Los Angeles, 15 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Jean Smart won her fifth Primetime Emmy Award for her role as a determined stand-up comedian in “Hacks,” while Noah Wyle secured his second consecutive Emmy for portraying a traumatized emergency room doctor in “The Pitt,” as Hollywood celebrated the best of television on Monday. Smart made Emmy history by becoming the first performer to win the award for Best Comedy Actress for every season of a show’s run. “Hacks” aired its final season on HBO Max this year. “What a ride this has been!” Smart said on stage after thanking the show’s creators. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won Best Comedy Actress for six of the seven seasons of “Veep,” remains the only woman to have come close to Smart’s achievement. Wyle said it felt “overwhelming” to receive his second consecutive Emmy for playing Dr. Robby Robinavitch on “The Pitt,” a medical drama set in a Pittsburgh trauma center. The show is considered a frontrunner for the night’s top award for Best Drama. Describing himself as a “Hollywood kid,” Wyle told the Emmy audience, “This is the only club I’ve ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me.” In other awards, “Widow’s Bay” star Stephen Root upset favorite Harrison Ford of “Shrinking” to win Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy. Best Drama Actress went to Rhea Seehorn for her role as a misanthropic woman battling an alien hive mind in the new Apple TV series “Pluribus,” marking her first Emmy win. Addressing fellow nominees including “The Diplomat” star Keri Russell and “Euphoria” actress Zendaya, Seehorn quoted feminist activist Gloria Steinem, who died this month aged 92, saying, “We are linked, not ranked. I feel that way about all you women.” Mariska Hargitay, star of NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” hosted the ceremony, breaking with the tradition of having a comedian serve as emcee. The ceremony was broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock. “It’s a lot of pressure, but it is so reassuring to see so many familiar faces out there, and I’m not just talking about how many of you I’ve arrested on SVU,” Hargitay told the audience. The Emmys provided a rare night of celebration as Hollywood continues to face production cutbacks, growing concerns over artificial intelligence and uncertainty surrounding the proposed Paramount Skydance purchase of HBO owner Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that has divided the industry and faces legal challenges. Emmy winners are selected by more than 27,000 writers, directors, performers, producers and other television professionals who make up the Television Academy.