Emmy Awards 2026 WINNERS: Matthew Rhys leads Widow's Bay to a SWEEP as he becomes first actor to earn TWO leading acting honors on the same night... as The Pitt also wins big

- Get exclusive reporting, celebrity gossip, sensational photos and more every Tuesday morning in our new Spotlight US newsletter HERE - See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Widow's Bay was the biggest winner at the Emmy Awards 2026 as it swept the ceremony with leading man Matthew Rhys made history as the first actor to win two leading acting gongs in different categories in one night. On the drama side, it was once again The Pitt who was the big winner as the HBO Max series took home top honor Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for Noah Wyle. However, it was Widow's Bay that made the massive first impression at on television's biggest night as it won in all six categories it was nominated in including the top honor Outstanding Comedy Series. The comedy horror series beat out: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, and Shrinking. Widow's Bay is set in the fictional New England island town of Widow's Bay, which happens to be afflicted with a centuries-old curse that brings various supernatural evils upon the island In addition to Rhys, top acting honors were earned by Kate O'Flynn and Stephen Root in the Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series categories, respectively. Widow's Bay was the biggest winner at the Emmy Awards 2026 as it swept the ceremony with leading man Matthew Rhys made history as the first actor to win two leading acting gongs in different categories in one night It was Widow's Bay that made the massive first impression at on television's biggest night as it won in all six categories it was nominated in including the top honor Outstanding Comedy Series as series creator Katie Dippold is seen accepting the honor On the drama side, it was once again The Pitt who was the big winner as the HBO Max series took home top honor Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for Noah Wyle However, their co-star Rhys was perhaps the biggest winner of the night as he made history by becoming the first actor to earn two leading acting honors in the same night. He not only earned earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for the AppleTV series, but also took home Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me earlier in the evening. For the comedy series gong, the 51-year-old Welsh actor beat out an impressive field which consisted of: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Steve Carell for Rooster, Jason Segel for Shrinking, Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building, and co-star Widow's Bay co-star Dale Dickey. Rhys made a joke about his second win by poking fun at the program's creator Katie Dippold as he said: 'My apologies to the women who had to stand again. 'Stephen Root is right, this is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of Katie Dippold, and her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain. It is also because of my hero, Hiro Murai, so beautifully, as did all of them.' On the Apple TV series, the talented actor portrays Tom Loftis, mayor of Widow's Bay, as he is originally from the mainland and is initially skeptical of the local residents' superstitions about the island's supposed curse. He is a widower, and father to a son, Evan, from his marriage to his deceased wife, Lauren. For his win earlier in the night for The Beast in Me he triumphed over: Riz Ahmed for Bait, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story, and Oscar Isaac for Beef. In the psychological thriller mini series, Rhys portrays Nile Jarvis who is the son of a real estate magnate who moves next door to the home of Aggie Wiggs [Clare Danes] in Oyster Bay, New York on Long Island to live in a more secluded manner with his second wife as he allegedly killed his first wife. Matthew Rhys made history as the first actor to win two leading acting Emmy Awards in different categories in one night For the comedy series gong, Rhys beat out an impressive field which consisted of: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Steve Carell for Rooster, Jason Segel for Shrinking, Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building, and co-star Widow's Bay co-star Dale Dickey The 51-year-old Welsh actor won big as he earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for Widow's Bay Rhys made a joke about his second win by poking fun at the program's creator Katie Dippold as he said: 'My apologies to the women who had to stand again. Stephen Root is right, this is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of Katie Dippold, and her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain' For his win earlier in the night for The Beast in Me he triumphed over: Riz Ahmed for Bait, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story, and Oscar Isaac for Beef He also earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me Meanwhile, Kate O'Flynn earned the first award of the night in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy category for Widow's Bay. The 40-year-old British actress beat out: Hannah Einbinder for Hacks, Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, Michelle Pfeiffer for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Megan Stalter for Hacks, and Jessica Williams for Shrinking. In the series she portrays Patricia Moyer, who is the eccentric assistant of Rhys's character and is considered a social outcast among her former classmates who believe that she lied about being targeted by a serial killer known as the Boogeyman while in high school. Stephen Root earned Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy beating out Colman Domingo for The Four Seasons, Paul W. Downs for Hacks, Harrison Ford for Shrinking, Nick Offerman for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Michael Urie for Shrinking, and Tyler James Williams for Abbott Elementary. The 74-year-old actor plays Wyck Crawford, an outspoken believer of the town's supernatural history as he initially clashes with Rhys's character over the latter's refusal to believe in the island's curse. The Pitt earned the top award of the night Outstanding Drama series on a night where it earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series. It faced stiff competition including: The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, and Your Friends and Neighbors. Series creator R. Scott Gemmill accepted the honor as he took a shot at AI (Artificial Intelligence) during his speech as he said: 'It is so hard to tell what is real and what we can believe anymore, which makes telling honest stories about real human struggles so much more important than ever. For Outstanding Comedy Series, Widow's Bay beat out: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, and Shrinking Kate O'Flynn earned the first award of the night in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy category for Widow's Bay The 40-year-old British actress beat out: Hannah Einbinder for Hacks, Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, Michelle Pfeiffer for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Megan Stalter for Hacks, and Jessica Williams for Shrinking In the series she portrays Patricia Moyer, who is the eccentric assistant of Rhys's character and is considered a social outcast among her former classmates who believe that she lied about being targeted by a serial killer known as the Boogeyman while in high school Stephen Root earned Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy beating out Colman Domingo for The Four Seasons, Paul W. Downs for Hacks, Harrison Ford for Shrinking, Nick Offerman for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Michael Urie for Shrinking, and Tyler James Williams for Abbott Elementary The 74-year-old actor plays Wyck Crawford, an outspoken believer of the town's supernatural history as he initially clashes with Rhys's character over the latter's refusal to believe in the island's curse 'What you do is -- it changes people's lives. And I'm just so happy that we get to do that because it's so difficult to know what to believe anymore. And so when the last bastion of reality is in our shared collective fiction, that makes what you do so much more important.' 'People need to know the truth, and we need to continue to tell them that in whatever way we can, in whatever form we can. Because at the end of the day I think sometimes it's only the story telling that allows us to understand and appreciate each other. And that's more important than ever. So, keep doing what you're doing.' The Pitt is centered around the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling. Noah Wyle was the first to be awarded for the highly-popular HBO Max series. The 55-year-old actor earned the win in the coveted Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category as he beat out: Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat. On the series he portrays Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch who is the main protagonist of the show as he deals with trauma and PTSD alongside unresolved post-COVID stress. Meanwhile, Rhea Seehorn earned one of the biggest wins of television's biggest night and beat one of the biggest stars in Zendaya to earn the honor. The 54-year-old actress triumphed in the Lead Actress in a Drama category at the Emmy Awards 2026 as she was recognized for her work in Pluribus. She beat out an impressive field including 30-year-old Zendaya for the third and final season of Euphoria along with Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Chase Infiniti for The Testaments, and Keri Russell for The Diplomat. The Pitt earned the top award of the night Outstanding Drama series on a night where it earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series Series creator R. Scott Gemmill accepted the honor as it faced stiff competition including: The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, and Your Friends and Neighbors The Pitt is centered around the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling Noah Wyle was the first to be awarded for The Pitt on a night where they earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series The 55-year-old actor earned the win in the coveted Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category as he beat out: Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat On the series he portrays Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch who is the main protagonist of the show as he deals with trauma and PTSD alongside unresolved post-COVID stress There seemed to be a real camaraderie between the nominees as she recognized her fellow competitors including Russell. Seehorn said during her acceptance speech: 'And I also just want to say congratulations and thank you for the performances to my fellow nominees in my category. All brilliant, brilliant performances. 'Keri Russell among them, who sent us a lovely gift and a card, quoting -- sadly we didn't know we would lose her so soon, but quoting Gloria steinem saying, "we are linked, not ranked." And I feel that way about all you women. So, thank you for that.' American journalist and social movement activist Steinem passed away earlier this month at 92-years-old. In the ambitious project created by Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan, Seehorn's character Carol Sturka is one of the immune few who live in a world overtaken by a mysterious wave of forced happiness and must uncover what is really going on in order to save humanity from artificial bliss. Jean Smart earned her fifth Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy win in a row at the Emmy Awards 2026 on a night that featured a star-studded red carpet. Rhea Seehorn earned one of the biggest wins of television's biggest night and beat one of the biggest stars in Zendaya to earn the honor Zendaya clapped for Seehorn despite losing out The 54-year-old actress triumphed in the Lead Actress in a Drama category at the Emmy Awards 2026 as she was recognized for her work in Pluribus She beat out an impressive field including 30-year-old Zendaya for the third and final season of Euphoria along with Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Chase Infiniti for The Testaments, and Keri Russell for The Diplomat There seemed to be a real camaraderie between the nominees as she recognized her fellow competitors including Russell In the project created by Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan, Seehorn's character Carol Sturka is one of the immune few who live in a world overtaken by a mysterious wave of forced happiness and must uncover what is really going on in order to save humanity from artificial bliss The 75-year-old talented actress was recognized for her work on Hacks which just had its fifth and final season. Smart - who earned her eighth total Emmy in her 15th total nomination - was obviously emotional as her name was called and she was presented the honor by Zendaya. During her acceptance speech she thanked her children Connor and Forrest before recognizing the creators of her highly-popular HBO Max series. She said: 'But this one I am dedicating to Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs. 'It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much. Thank you. Thank you all so much.' Jean Smart earned her fifth Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy win in a row The 75-year-old talented actress was recognized for her work on Hacks which just had it's fifth and final season Smart - who earned her eighth total Emmy in her 15th total nomination - was obviously emotional as her name was called and she was presented the honor by Zendaya During her acceptance speech she thanked her children Connor and Forrest before recognizing the creators of her highly-popular HBO Max series Sally Field earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in Remarkably Bright Creatures. The 79-year-old actress won over: Claire Danes for The Beast in Me, Carey Mulligan for Beef, Sarah Pidgeon for Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, and Sarah Snook for All Her Fault. In the television drama Field portrays Tova Sullivan, the elderly cleaning lady of a Washington State aquarium, as she forms a bond with younger drifter Cameron (Lewis Pullman) during night shifts. Sally Field earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in Remarkably Bright Creatures The 79-year-old actress won over: Claire Danes for The Beast in Me, Carey Mulligan for Beef, Sarah Pidgeon for Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, and Sarah Snook for All Her Fault In the television drama Field portrays Tova Sullivan, the elderly cleaning lady of a Washington State aquarium, as she forms a bond with younger drifter Cameron (Lewis Pullman) during night shifts Law & Order: SVU executive producer/star Mariska Hargitay served as host of the gala event which marks the first time a woman has hosted the show in 15 years The 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Monday night. Law & Order: SVU executive producer/star Mariska Hargitay served as host of the gala event which marks the first time a woman has hosted the show in 15 years. She kicked off the event with a prerecorded intro featuring New York Knicks NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and a parody version of 1981 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts hit I Love Rock 'n' Roll turned into 'I love TV screens' before jumping into a monologue. This year, 555 programs were submitted for nominations across the 14 program categories, down 7.5% from last year’s 600 entrants. That included 110 dramas, 71 comedies, 31 limited/anthology series, 34 movies, 18 variety series and 45 reality competition shows. The two Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies took place on Saturday, September 5, and Sunday, September 6.