The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards opened with a flourish, as host Mariska Hargitay set the tone in Los Angeles with an exuberant musical tribute to the evening’s most celebrated television contenders.
Her glitzy performance name-checked a constellation of nominated series, from The Pitt and Margo’s Got Money Troubles to Beef and Widow’s Bay, before she traded playful banter with Nicole Kidman, dubbing her the “movie lady,” and welcomed Amy Poehler to present the evening’s first prize.
The evening’s standout wins included Kate O’Flynn’s, who scooped up her first Emmy for Widow’s Bay, while Stephen Root later added another victory for the Apple TV comedy.
Jean Smart, meanwhile, achieved a remarkable feat, winning Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series for Hacks for the fifth and final season of the series. Her victory makes her the first performer to receive an Emmy for every season of a single show.
The drama and limited-series races delivered their own surprises, with Matthew Rhys prevailing for The Beast in Me while Rhea Seehorn finally claimed an Emmy for Pluribus after years of critical acclaim.
Taylor Swift also made a surprise cameo in a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit pre-filmed sketch, while Hargitay teased how quickly the Stranger Things kids had “grown up” after 10 years of filming. She then gestured toward the Only Murders in the Building table, obviously referring to Martin Short and Steve Martin, and an initially baffled Selena Gomez.
Scroll on for all our favourite moments from this years ceremony.
Mariska Hargitay Spoofs Nicole Kidman’s AMC Ad
RELATED: Zendaya Sparkles In Prada & A New Pixie Cut At The Emmy Awards
Mariska Hargitay playfully swiped at Nicole Kidman during her Emmys opening monologue, recreating the actress’s iconic AMC Theatres commercial. Hargitay began delivering a dramatic ode to the shared experience of watching television, building toward the familiar cadence of Kidman’s cinema speech.
Before she could finish, Kidman interrupted her, saying, “That’s mine. That’s my bit. You can’t do that.”
Hargitay quipped back, “Zip it, movie lady. It’s TV’s turn tonight,” before blowing Kidman a kiss.
@nbc Heartbreak feels good in a place like this. #Emmys ♬ original sound – NBC
Is Taylor Swift At The Emmys?
In a Law & Order: SVU pre-filmed sketch, Emmys host Mariska Hargitay stepped away from her hosting duties momentarily to return to her iconic role as Olivia Benson.
The skit opened with Benson declaring, “Alright, team. The Emmys are tonight, and the mayor’s office is breathing down my neck, demanding an answer to the big question: Will Taylor Swift be at the Emmys?”
An elaborate crime board was then wheeled out, covered with “evidence” linked to Swift, including a “getaway car” and the numbers 6 and 7. “7 and 6, add ’em up,” Benson asks, prompting Kelli Giddish’s Amanda Rollins to answer, “Taylor’s lucky number, 13.” Swift then appeared onscreen as a rookie detective, rattling off a string of seemingly random clues (that sounded suspiciously like song titles).
“I think what we’re gonna be looking for is in plain sight,” she said. “Satellite, Aries, From the Vineyard, North or South.” The sketch also worked in a nod to Swift’s own connection to Benson, with Hargitay pointing out that the singer’s beloved cat is named Olivia Benson.
@nbc Taylor Swift is wanted at the Emmys 🚨 #Emmys ♬ original sound – NBC
Sally Fields & Reba McEntire Pay Tribute To Dolly Parton
“If there are truly angels on earth, then we just lost one,” Sally Field said as she began her tribute to Dolly Parton.
“It was my great good fortune to have worked with Dolly in a film called Steel Magnolias, and over the years, I never stopped loving her. Though we lived very far apart, I adored her from day one. How could you not? She was genuine and humble, supportive, and blisteringly funny, with a bawdy sense of humor that would send any rude guy looking for a place to hide.”
She continued, “I couldn’t see then what a real giant Dolly was – not just as an artist, but as a human. She was a humanitarian whose contributions had made a profound difference in the lives of so many in her home state of Tennessee and across our country. God bless you, Dolly Parton, my friend. I am not the only one on earth that will love you forever and ever.”
Following the emotional tribute, Reba McEntire delivered a string-orchestra-backed rendition of the country music icon’s “Appalachian Memories.”
Woody Harrelson & Matthew McConaughey Poke Fun At Parents’ Sex Lives
Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey have long joked that they might actually be brothers, after an admission from McConaughey’s mum sparked speculation while their families were holidaying together in Greece.
The revelation later became the inspiration for their upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series, Brothers, in which the longtime friends play fictionalised versions of themselves as they delve into the bizarre possibility that they could be related.
The pair continued the joke while presenting the Outstanding Comedy Series award, which ultimately went to Widow’s Bay, poking fun at the rumours and the role their parents’ sex lives may have played in fuelling them.
‘Charlie’s Angels’ Stars Reunite To Present Outstanding Drama Series
Celebrating 50 years of “Charlie’s Angels,” angelic trio Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith reunited at the 78th Emmy Awards as presenters. The stars received a standing ovation before presenting the Best Drama, which was awarded to The Pitt.
Smith paid tribute to former co-star Farrah Fawcett, remembering her enduring presence and legacy. Jackson called Fawcett “the shiniest angel of all,” saying she remains loved and remembered worldwide, while Ladd joked about her iconic poster living in “the minds and the garages of many a man.” The original series, which ran from 1976 to 1981, earned four Emmy nominations.
Share this post