That's curtains for the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards, with television's night of nights ending with a historic win, an iconic Taylor Swift moment, a heart-wrenching memorial segment for the late Dolly Parton, and more.
Law and Order 's Mariska Hargitay was the host of tonight's show - the first woman to host the Emmy Awards in 15 years - and presented awards in 19 categories at the Peacock Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
This year, medical drama The Pitt led the pack with 25 total nominations, followed by HBO Max comedy Hacks (with 24 nominations, a comedy series record), Apple TV comedy horror television series Widow's Bay (19), AppleTV's Pluribus (18), and Netflix's Beef (16).
It was Widow's Bay that caused quite the stir on the small screen's biggest night of the year, breaking a record for a comedy series with 14 awards including best comedy series and three acting wins. Its star, Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, made history with wins in two lead actor categories for his work on the show, as well as for his work on Netflix miniseries The Beast in Me.
Here's a round-up of the highlights, plus and the winners list in full:
Taylor Swift was there, kind of
In a pre-taped sketch, Taylor Swift played a rookie in the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit office.
Hargitay's Olivia Benson went through two large crime boards to make connections between Swift's songs and Emmy nominations to see if she'd attend the telecast. One of the detectives called it a "rabbit hole."
The sketch ended with Hargitay posing with Swift - both glaring into the camera, very seriously - bookmarking Swift's cat, named in a tribute to Olivia Benson.
Swift was actually at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night, sitting alongside Tom Cruise, to watch new husband Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Denver Broncos. It was the first time Swift has seen Kelce play since they were married over the summer.
Welsh actor comes out on top
Actor Matthew Rhys has made history at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, with the Welsh star becoming the first person in history to win two lead acting prizes in one night.
Rhys received the two top gongs on Tuesday for his roles in supernatural TV comedy Widow's Bay and psychological thriller The Beast In Me, making history at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles.
While on stage accepting his second award at the small screen's night of nights, which honours the best and brightest in primetime television, Rhys dedicated his win "to the great and good people of Wales, who were as much a nurture as anyone else".
"We are a small but mighty nation. This is incredible," he said, before adding "Diolch yn fawr iawn", or "thank you very much".
Jean Smart won five Emmys
American actor Jean Smart was predicted to win her fifth straight Emmy for Hacks. She did it early and with style. "What a ride this has been," she said.
It's her eighth trophy overall, which ties the all-time performer record shared by Cloris Leachman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Allison Janney, who also won her eighth Monday. Smart becomes the first woman to win the best actress trophy for each season of a show's run.
She kept a special thank you to the end - to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky: "It all begins and ends with them," she said.
Sally Field got a standing ovation
One of the night's most popular winners was 79-year-old Sally Field.
The entire Peacock Theatre audience was on its feet, and their applause drowned out Fields' first few words. It was the two-time Oscar winner's fourth career Emmy and first since 2007.
She is the oldest Emmy winner in her category - lead actress in a limited or anthology series or TV movie for the Netflix's Remarkably Bright Creatures.
"Wow, wow. This is not supposed to happen," said Field. "I loved this project from page one."
Field later returned to honour her Steel Magnolias co-star, Dolly Parton. "I adored her from Day One," she said. "I am not the only one on earth who will love you forever."
Dolly Parton tribute
The Emmys were the first major award show to air since the death of Dolly Parton last month, and the Television Academy crafted a separate segment to say goodbye.
Field talked of Parton's bawdy sense of humor and her humanitarian impulse. Parton's longtime friend and fellow country music icon Reba McEntire then performed Parton's Appalachian Memories.
"I'll keep looking to the Father / Keep my head above the water / Appalachian memories keep me strong," McEntire sang. "I love you, Dolly," she said.
Schitt's Creek alums Dan Levy and Annie Murphy and Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin also honoured their late co-star Catherine O'Hara.
'Buffy' stars reunite as the show turns 30
Just six months after the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot was scrapped, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz reunited onstage to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary.
She also acknowledged it had been a tough two years for the show's cast and crew, implicitly acknowledging the recent deaths of actors Anthony Head (Giles), Nicholas Brendon (Xavier) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn).
Past Emmy nights have been chocked full of reunions - The Golden Girls , Gilmore Girls and Law and Order were just a few last year. This time, not so much. Other than Buffy , there was only one other - Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith teamed up for the 50th anniversary of Charlie's Angels.
Welcome back, Sofia
Sofia Vergara made it to the Emmys this year to present supporting actor in a comedy, bypassing the emergency room. Last year, she had to bow out of presenting at the last minute after suffering an eye allergy just before the show.
All eyes were on Megan Stalter
Megan Stalter, a nominee for best supporting actress for Hacks , was dressed as an Emmy statuette, complete with wings and a coat of gold makeup. She even held up a sphere like the real trophy itself.
It was Stalter's first time attending the Emmys as a nominee. She earned her first career nod for supporting actress in a comedy series for playing Kayla Schaeffer in the fifth and final season of Hacks.
Here’s a list of winners at the 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards:
- Comedy series - Widow's Bay
- Drama series - The Pitt
- Lead actor in a comedy series - Matthew Rhys, Widow's Bay
- Lead actress in a comedy series - Jean Smart, Hacks
- Lead actor in a drama series - Noah Wyle, The Pitt
- Lead actress in a drama series - Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
- Limited or anthology series - DTF St. Louis
- Lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie - Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
- Supporting actor in a drama series - Tom Pelphrey, Task
- Supporting actress in a drama series - Allison Janney, The Diplomat
- Supporting actor in a comedy series - Stephen Root, Widow's Bay
- Supporting actress in a comedy series - Kate O’Flynn, Widow's Bay
- Lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie - Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Reality competition series - The Traitors
- Variety series - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Directing for a drama series - Saul Metzstein, Slow Horses
- Directing for a comedy series - Hiro Murai, Widow’s Bay
- Writing for a drama series - Vince Gilligan, Pluribus
- Writing for a comedy series - Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay