Mariska Hargitay to host 2026 Emmys: 'TV legend hosts TV's biggest night'

Mariska Hargitay will host the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the first woman in 15 years to host television’s biggest ceremony.

Mariska Hargitay will host the 2026 Emmys

The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star will host a live ceremony on September 14 at the Peacock Theater at LA Live, Los Angeles. The awards will be broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock, with coverage beginning at 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM PT).

Hargitay’s appointment marks a significant shift in recent Emmy hosting choices. In the past few years, the Television Academy and its broadcast partners have relied heavily on stand-up comedians, late-night television personalities and comedy acts to host the ceremony. Kenan Thompson hosted the 2022 Emmy Awards for NBC, while Michael Che and Colin Jost shared hosting duties in 2018. Last year’s ceremony, which aired on CBS, was hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze.

Her selection also makes her only the fourth woman to host the Emmys since 2000. Hargitay was preceded in the role by Ellen DeGeneres in 2001 and 2005, Heidi Klum as part of a multi-host format in 2008, and Jane Lynch, who last hosted the ceremony in 2011.

In a statement, HARgitay said, “Bringing important stories to light has been at the heart of my career. I am honored to host the 78th Emmy Awards — the 100th birthday of my beloved NBC — and to celebrate this extraordinary community of storytellers. Whether as an actor or director, a television buyer or a sound designer, let’s participate in how regardless of us we all participate. or when we watch, we are together in our laughter, our tears, our love of stories – and our joyful anticipation of what will happen next.”

Hargitay is closely associated with the Emmy Awards for her long-running role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2006, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and received eight consecutive nominations in the category between 2004 and 2011.

In addition to acting, she has also been recognized for her work as a producer. In 2017, Hargitay received a News and Documentary Emmy Award for I Am Evidence, which won Best Documentary.

She has remained a familiar face at the Emmys over the years, appearing regularly as a host. She most recently attended the 35th anniversary celebration of the Law & Order franchise during last year’s ceremony.

With Hargitay now confirmed as host, the 2026 Emmy Awards will mark a milestone in female representation on the ceremony’s stage and a return to a host whose career has been closely tied to television’s highest honors.