The 76th Annual Emmy Awards brought an evening full of surprises, heartfelt speeches, and career-defining moments.
Hosted by the dynamic father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, the night was packed with major wins for fan-favorite series, some upsets, and powerful messages about representation and diversity. With shows like Shōgun and Hacks walking away with top honors, and the cast of The Bear scoring big early on, the evening was anything but predictable.
Here are the highlights, standout wins, and unforgettable moments from television’s biggest night.
The Levy duo kicked off the show with a witty, very Canadian monologue, poking fun at nominees and themselves.
FX’s Shōgun and Netflix’s Baby Reindeer dominated the drama and limited series categories, respectively, proving that risk-taking in storytelling still pays off.
Shōgun swept the drama categories, winning Outstanding Drama Series. Stars Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada took home Lead Actress and Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with Sawai becoming the first Asian woman to win in her category.
Hacks won Best Comedy Series, with Jean Smart taking home her sixth Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy.
Jodie Foster won her first-ever Emmy for her role in True Detective: Night Country, earning her a standing ovation.
Baby Reindeer won Best Limited Series, with Richard Gadd winning Best Actor and Best Writing in a Limited Series.
Greg Berlanti received the prestigious Governors Award for his transformative contributions to LGBTQ+ representation in television. In a heartfelt speech, he reflected on his early years in the industry and the importance of seeing gay characters on screen.
John Leguizamo gave a passionate speech about the need for more stories from underrepresented groups, celebrating the diversity of the nominees.
Emmy presenter Candice Bergen delivered a sharp political joke, reflecting on her Murphy Brown days and progress for women in Hollywood.
After the emotional in memoriam segment, Jimmy Kimmel took the stage to offer a fittingly humorous tribute to legendary comedian Bob Newhart. Opening with a joke, Kimmel noted that the staging made it look like Newhart had won “the Emmy for deceased industry professional we will miss most.”
As the night closed, it was clear that this year’s Emmy Awards was full of surprises, heartfelt speeches, and historic wins—proof that television’s biggest night continues to evolve with the times.
Photos from: The Television Academy | ABC | Reuters
