding Lead Actor for his performance in the series.

In the lead actress category, Rhea Seehorn won for Pluribus. She emerged victorious over a highly competitive group that included Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell and Zendaya.

The supporting acting categories produced two more notable winners. Tom Pelphrey was named Outstanding Supporting Actor for Task, while Allison Janney won Outstanding Supporting Actress for The Diplomat.

Widow’s Bay dominates comedy

The comedy categories belonged largely to Widow’s Bay. Blending horror and comedy, the series surprised its rivals by taking home the award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

The show’s success extended into the acting categories as well. Matthew Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in Widow’s Bay, beating nominees including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Martin Short.

The lead actress award went to Jean Smart for Hacks. Her victory created one of the evening’s most significant records, as she became the first woman to win the award in every season of a five-season series.

The supporting comedy awards also went to Widow’s Bay. Stephen Root won Outstanding Supporting Actor, while Kate O’Flynn took the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress.

Matthew Rhys has a remarkable double victory

Matthew Rhys was arguably the most extraordinary individual winner of the night.

After receiving the comedy acting award for Widow’s Bay, the Welsh actor returned to the spotlight later in the ceremony to collect another acting Emmy for The Beast in Me.

Winning two acting awards in different categories for two separate productions on the same night placed Rhys in the Emmy record books and gave the ceremony one of its most memorable storylines.

His double victory was also a testament to his versatility, demonstrating his ability to move between different genres and roles while remaining at the forefront of television’s most competitive acting categories.

DTF St. Louis leads the limited-series field

In the limited-series categories, DTF St. Louis emerged as the night’s leading production. The series won Outstanding Limited Series and also secured two supporting acting awards.

David Harbour was named Outstanding Supporting Actor for his performance in DTF St. Louis, while Linda Cardellini won Outstanding Supporting Actress.

The lead acting prizes went elsewhere. Matthew Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor for The Beast in Me, completing his extraordinary double on the night, while Sally Field claimed Outstanding Lead Actress for Remarkably Bright Creatures.

The 78th Emmy Awards ultimately delivered a ceremony filled with major victories, unexpected successes and historic milestones. The Pitt continued its dominance in drama, Widow’s Bay made a major impact in comedy, while Matthew Rhys and Jean Smart secured places in Emmy history with achievements that will be remembered long after the ceremony ended.

78th Emmy Awards winners

Drama

Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actor: Noah Wyle – The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actress: Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus
Outstanding Supporting Actor: Tom Pelphrey – Task
Outstanding Supporting Actress: Allison Janney – The Diplomat

Comedy

Outstanding Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Lead Actor: Matthew Rhys – Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Lead Actress: Jean Smart – Hacks
Outstanding Supporting Actor: Stephen Root – Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Supporting Actress: Kate O’Flynn – Widow’s Bay

Limited Series

Outstanding Limited Series: DTF St. Louis
Outstanding Lead Actor: Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me
Outstanding Lead Actress: Sally Field – Remarkably Bright Creatures
Outstanding Supporting Actor: David Harbour – DTF St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actress: Linda Cardellini – DTF St. Louis