The Pitt and Hacks lead 2026 Emmy nominations

The Pitt and Hacks lead 2026 Emmy nominations

The Television Academy revealed the nominations for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Wednesday, July 8. The announcements took place at the Saban Media Center in Los Angeles, where previous winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller unveiled the contenders. The ceremony is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, airing live on NBC and Peacock.

HBO's medical drama The Pitt leads the field with 25 nominations. The series, starring Noah Wyle, arrives as the reigning Drama Series champion. Following closely is the final season of HBO's comedy Hacks, starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, which earned 24 nominations. In doing so, Hacks set a new record for the most nominations ever received by a comedy series in its final installment, surpassing the previous mark held by Schitt's Creek.

Apple TV's Widow’s Bay secured 19 nominations, while fellow Apple first-year production Pluribus earned 18. Netflix's Beef followed with 16 nominations. Other highly nominated programs include DTF St. Louis with 13 and Saturday Night Live with 11.

Mariska Hargitay, the star of Law & Order: SVU, will host the event. This makes her the first woman to host the ceremony in 15 years.

Major Category Nominees

The competition for Lead Actor in a Drama Series includes Noah Wyle for The Pitt, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat.

In the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category, nominees include Rhea Seehorn for Pluribus, Zendaya for Euphoria, Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Keri Russell for The Diplomat, and Chase Infiniti for The Testaments.

Comedy Lead Actor nominations feature Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Matthew Rhys for Widow’s Bay, Steve Carell for Rooster, Jason Segel for Shrinking, and Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series contenders are Jean Smart for Hacks, Ayo Edebiri for The Bear, Elle Fanning for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Lisa Kudrow for The Comeback, and Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary.

The nomination for Best Drama Series includes:

• The Pitt
• Slow Horses
• The Gilded Age
• The Diplomat
• Pluribus
• Paradise
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
• Your Friends & Neighbors

The Comedy Series category includes Hacks, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, and Widow’s Bay.

Surprises and Snubs

While Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's nod for Wonder Man was viewed as a highlight, other productions were notably absent. The HBO horror prequel It: Welcome to Derry received only two technical nominations despite high audience numbers for its Season 1 finale. Similarly, Industry failed to earn any nominations.

The buzzed-about drama Heated Rivalry was ineligible for the Primetime Emmy Awards because it was financed by Canadian company Bell Media and streamer Crave with no American involvement, according to the Television Academy.

The 78th awards also saw the introduction of the Outstanding Variety Series category. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert earned a nomination in this category two months after the show was cancelled in May. ABC's Dancing with the Stars received its first nomination in 10 years in the Outstanding Reality Competition Program category.

Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego described the year's submissions as reflecting the undiminished creative range and vitality of our medium in a June press release.

The winners will be announced on Sept. 14, a date shifted from the traditional Sunday slot to accommodate an NFL game on NBC.