78th Emmy Awards Nominations: Hacks Sets a Comedy Record, Mariska Hargitay Locks In Hosting Duties
The 78th Emmy Awards nominations are out, and one category just made history. Here’s the rundown on the biggest contenders, the record Hacks just broke, and why Mariska Hargitay has a very full September ahead of her.
Nominations were announced Wednesday morning from the Wolf Theatre inside Los Angeles’ Saban Media Center, read live by last year’s acting winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller alongside Television Academy Chair, Cris Abrego. It’s the annual ritual that kicks off awards season arguments, and this year’s crop gave people plenty to chew on: a record-setting comedy field, a stacked drama race, and nearly two dozen actors hearing their names called as Emmy nominees for the first time.
“Hacks” Just Rewrote the Comedy Record Book
“Hacks” landed 24 nominations this year, more than any comedy series has ever pulled in during a single year, according to the Television Academy. That tops the previous record of 23, shared by “The Studio” in 2025 and “The Bear” in 2024. “The Pitt” wasn’t far off on the drama side, leading all series this year with 25 nominations and keeping its momentum going after star Noah Wyle’s win last season. Wyle picked up three nods of his own this time, for acting, directing and producing.
Who’s Nominated in the Top Categories
Outstanding Drama Series
- “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
- “The Gilded Age” (HBO Max)
- “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (HBO Max)
- “Paradise” (Hulu)
- “The Pitt” (HBO Max)
- “Pluribus” (Apple TV+)
- “Slow Horses” (Apple TV+)
- “Your Friends & Neighbors” (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Comedy Series
- “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
- “The Bear” (FX)
- “Hacks” (HBO Max)
- “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” (Apple TV+)
- “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
- “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
- “Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
- “Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV+)
Lead Actress & Actor, Drama
- Carrie Coon, “The Gilded Age”/ Chase Infiniti, “The Testaments”/ Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”/ Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus”/ Zendaya, “Euphoria”
- Sterling K. Brown, Paradise / Gary Oldman, Slow Horses / Mark Ruffalo, Task / Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat / Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Lead Actress & Actor, Comedy
- Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”/ Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”/ Elle Fanning, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”/ Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”/ Jean Smart, “Hacks”
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Wonder Man”/ Steve Carell, “Rooster”/ Matthew Rhys, “Widow’s Bay”/ Jason Segel, “Shrinking”/ Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
The Newcomers Making Their First Emmy Run
Twenty-eight performers are hearing their names read as Emmy nominees for the first time this year. “The Pitt” alone accounts for a big chunk of that list, with newcomers like Taylor Dearden, Patrick Ball and Tal Anderson joining the fold. Elsewhere, Chase Infiniti picked up a nod for “The Testaments,” Sarah Pidgeon earned one for “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” and “Saturday Night Live’s” Connor Storrie made his own Emmy debut. “Widow’s Bay” brought in first-timers Dale Dickey, Hamish Linklater and Kate O’Flynn, while “Beef” added Charles Melton, Carey Mulligan and Youn Yuh-Jung to its nominee count.
The Multi-Hyphenates Cleaning Up
A handful of stars are doing triple and quadruple duty this year. Jason Bateman leads the pack with four nominations, picking up nods for acting and directing on “Black Rabbit” plus acting and producing on “DTF St. Louis.” The three-nomination club includes Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Paul W. Downs (“Hacks”), Matthew Rhys (“Widow’s Bay” and “The Beast in Me”), Jason Segel (“Shrinking”), Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building” and “Match Game”) and Noah Wyle (“The Pitt”). Plenty of others, from Sterling K. Brown to Michelle Pfeiffer to Sarah Snook, scored double nominations for both performing and producing on their respective shows.
When to Watch the 78th Emmy Awards
Mariska Hargitay will host the ceremony live from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE on Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The show airs on NBC and streams on Peacock. Before that, the Creative Arts Emmys hand out a separate batch of awards on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6. Final-round voting for the main ceremony opens Aug. 17, so there’s still time for campaigns to shift the race before winners are locked in.
Bottom Line
Between “Hacks” record-breaking haul, “The Pitt’s” dominant showing and a wave of new faces cracking the lineup, the 78th Emmy Awards are shaping up to be a genuinely unpredictable night. Mark the calendar for Sept. 14. With this many storylines in play, the ceremony itself should be just as compelling as nominations morning was.
FAQ
Q: When are the 78th Emmy Awards?
A: The ceremony airs Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC, with streaming on Peacock.
Q: Who is hosting the 78th Emmy Awards?
A: Mariska Hargitay is hosting this year’s ceremony from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE.
Q: Which show earned the most nominations this year?
A: “The Pitt” led all series with 25 nominations, while Hacks set the all-time record for a comedy series with 24.
Q: When does Emmy voting close?
A: Final-round online voting begins Aug. 17, 2026, ahead of the September ceremony.
