Emmy Nominations 2026: Mariska Hargitay & More Stars React

Mariska Hargitay to Host Emmys 2026, the First Woman to Emcee in 15 Years

TV's brightest stars have a reason to celebrate.

Especially after the 2026 Emmy Awards nominations were announced on July 8, revealing the actors, actresses and hit series that are nominated for a trophy at this year's 78th annual ceremony in September.

Presented by Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller (from The Bear and Widow's Bay, respectively), the star-studded list includes many of the performers who captivated fans over the past year with their dramatic acting chops and killer comedic timing. (See the full list of 2026 nominees here.)

Unsurprisingly, The Pitt—which won five Emmys last year, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor for Noah Wyle and Supporting Actress for Katherine LaNasa—stands out from the crowd as 2026's most-nominated TV series with a whopping 25 nods.

Not only is Wyle once again up for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, seven supporting cast members—including Patrick Ball, LaNasa and Taylor Deardon, to name a few—were recognized for their heart-wrenching performances. (Wyle himself scooped up three nods, including for directing and producing the HBO Max series.)

Many other beloved and critically acclaimed shows were also well represented, with Hacks, Pluribus, The Diplomat and The Bear all nominated in multiple categories, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series.

Today's announcement also marked a major milestone for several first-time Emmy nominees, like American Love Story's Sarah Pigeon and The Testaments' Chase Infiniti.

And because it's an honor just to be nominated (as the saying goes, right?), many performers and creators are speaking out and sharing their joy over being recognized for their hard work over the past 12 months.

Adir Abergel

After Mariska Hargitay, who will go on to host the award show in September, received three nods for her documentary My Mom Jayne about her late mother Jayne Mansfield, the Law & Order: SVU star was "thrilled and deeply moved" by the reaction to her family passion project.

"It’s an emotional moment, because what feels most natural to say is, 'On behalf of my mom and myself, thank you.' I’m profoundly grateful to have this moment with her," the Emmy winner shared in a July 8 statement. "My gratitude also extends to my producer, the truly formidable Trish Adlesic, our nominated cinematographer Tony Hardmon, and the rest of my extraordinary team who shepherded this film into reality."

From Hacks' Hannah Einbinder to Abbott Elementary's Tyler James Williams, keep reading to see more stars' reactions to their freshly announced 2026 Emmy nominations.

Want to know who wins?

Then don't miss the 78th Emmy Awards live telecast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 14, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

Don't miss the Emmy Awards 2026 live telecast Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and streaming on Peacock.