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WINNER: Stephen Root (Widow’s Bay) — supporting actor in a comedy series
Adrian Horton Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Widow’s Bay is two for two so far, with the first Emmys win for Stephen Root, playing the gruff heart, more or less, of the haunted would-be Martha’s Vineyard.
“I’m thrilled and delighted,” he said, “but the reason I’m up here is Katie Dipple, Katie Dipple, Katie Dipple” – the show’s creator – along with series director Hiro Murai and costars Rhys and O’Flynn, whose “comic stylings” are “the best thing in the 21st century” (I’ll take it!)
He also shouted out Harrison Ford, who would’ve been the oldest Emmy winner ever had he won, for “all your many years of great, great acting.”
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Sian Cain
An extra historic detail about Jean Smart’s win for her performance on Hacks: this was her fifth award for lead comedy actress in five seasons, making her the first female performer ever to take home an Emmy for every season of a show. (Hacks finished this year.)
Updated at 20.41 EDT
WINNER: Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus) – leading actress in a drama seriesAdrian Horton Photograph: NBC/Getty Images
Better Call Saul fans, rejoice! The beloved and perennially under-awarded star of Pluribus, twice nominated for her work in the Breaking Bad spin-off, is finally an Emmy winner for dramatic actress.
“This is me on a beta blocker, it’s pretty bad,” she jokes through tears, before thanking the show’s cast and crew and fellow nominees – including, again, apparent Emmys star Keri Russell, who it seems sent Seehorn a pre-show card quoting the late Gloria Steinem: “We are linked, not ranked.”
“I feel that way about all you women,” says Seehorn, “so thank you for that.”
She also shouts out Pluribus/Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, “for giving me not only the role of a lifetime but creating sets where we all get to collaborate and we actually all get to feel safe to take risks as artists”.
Updated at 20.41 EDT
WINNER: Allison Janney (The Diplomat) – supporting actress in a drama seriesAdrian Horton Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Wow, it’s a good day to be cheered by Keri Russell – her co-star in The Diplomat. Allison Janney is a bit of an upset in this category, which most pundits (myself included) assumed would go to one of the women from The Pitt.
Like Rhys, Janney – who now has eight wins, the most for any actress in Emmys history! – seems truly “very surprised and very grateful to be here”. And she thanks, of course, “the coolest woman on the planet, Keri Russell”, who stands and cheers.
Updated at 20.39 EDT
WINNER: Matthew Rhys (The Beast in Me) – lead actor in a limited or anthology seriesAdrian Horton
Oh, wow, I thought Matthew Rhys was a lock for best comedy actor (for Widow’s Bay) but not this, which could make him a rare double winner tonight … and he seems a bit overwhelmed by the prospect? He says:
double quotation markThis is a real shock, not least because of the caliber and company of the actors in this category.
He shouts out the show’s “holy trinity” of writers and his “intimidating scene partner”, the one and only Claire Danes. The cutaway to Keri Russell beaming proudly is greatly appreciated!
Updated at 20.26 EDT
WINNER: Jean Smart (Hacks) – outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Jean Smart, who seems genuinely moved even after EIGHT Emmy wins (five from Hacks alone), thanks the room, then orders all the men to stay standing and let the women sit down.
Smart now ties for the most acting wins in Primetime Emmy history, tied with Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus who also have eight. (Leachman also has a daytime Emmy.)
Jean Smart accepts the outstanding lead actress in a comedy series award for Hacks. Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.27 EDT
WINNER: Kate O’Flynn (Widow’s Bay) – supporting actress in a comedy seriesAdrian Horton Photograph: NBC/Getty Images
An early opening salvo for what could be a huge night for Widow’s Bay! Kate O’Flynn, arguably the best part of this delightful spooky series, seems genuinely shocked to win her first major US acting award.
“This is the role of a lifetime,” she beams, thanking the show’s creators for “trusting this Lancashire lass to play a sassy broad like a Patricia”:
She adds: “This is for all the Patricias out there” – read: social outcast weirdos with a deadpan sense of humor and a knack for the attracting the occult – “See you at sunset cocktails.”
Updated at 20.28 EDT
It’s showtime!Adrian HortonMariska Hargitay Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
And we’re off! The stars are seated, host Mariska Hargitay has taken the stage and the 78th annual Primetime Emmy awards are under way. Everyone’s fave Captain Olivia Benson is joined by none other than New York Knicks star (and her No 1 fan) Jalen Brunson for a pre-taped segment in which the two are steaming dresses, leading to a song in which she sings the praises of loving TV screens to the tune of I Love Rock’n’ Roll (with a little help from Jeff Hiller, Jean Smart and Jennifer Coolidge, who I wish was doing this montage instead …)
Hargitay is, by her own admission, not a comedian but she fares better in the live element (perhaps it’s that Broadway training!), taking the stage at the Peacock Theater with a joke about the seemingly 100-year tenure on Law & Order: SVU and being the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years. “Imagine that, for 15 straight years, Amy and Tina said no,” she quipped.
After another bit botching the word “finale” – “I’m sorry guys, I’ve just never had one!” – she takes a seemingly serious and sincere turn:
double quotation markI am truly, deeply moved and so incredibly grateful to be in a room full of people who have dedicated their lives to telling stories.
… which evolves into a parody of the heavily meme-d Nicole Kidman AMC intro, interrupted by Kidman herself. “Zip it movie lady, it’s TV’s night!” Hargitay shouts. Onwards!
Updated at 20.29 EDT
Adrian Horton
Does Nicole Kidman rest? Fresh off the promo circuit for Practical Magic 2, the Aussie star is a late but always welcome addition to the red carpet:
Nicole Kidman. Photograph: Christopher Polk/Deadline/Getty ImagesFlorence Pugh. Photograph: Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty ImagesAllison Janney. Photograph: David Fisher/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 20.07 EDT
Adrian Horton
Just under 10 minutes to go now, and the last of the red carpet arrivals are hustling (I hope) into the theater…
Jean Smart Photograph: Chelsea Lauren/ShutterstockCarey Mulligan Photograph: Matt Baron/BEI/ShutterstockCharles Melton Photograph: Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesLove Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette star Sarah Pidgeon Photograph: Christopher Polk/Deadline/Getty ImagesShare
Emma Joyce
This year’s red carpet is actually peacock blue this year – a colour switch to mark the 100th anniversary of NBC, which broadcasts the ceremony.
It’s a sea of Jessica Rabbit red, glittering gold and bold backless dresses on the red carpet before the 78th annual Primetime Emmy awards. Zendaya, Selena Gomez, Mariska Hargitay and power couple Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell have all arrived. The award for best effort surely goes to Hack’s Meg Stalter (who can beat that?)
Updated at 20.08 EDT
Emma Joyce
It could also be a big year for couple goals. The adorable Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell aren’t just onscreen lovers, they’re together in real life (since 2013, catch up!).
If they both win an Emmy tonight, they would be the first couple to do so in 40 years. They’d also be the first real-life couple to win for different shows. Before them, married couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne took home two Emmys for The Magnificent Yankee, and William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett both won for St Elsewhere.
This liveblog is rapidly becoming a Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell shrine. Photograph: Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.06 EDT
Who will make history tonight?Emma Joyce
Several records could be broken at this year’s Emmys. Take Harrison Ford for example; the 84-year-old actor (who hasn’t won an Emmy in his career yet) could become the oldest person to win the supporting actor category for comedy, taking the crown from Henry Winkler, who was 72 when he won for Barry in 2018. And if the prize goes to Stephen Root instead for Widow’s Bay, Winkler still gets knocked off the plinth, as Root is 74.
Neither would be the oldest person to ever win an Emmy though – that title belongs to David Attenborough, who last year became the oldest Emmy winner in history, aged 99. A tough one to beat!
Noah Wyle (55 years young) could also make history as the first performer to win both acting and directing prizes for a drama series in the same year. The Pitt star added a directing credit to his name on season two – and as Dr Robby is widely tipped to win the acting gong, Wyle could become the first to win both acting and directing Emmys on the same night for drama. The “for drama” bit is important because this feat has been achieved before in comedy: by Seth Rogan and Donald Glover.
Updated at 20.05 EDT
Adrian Horton Photograph: Landmark Media/Alamy
There will be many eyes tonight on The Pitt, which heads into tonight’s telecast with 25 nominations, the most of any series this year (and it has already won four). The second season of this ER shift from hell may have garnered some pushback from viewers – it was tough, though I’d argue realistic, to watch Noah Wyle’s Dr Robby snipe, undermine and belittle some of his female coworkers – but I have little doubt the sophomore season will be an awards juggernaut again. My money’s on Wyle and co-star Katherine LaNasa as beloved charge nurse Dana Evans to both repeat their acting wins this year.
While we’re at it … my colleague Owen Myers and I took a crack at some predictions for tonight’s awards:
Updated at 20.03 EDT
Sian Cain
Just an interesting note re Apple TV, which has really come into its own over the last couple years: the streamer has won best comedy three times now (Ted Lasso twice and The Studio once) – but it has never won best drama, despite giving us great shows like Slow Horses and Severance. But Apple TV has two best drama nominations tonight – season five of Slow Horses and season one of Pluribus – so it could yet win TV’s most prestigious prize (if The Pitt somehow doesn’t win it again).
Updated at 19.46 EDT
Adrian Horton
Also making their grand entrance … my two faves, Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell, looking classy as ever. The Americans power couple turned once again dual nominees tonight could potentially become the first couple to win Emmys for different shows (Widow’s Bay and/or The Beast in Me for him, The Diplomat for her).
Photograph: Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.04 EDT
Adrian Horton
Zendaya is here! With even shorter hair than she’s been sporting of late and a dazzling silver gown that I will be examining from multiple angles:
Photograph: NBC/Getty Images Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters Photograph: Monica Schipper/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.04 EDT
Adrian Horton
Several of the best actress nominees – in drama, comedy and limited series – are making their way into the Peacock Theater:
Rhea Seehorn. Photograph: Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty ImagesElle Fanning. Photograph: Matt Baron/BEI/ShutterstockChase Infiniti. Photograph: Monica Schipper/Getty ImagesQuinta Brunson. Photograph: Monica Schipper/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 19.54 EDT
Adrian Horton Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
Just a note on that Bad Bunny win at the un-televised night formerly known as the “Creative Arts Emmys”… the Puerto Rican superstar’s groundbreaking performance smashed the record for Emmys won by a Super Bowl half-time show, with seven total awards. (The only other Super Bowl half-time show to win for best live variety special – the 2022 hip-hop show starring Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent – took home three awards.) Bad Bunny’s show, for which he won as both performer and producer, also became the first Spanish-language program to win live variety special. The big Bad Bunny year continues!
Updated at 20.01 EDT