Emmys host Mariska Hargitay experienced a brief wardrobe malfunction on Thursday, causing a momentary pause as she and other celebrities prepared to roll out the blue carpet ahead of the 78th annual Emmy Awards.
Hargitay, 62, was at a press preview event at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles when the incident occurred. She was wearing a sequined skirt suit by LaQuan Smith. As the group walked forward, Hargitay noticed an issue with her blazer. "Hold on, we have to go again. My thing popped off!" she announced, swiftly adjusting her jacket, which had come undone to reveal a plunging neckline. She was reportedly wearing a sequined undershirt that averted further exposure.
"It's better that it happens here than at the Emmys," Hargitay playfully remarked following the incident.
Speaking to USA Today, Hargitay, a New York Knicks fan, joked that her "heroic carpet domination" and "full-on Knicks-mode" caused the mishap. When asked if it was good luck to have a mishap beforehand, she responded, "Damn straight it is."
This event comes just days after Hargitay received two wins at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday. Her documentary film, "My Mom Jayne," about her late mother Jayne Mansfield, won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program. The film, released on HBO Max in June 2025, explores the life and legacy of Mansfield, who died in a car accident at age 34 when Hargitay was three years old.
Hargitay previously won an Emmy for Best Actress in 2006 for her role in "Law & Order: SVU." Her hosting duties mark the first time a woman has hosted the Emmy Awards in 15 years.
The 2026 Emmy Awards are scheduled to air live on NBC and Peacock on Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.