'The Pitt' and 'Widow's Bay' Take Top Honors at Emmy Awards
'The Pitt' won best drama for a second year, 'Widow's Bay' took best comedy, and Jean Smart made Emmy history with a fifth 'Hacks' win.
Emergency room drama "The Pitt" claimed its second consecutive best drama Emmy, while freshman horror comedy "Widow's Bay" took the comedy prize at television's biggest night on Monday.
"Widow's Bay," set in a cursed New England town, edged out the final season of previous winner "Hacks" for the top comedy award. "Hacks" star Jean Smart nevertheless made history, winning her fifth Emmy for her portrayal of stand-up comic Deborah Vance. The win makes her the first performer to take the best comedy actress Emmy for every season of a show's run. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won six of seven seasons for "Veep," is the only woman to have come close.
Matthew Rhys became the first person to win two lead acting Emmys at the same ceremony, earning best comedy actor for "Widow's Bay" and best actor in a limited series for the Netflix thriller "The Beast in Me."
"The Pitt" star Noah Wyle picked up his second straight Emmy for playing Dr. Robby Robinavitch. Calling himself a "Hollywood kid," Wyle told the audience, "This is the only club I've ever wanted to join. Thank you for accepting me."
Rhea Seehorn won her first Emmy for best drama actress for "Pluribus," in which she plays a misanthropic woman at war with an unfailingly kind alien hive mind. She addressed her fellow nominees with a quote from feminist activist Gloria Steinem, who died this month aged 92: "We are linked, not ranked. I feel that way about all you women."
In the supporting categories, "Widow's Bay" star Stephen Root upset favorite Harrison Ford of "Shrinking" for best supporting actor in a comedy.
The ceremony, hosted by "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Mariska Hargitay, broke with the tradition of a comedian as emcee. It was broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock. In a pre-recorded sketch, Hargitay's character Olivia Benson tried to determine whether Taylor Swift, an Emmy nominee for a concert film, would attend; Swift made a surprise cameo as a rookie detective who noted her categories had been decided a week earlier. Benson concluded Swift would be in Kansas City watching her husband, Travis Kelce, play on Monday Night Football.
The academy also honored Michael J. Fox for his advocacy for Parkinson's disease research and treatment. Speaking from a wheelchair, Fox said Hollywood's support had allowed him to keep acting after his diagnosis. "It's because you stood up for me," he told the crowd.
The Emmys provided 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 of the Television Academy.