The 78th Emmy Awards ceremony on Monday night was a night of historic firsts, marked by four significant record-breaking moments. Among the honorees, Jean Smart and Allison Janney achieved notable milestones, while the Apple TV+ comedy "Widow's Bay" emerged as a dominant force.
"Widow's Bay" secured a total of 14 Emmy Awards, including eight accolades from previous ceremonies, setting a new record for the comedy series with the most wins in a single season. This surpassed the previous record of 13 wins held by "The Studio" last year. The show, which had garnered 19 nominations, clinched several prestigious awards on Monday, including the coveted Outstanding Comedy Series.
Matthew Rhys, a star of "Widow's Bay," made history by becoming the first actor to win two leading acting awards in different categories in the same night. He received the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in "Widow's Bay" and earlier in the evening, won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for "The Beast in Me."
Jean Smart achieved a significant personal record with her win for Lead Comedy Actress. This marked her fifth Emmy for the role of Deborah Vance in "Hacks," making her the first female performer to win an Emmy for every season of a single show. She is only the second person to achieve this feat, following Bill Cosby's wins for "I Spy" between 1966 and 1968.
Allison Janney also tied a long-standing record for the most Emmys won by a performer. Her eighth Emmy win, for her portrayal of U.S. President Grace Penn in "The Diplomat" in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category, matched the records previously held by Julia Louis Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman. Janney had previously won four Emmys for her role in "The West Wing," two for "Mom," and one for a guest appearance on "Masters of Sex."
In addition to "Widow's Bay," the HBO Max series "The Pitt" was another major winner of the night, taking home the award for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for Noah Wyle. "The Pitt" had entered the ceremony with the most nominations of any series, with 25.
Rhea Seehorn was recognized for her performance in "Pluribus," winning the Lead Actress in a Drama category. Sally Field received the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in "Remarkably Bright Creatures."
The 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Mariska Hargitay, marking the first time a woman has hosted the ceremony in 15 years.