Jean Smart secures her fifth Emmy for “Hacks,” historic perfect sweep for lead comedy actress.
Published On 15 Sep 2026
At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards held in Los Angeles, the emergency room drama The Pitt and the comedy-horror series Widow’s Bay emerged as the night’s biggest winners, taking home television’s highest honours.
Set against the eerie backdrop of a cursed New England town, Widow’s Bay clinched the prestigious best comedy series award, overcoming the previous season’s champion, Hacks.
The night also saw historic individual achievements. Matthew Rhys, starring in Widow’s Bay, made history by becoming the first individual to win two lead acting honours at a single ceremony. Meanwhile, his co-star Stephen Root secured the best supporting actor in a comedy award, edging out favourite Harrison Ford from Shrinking.
During his acceptance speech, Root humorously thanked his competitor, saying, “Thank you, sir, for all your many years of great, great, great acting.”
Jean Smart added another stellar achievement to her resume, winning her fifth Emmy for her portrayal of stand-up comic Deborah Vance in Hacks. With this victory, she became the first actress to win the best lead comedy actress award for every single season of a show’s run, bringing her total to eight career Emmys.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus remains the only performer to have come close to Smart’s near-perfect comedy lead actress sweep, having won the award for six out of the seven seasons of the political satire Veep.
Noah Wyle, who portrays Dr “Robby” Robinavitch on The Pitt, expressed that the feeling was overwhelming as he clinched his second consecutive Emmy for best lead drama actor.
Set in a bustling Pittsburgh emergency department, The Pitt secured its second consecutive Emmy award for best drama series, defeating fellow nominees including Pluribus, Paradise, and The Diplomat.
While accepting the award, Wyle remarked, “This is the only club I’ve ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me.”
Rhea Seehorn won best actress in a drama for her role in Pluribus, a milestone that came after being nominated twice without securing a win for her breakthrough performance on Better Call Saul.
Vince Gilligan, the creative mind behind Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul, took home the award for best drama writing for Pluribus.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won the award for best variety series, wrapping up its farewell season with a total of six Emmys. The show was cancelled by CBS, which cited financial pressures as the primary reason.
Colbert, however, rejected the network’s explanation, accusing executives of succumbing to pressure from President Donald Trump following his frequent mockery of the administration.
