Emmy Awards 2026: Jean Smart Goes Five for Five, Matthew Rhys Wins Twice

Five seasons. Five wins. Jean Smart gave Deborah Vance the kind of farewell the fictional comedian would have demanded.

At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, unfolding on Tuesday morning in India, Smart won lead actress in a comedy series for the final season of Hacks. Across the show’s entire run, Emmy voters never chose anyone else for the prize when she was competing as Vance.

Matthew Rhys, meanwhile, was having a two-trophy evening. After winning lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie for Netflix’s The Beast in Me, he also took the comedy lead actor award for Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay, according to Entertainment Weekly’s live coverage.

With Mariska Hargitay hosting at the Peacock Theater, the ceremony brought together a departing comedy favourite, formidable newcomers and familiar stars finding fresh rewards. On the carpet, Nicole Kidman arrived in white Chanel and Selena Gomez in shimmering gold. Onstage, Smart was already turning her standing ovation into material.

Jean Smart’s Perfect Exit

“Just the men stay standing. The girls get to sit down.”

Smart’s response to the applause was an acceptance speech with a comedian’s instincts. She joked about the women obliged to stand in uncomfortable shoes, corsets and elaborate outfits, imagining them wondering whether the ovation owed more to her age than her performance.

Then came the gratitude. Dedicating the award to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs, she said: “It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much. What a ride this has been.”

The fifth Hacks win made Smart the first woman to win an acting Emmy for every season of a series. It also took her career haul to eight, putting her alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman at the top of the acting Emmy table. Allison Janney reached eight during the same ceremony with her supporting actress victory for The Diplomat.

Smart’s earlier wins came for guest appearances in Frasier in 2000 and 2001 and a supporting role in Samantha Who? in 2008. Her latest victory came against Lisa Kudrow, Quinta Brunson, Elle Fanning and Ayo Edebiri.

There is a satisfying symmetry to the achievement. Hacks built its story around an established comedian’s relationship with a younger writer, Ava Daniels, played by Hannah Einbinder. A series about the difficult business of remaining relevant has ended with its leading woman undefeated across five seasons.

Matthew Rhys, Twice as Nice

Rhys’s first victory came against Riz Ahmed for Bait, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story and Oscar Isaac for Beef.

Accepting for The Beast in Me, he paid tribute to writers Daniel Pearle, Gabe Rotter and Howard Gordon, director Antonio Campos and co-star Claire Danes.

“Thank you for letting me join the mystery machine and bringing out the beast,” he said. “You are an intimidating scene partner.”

His two winning roles placed him in very different worlds: Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me and Mayor Tom Loftis in Widow’s Bay. The Television Academy’s record also includes his earlier lead drama win for The Americans in 2018 and a subsequent nomination for Perry Mason.

The comedy victory completed a remarkable career milestone. According to Entertainment Weekly, Rhys became the first performer to win lead acting Emmys across drama, comedy and limited series or television movie categories.

For Widow’s Bay, his success was part of a wider surge. Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root won the supporting comedy acting prizes, while the show also picked up the comedy writing award. That spread of recognition gave the newcomer considerable momentum in a field containing the departing Hacks.

Wyle Returns, Seehorn Breaks Through

The drama races supplied their own stories of persistence and renewal.

Noah Wyle won his second successive lead actor Emmy for The Pitt, extending the medical drama’s rewards for an actor long associated with ER. Rhea Seehorn won lead actress for Pluribus, receiving her first Emmy after earlier nominations for Better Call Saul.

The supporting drama awards went to Janney for The Diplomat and Tom Pelphrey for Task. In the limited series or movie acting field, Sally Field won for Remarkably Bright Creatures.

The breadth of those results kept the evening from belonging to a single programme. With the major series awards still pending in live coverage, the acting categories had already delivered a mix of repeat champions and breakthrough winners.

White Flowers, Gold Beads

Before the envelopes opened, Kidman and Gomez offered two contrasting red-carpet statements.

Kidman wore a white wool-crepe bustier dress by Chanel, embellished with 46 flowers made from layered silk crepe, silk organza and raffia. Chanel shoes and jewellery completed the look, according to People. Her appearance followed the release of Practical Magic 2, which reunited her with Sandra Bullock.

Gomez chose a strapless, mermaid-style gold gown covered in metallic beads. Her series, Only Murders in the Building, was competing for outstanding comedy series, while co-star Martin Short was nominated for lead comedy actor. Gomez’s connection to the series prize also extends behind the camera: she is an executive producer.

The clothes had their moment. Smart supplied the line that could outlast them. Given a roomful of standing admirers, television’s most decorated fictional comedian immediately thought of the women whose feet were hurting.

Even her victory lap had a punchline.

With inputs from ANI & agencies