The 78th Creative Arts Emmy Awards opened on Saturday, September 5, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, marking a dominant night for global superstar Bad Bunny and a personal milestone for Mariska Hargitay. While the evening celebrated technical and guest achievements, it was also underscored by significant industry tension following a formal protest from major Hollywood guilds regarding the shifting of key categories away from the primetime telecast.
The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny emerged as the evening’s most decorated program, securing seven trophies, including Outstanding Variety Special (Live). The production’s sweep set a high bar for the weekend, reinforcing the halftime show’s status as a powerhouse in the variety categories.
Mariska Hargitay took home two awards for her documentary My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay’s wins came in the Documentary and Directing categories, adding to her legacy as a cornerstone of the television community.
Historic Wins and Broken Streaks
In the reality hosting category, Alan Cumming continued his recent reign. For the third consecutive year, Cumming won Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for his work on The Traitors. The victory further solidifies his place in Emmy history, placing him behind only Jeff Probst and RuPaul for the most wins in the category.
Octavia Spencer also reached a career milestone on Night 1, earning her first career Emmy for Outstanding Narrator for Lost Women of Alaska: The Missing. Additionally, Jimmy Kimmel secured the Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Game Show for the revival of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Guild Controversy Clouds the Ceremony
Despite the celebrations, the 2026 ceremonies are being held under a cloud of labor dissatisfaction. A joint statement from SAG-AFTRA, the WGA, and the DGA recently condemned the Television Academy’s decision to move several high-profile categories—including writing and directing for variety and limited series—to the Creative Arts nights.
The guilds argue that relegating these honors to the non-televised portion of the awards season diminishes the contributions of their members. This shift has become a central talking point among attendees, potentially overshadowing the lead-up to the main NBC telecast later this month.
Previewing Night 2: ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Hacks’
The focus now shifts to Night 2, where two heavyweights are expected to battle for dominance in the craft categories. HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt leads the entire field this year with 25 total nominations. It is the first major medical drama to command this level of Emmy attention since the peak years of ER and Grey’s Anatomy.
Standing in its way is Hacks, which set a single-year record for a comedy series with 24 nominations for its fifth season. Observers are closely watching to see if Hacks can convert its massive nomination count into a record-breaking haul of trophies during the Sunday session.
According to official Television Academy records, the ceremonies from both nights will be edited into a single broadcast special. That program is scheduled to air on September 12 on FXX and will be available for streaming on Hulu starting September 13.
