Emmy Awards: Hargitay's Musical Opener, Smart's Record-Tying Win
Mariska Hargitay opened the Emmys with a musical bit, while Jean Smart tied an all-time performer record with her eighth trophy.
The Emmy Awards got underway with Mariska Hargitay leading an energetic pre-taped opening sequence alongside New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson. The "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" actor sang a reworked version of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," retitled "I Love TV Screens."
The bit saw the first-time host share a bed with "Hacks" star Jean Smart, eat a burger in a nod to "Beef," ride a horse and drink bubble tea with Jennifer Coolidge. On stage, Hargitay noted she was the first woman to host the ceremony in 15 years. The star of "SVU," now entering its 28th season, also joked that she had never had to say the word "finale" and pretended to spar with Nicole Kidman over her AMC advertisements. Amy Poehler's verdict on the performance: "She crushed it."
Smart, widely expected to win, took her fifth consecutive Emmy for "Hacks" and delivered a brief acceptance speech. "What a ride this has been," she said. The win is her eighth trophy overall, tying the all-time performer record shared by Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Smart also becomes the first woman to win best actress for every season of a show's run.
The 74-year-old, first noticed in the CBS comedy "Designing Women," won her earliest Emmys for guest appearances on "Frasier" and a supporting role on "Samantha Who."
Before the broadcast began, the Peacock Theater lobby was packed. Guests in long trains dodged stray shoes as they navigated the crowd, with attendees buying $9 popcorn, $8 hot dogs and $23 beers and cocktails before settling in for the three-hour show. Nachos appeared to be a less popular choice, given the risk to tuxedos and gowns.
Meg Stalter, nominated for best supporting actress for "Hacks," arrived dressed as an Emmy statuette, complete with wings, gold makeup and a sphere held aloft like the trophy itself. It was her first time attending as a nominee, earning the nod for her role as Kayla Schaeffer in the show's fifth and final season.
This year's ceremony placed the biggest names at small lamp-lit tables near the stage, rather than the usual theatre-style rows. The pre-show mingling continued as before, with few guests willing to take their seats early knowing they would remain there for the next three hours.
The ceremony also marked the anniversaries of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Charlie's Angels," while "The Pitt" and "Widow's Bay" drew attention as contenders for the night's top prizes.