Emmy winners make history! Four major records broken in one night by Jean Smart, Allison Janney, Matthew Rhys and Widow's Bay

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 03:56 EDT, 15 September 2026 | Updated: 04:10 EDT, 15 September 2026 The 78th Emmy Awards on Monday night featured four record breaking moments, including major wins for Jean Smart, 75, and Allison Janney, 66.Apple TV comedy Widow's Bay was the night's biggest winner with its 14 wins, eight of which it picked up during last weekend's ceremonies.With its total tally, it has beaten the record for the comedy series with the most Emmy Awards in one season, surpassing the record 13 which The Studio received last year.The show had been shortlisted for 19 prizes, scooping a plethora of prizes on Monday including the coveted Outstanding Comedy Series.Widow's Bay's leading man Matthew Rhys also made history as the first actor to win two leading acting gongs in different categories in one night. He not only earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for the Apple TV 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. The 78th Emmy Awards on Monday saw four records broken including a fifth win for Hacks star Jean Smart - making her the first female performer to win an Emmy for every season of a showAway from Widow's Bay's success, Jean Smart was given a standing ovation by the star-studded crowd for her Lead Comedy Actress accolade.The win means the 75-year-old has become the first female performer to win an Emmy for every season of a show.Smart now has five Lead Comedy Actress gongs for her portrayal of Deborah Vance in Hacks, which aired its final season this year. The actress is only the second person to achieve the feat after Bill Cosby won for all three seasons of I Spy between 1966 and 1968.Taking to the stage at Los Angeles' Peacock Theater, she joked of her standing ovation: 'Just the men stay standing, the girls get to sit down.''I'm serious, every time this happens I think of the girls going "oh I just got comfortable" with your spanx and your tape, and your shoes that are cutting your toes off, you're thinking, "ugh she's not that good".''I have so many people to thank, my reps are the best in the business, my children are my anchor but this one I'm dedicating to Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. It all begins and ends with them, I love you guys so much, what a ride, thank you all.'Another of Smart's records was nearly beaten on Monday night though as Allison Janney tied the record for most Emmys won by a performer. Allison Janney tied the record for most Emmys won by a performer when she won her eighth Emmy, this time for her portrayal of US President Grace Penn in The DiplomatThe actress' portrayal of US President Grace Penn in The Diplomat saw her take home her eighth award at the annual event.She won the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series prize and matched the record previously set by Julia Louis Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman and also equalled earlier in the evening by Smart.Janney, 66, previously won four Emmys for her seven seasons playing CJ Cregg on The West Wing before scooping two comedy gongs for Mom and one for her guest appearance on Masters of Sex. Alongside Widow's Bay, The Pitt was the other big winner on Monday as the HBO Max series took home top honor Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for Noah Wyle. They earned the same honours at last year's Emmy's.The Pitt went into the ceremony with 25 nominations, which was the most from any single series. Widow's Bay's leading man Matthew Rhys also made history as the first actor to win two leading acting gongs in different categories in one nightMeanwhile, 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.Sally Field earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in Remarkably Bright Creatures. 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.Emmy Awards 2026 winners Outstanding Drama SeriesThe DiplomatThe Gilded AgeA Knight of the Seven KingdomsParadiseThe Pitt - WINNERPluribusSlow HorsesYour Friends and Neighbors Noah Wyle led The Pitt to an Outstanding Drama Series honorOutstanding Comedy SeriesAbbott ElementaryThe BearHacksMargo’s Got Money TroublesNobody Wants ThisOnly Murders in the BuildingShrinkingWidow’s Bay - WINNEROutstanding Limited or Anthology SeriesAll Her FaultThe Beast in MeBeefDTF St. Louis - WINNERLove Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn BessetteOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesCarrie Coon, The Gilded AgeChase Infiniti, The TestamentsKeri Russell, The DiplomatRhea Seehorn, Pluribus - WINNERZendaya, Euphoria Rhea Seehorrn was recognized for her work in PluribusOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesSterling K. Brown, ParadiseGary Oldman, Slow HorsesMark Ruffalo, TaskRufus Sewell, The DiplomatNoah Wyle, The Pitt - WINNEROutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesTaylor Dearden, The PittFiona Dourif, The PittAllison Janney, The Diplomat - WINNERKatherine LaNasa, The PittSepideh Moafi, The PittJulianne Nicholson, ParadiseKarolina Wydra, PluribusOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesPatrick Ball, The PittBilly Crudup, The Morning ShowShawn Hatosy, The PittGerran Howell, The PittJack Lowden, Slow HorsesTom Pelphrey, Task - WINNERCarlos-Manuel Vesga, PluribusOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesQuinta Brunson, Abbott ElementaryAyo Edebiri, The BearElle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money TroublesLisa Kudrow, The ComebackJean Smart, Hacks - WINNEROutstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy SeriesYahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder ManSteve Carell, RoosterMatthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay - WINNERJason Segel, ShrinkingMartin Short, Only Murders in the BuildingDale Dickey, Widow’s Bay Matthew Rhys became the first actor to win two leading actor awards in one night Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesHannah Einbinder, HacksJanelle James, Abbott ElementaryKate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay - WINNERMichelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money TroublesMegan Stalter, HacksJessica Williams, ShrinkingOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesColman Domingo, The Four SeasonsPaul W. Downs, HacksHarrison Ford, ShrinkingNick Offerman, Margo’s Got Money TroublesStephen Root, Widow’s Bay - WINNERMichael Urie, ShrinkingTyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieClaire Danes, The Beast in MeSally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures - WINNERCarey Mulligan, BeefSarah Pidgeon, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn BessetteSarah Snook, All Her Fault Sally Field was a surprise winner for Remarkably Bright CreaturesOutstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieRiz Ahmed, BaitJason Bateman, Black RabbitCharlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein StoryOscar Isaac, BeefMatthew Rhys, The Beast in Me - WINNEROutstanding Reality Competition ProgramDancing With the StarsRuPaul’s Drag RaceSurvivorTop ChefThe Traitors - WINNEROutstanding Variety SeriesThe Daily ShowJimmy Kimmel LiveLast Week Tonight With John OliverThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert - WINNERSaturday Night Live Stephen Colbert earned an Emmy for his now cancelled talk showOutstanding Writing for a Drama SeriesThe Diplomat (Peter Akerman and Debora Cahn for “Amagansett”)The Pitt (Kirsten Pierre-Geyfman & R. Scott Gemmill for “1:00 PM”)The Pitt (Valerie Chu for “12:00 PM”)Mickey Down and Konrad Kay for “Dear Henry,” IndustryPluribus (Vince Gilligan for “We Is Us”) - WINNERSlow Horses (Will Smith for “Scars”)Task (Brad Ingelsby for “A Still Small Voice”)Outstanding Writing for a Comedy SeriesAbbott Elementary (Quinta Brunson for “Team Building”)The Chair Company (Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin for “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does”)The Comeback (Michael Patrick King and Lisa Kudrow for “Valerie Does It All”)Hacks (Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for “Hacks”)Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat (Anthony King for “Mergers and Acquisitions”)Widow’s Bay (Katie Dippold for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”) - WINNER Katie Dippold had a massive night as she also earned an outstanding writing winOutstanding Directing for a Drama SeriesThe Gilded Age (Salli Richardson-Whitfield for “My Mind Is Made Up”)Paradise (Hanelle M. Culpepper for “Exodus”)The Pitt (Noah Wyle for “12:00 PM”)Pluribus (Vince Gilligan for “We Is Us”)Slow Horses (Saul Metzstein for “Scars”) - WINNERTask (Salli Richardson-Whitfield for “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river”)Outstanding Directing for a Comedy SeriesAbbott Elementary (Randall Einhorn for “Ballgame”)The Bear (Christopher Storer for “Bears”)The Chair Company (Andrew DeYoung for “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does”)Hacks (Lucia Aniello for “Hacks”)The Ms. Pat Show (Mary Lou Belli for “Give It Arrest”)Widow’s Bay (Hiro Murai for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”) - WINNER Widow's Bay's Hiro Murai earned Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series