The 2026 Primetime Emmys belonged to Widow’s Bay. The first-season Apple TV horror-comedy won six awards on Monday night, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and 14 in total once the earlier Creative Arts ceremonies are counted. The Pitt repeated as Outstanding Drama Series, and Matthew Rhys became the first man to win two lead actor Emmys in the same year.
The night’s biggest stories
- Matthew Rhys makes history with wins for Widow’s Bay (comedy) and The Beast in Me (limited series).
- Widow’s Bay sweeps comedy, taking both supporting acting awards plus writing and directing.
- The Pitt goes back to back as Outstanding Drama, and Noah Wyle wins lead actor for Dr. Robby.
- Rhea Seehorn finally wins her first Emmy, for Pluribus, which also won for drama writing.
- Most wins overall: After Widow’s Bay, the Bad Bunny Super Bowl LX halftime show, DTF St. Louis and The Traitors each won seven. Hacks set a comedy record with 24 nominations but won two awards.
- By network: HBO Max led with 122 nominations, ahead of Netflix (111) and Apple TV (87).
Comedy
- Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay
- Lead Actor: Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
- Lead Actress: Jean Smart, Hacks
- Supporting Actor: Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
- Supporting Actress: Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
- Guest Actor: Rob Reiner, The Bear
- Guest Actress: Betty Gilpin, Widow’s Bay
- Directing: Hiro Murai, Widow’s Bay
- Writing: Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay
Drama
- Drama Series: The Pitt
- Lead Actor: Noah Wyle, The Pitt
- Lead Actress: Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
- Supporting Actor: Tom Pelphrey, Task
- Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, The Diplomat
- Guest Actor: Ernest Harden Jr., The Pitt
- Guest Actress: Shailene Woodley, Paradise
- Directing: Saul Metzstein, Slow Horses
- Writing: Vince Gilligan, Pluribus
Limited series and movies
- Limited or Anthology Series: DTF St. Louis
- Lead Actor: Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
- Lead Actress: Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Supporting Actor: David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
- Supporting Actress: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
- Directing: Steven Conrad, DTF St. Louis
Variety, reality and documentary
- Variety Talk Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
- Variety Special (Live): The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
- Variety Special (Prerecorded): The Muppet Show
- Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
- Reality Host: Alan Cumming, The Traitors
- Structured Reality Program: Antiques Roadshow
- Unstructured Reality Program: Love on the Spectrum
- Documentary or Nonfiction Special: My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay
- Directing for a Documentary: Mariska Hargitay, My Mom Jayne
Our take
A brand-new series sweeping comedy is rare, and it shows how quickly audiences took to Widow’s Bay‘s mix of horror and humor. Women also had big nights: Sally Field, Jean Smart and a long-overdue Rhea Seehorn all won, and Mariska Hargitay was honored for her deeply personal documentary about her mother.
