The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards delivered a night of major wins and historic achievements, with “Widow’s Bay” emerging as the biggest winner in comedy and “The Pitt” taking home the top prize in drama.
“Widow’s Bay” dominated the comedy categories, winning Outstanding Comedy Series along with several acting, writing and directing awards. The series collected 14 Emmys overall, making it one of the standout productions of the 2026 television awards season.
Meanwhile, “The Pitt” won Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year, while Noah Wyle secured the award for Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Major Emmy Winners 2026
- Comedy Series “Widow’s Bay”
- Drama Series “The Pitt”
- Lead Actor – Comedy Matthew Rhys — “Widow’s Bay
- Lead Actress – Comedy Jean Smart — “Hacks”
- Lead Actor – Drama Noah Wyle — “The Pitt”
- Lead Actress – Drama Rhea Seehorn — “Pluribus”
- Limited/Anthology Series “DTF St. Louis”
- 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”
- Reality Competition Series “The Traitors”
- Variety Series “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
- Directing – Drama Saul Metzstein — “Slow Horses”
- Directing – Comedy Hiro Murai — “Widow’s Bay”
- Writing – Drama Vince Gilligan — “Pluribus”
- Writing – Comedy Katie Dippold — “Widow’s Bay”
Matthew Rhys makes Emmy history
One of the biggest stories of the night was Matthew Rhys, who won two lead acting awards — one for “Widow’s Bay” and another for “The Beast in Me.” His double victory made him the first actor to win two lead acting Emmys in different categories on the same night.
Jean Smart adds another milestone
Jean Smart continued her remarkable Emmy run with another Lead Actress in a Comedy Series victory for “Hacks.” The win marked her fifth consecutive Emmy in the category and further cemented her status as one of television’s most decorated performers.
With major victories spread across comedy, drama, limited series and variety programming, the 2026 Emmys showcased a strong mix of established stars and breakout productions. “Widow’s Bay” led the night’s comedy success, while “The Pitt” strengthened its position as one of television’s leading dramas.
