Law and Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay will host the 2026 Emmy Awards, becoming the first woman to take the role in 15 years.
Hargitay will take to the stage at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on September 14 to present the annual awards for television.
She called it a “great honour” to be involved in the telecast, particularly in a milestone year for broadcaster NBC.
“Bringing important stories into the light has been the heartbeat of my career. It’s my great honour to host the 78th Emmy Awards – in the 100th birthday year of my beloved NBC – and celebrate this extraordinary community of storytellers,” Hargitay said.
Jane Lynch was the last woman to host the Emmy awards, for Fox in 2011. Only two other women have fronted the ceremony in the past century.
Ellen DeGeneres took the reins in 2001 and 2005, and Heidi Klum was part of a presenting team that also included Tom Bergeron, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst and Ryan Secrest in 2008.
The Pitt and Hacks top list
Emergency room drama The Pitt has leads this year’s Emmy nominations with 25 nods while the final season of Hacks earned 24 nominations, a record-setting haul for a comedy in a single year.
Voters also nominated The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses and Your Friends & Neighbours for the top prize of best drama.
Pluribus, from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, received 18 nods.
Rhee Seehorn is a favourite to win best actress in a drama for her role in Pluribus. Photo: AAP
They included best actress in a drama for its only lead cast member Rhee Seehorn, who is considered the frontrunner in the category.
In the best comedy race, Hacks will compete with Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking and Widow’s Bay.
The Pitt has a chance to repeat as best drama winner, as does star Noah Wyle. He claimed the best drama actor prize last year for his role as Dr “Robby” Robinavitch.
Wyle’s competitors in the actor category include Sterling K Brown for Paradise and Gary Oldman for Slow Horses.
Eight people have been nominated for the top Emmy of best drama series. Photo: AAP
Jean Smart, who plays comedian Deborah Vance on Hacks, has been named best comedy actress for the role four times. She has been nominated again for the show’s fifth and final season.
Among others, she will face Ayo Edebiri of The Bear, Quinta Brunson of Abbott Elementary.
Smart’s Hacks co-star Hannah Einbinder was nominated for supporting comedy actress.
Other acting nominees included Harrison Ford for his supporting role on Shrinking and Zendaya for her leading role in Euphoria.
Jason Bateman landed four Emmy nominations, two for acting and producing DTF St Louis and two more for acting and directing the limited series Black Rabbit.
Hargitay’s documentary My Mom Jayne, about her mother, Jayne Mansfield, received three nominations including best documentary.
Emmy winners will be announced at a red-carpet ceremony in Los Angeles and broadcast live on September 14.
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