Jean Smart Makes Emmy History as Noah Wyle and Rhea Seehorn Also Win

Jean Smart won her fifth Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal of a tenacious stand-up comic on "Hacks," becoming the first performer to take the best comedy actress trophy for every season of a show's run. The HBO Max series concluded its final season this year.

"What a ride this has been!" Smart said on stage, thanking the show's creators. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won best comedy actress for six of the seven seasons of "Veep," is the only woman to have come close to Smart's milestone.

Noah Wyle collected his second straight Emmy for playing Dr. "Robby" Robinavitch on "The Pitt," a medical drama set in a Pittsburgh trauma center that is seen as the frontrunner for the night's top drama prize. Wyle, who described himself as a "Hollywood kid," told the audience it felt "overwhelming" to win again. "This is the only club I've ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me," he said.

In the supporting categories, "Widow's Bay" star Stephen Root upset favorite Harrison Ford of "Shrinking" for best supporting actor in a comedy. Best drama actress went to Rhea Seehorn for her role as a misanthropic woman at war with an alien hive mind on the new Apple TV series "Pluribus" — her first Emmy win. Addressing fellow nominees including Keri Russell of "The Diplomat" and Zendaya of "Euphoria," Seehorn quoted feminist activist Gloria Steinem, who died this month aged 92: "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 show 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 crowd.

The Emmys offered a rare night of celebration as Hollywood contends with production cutbacks, anxiety over artificial intelligence and the proposed Paramount Skydance purchase of HBO owner Warner Bros Discovery, a deal that has divided the industry and faces legal challenges. Winners are chosen by the more than 27,000 writers, directors, performers, producers and craftspeople in the Television Academy.