Widow’s Bay swept the 2026 Emmys, and The Pitt earned back-to-back wins for best drama series. But so much more happened during the tight three-hour telecast on Monday night, hosted by Mariska Hargitay.
Lucky for you, Vanity Fair was in the ballroom where the Emmys unfolded as well as at the after-parties, catching all the off-camera action. Below, we share some of the surprising and sweetest moments that the TV cameras missed.
Jimmy Who?
Às showtime approached, a mad crush of guests poured in off the red carpet. The crowd inside the theater parted like the Red Sea for Zendaya, while Beef’s Charles Melton, Shrinking star Brett Goldstein, and Shawn Hatosy of The Pitt stopped every two inches to take selfies with fans. Steve Martin and Martin Short arrived together, keeping their heads down. As The Pitt’s Noah Wyle entered, he was quickly surrounded by a mob of well-wishers and selfie-takers so dense that a member of his entourage had to grab his hand and physically yank him through the crowd. Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel stood at the entrance to the Peacock Theater, struggling with his phone as he tried to find his digital ticket. Surely Kimmel’s face is enough of a ticket?
Spider-Man’s Sneaky Arrival
Zendaya and Tom Holland had never attended an awards show together until this year’s Emmys. For the first time, the newly married (?) couple arrived at the show together, though not on the red carpet. Vanity Fair ran into Holland inside the theater, where he came in through the general audience entrance instead of the entrance used for stars who had walked the carpet. Holland hung out inside for a bit, largely unnoticed, while Zendaya—Emmy-nominated for Euphoria— posed for photographers. Inside, the pair did sit together, and during commercial breaks they caught up with friends, including Ayo Edebiri, Chase Infiniti, and Holland’s Avengers costar Mark Ruffalo.
Riz Ahmed
Libations in the Lobby
The lobby at the Peacock Theater isn’t as star-studded as those at most other awards shows, but there’s always a few good sightings. Unlike at the Oscars or Golden Globes, there isn’t complimentary food or drink at this show. Everyone has to stand in the concessions line, just like any regular Joe Schmo coming to the venue to see a concert. Riz Ahmed, nominated for his series Bait, went into the self-serve snack area and grabbed a ton of food, including M&M’s and Doritos. But he had gone through the wrong entrance and his credit card had not been scanned. While the attendant tried to explain this whole situation to him, he dropped his haul, then handed the goods to the attendant so that he could leave and come back in again the right way. But this journey had a happy ending: Ahmed got his snacks and headed back to his seat.
The Music of Commercial Breaks
Name that tune! This year the show’s producers decided to fill each commercial break with music from iconic TV shows. It began early on with the theme song from Friends (and yes, audience members did clap along), which was followed up by the theme song for Hargitay’s Law & Order: SVU. Other popular theme songs we clocked included those from The Pink Panther, The White Lotus, and The Office. The gimmick worked well on the crowd of TV lovers, keeping the energy lively during those lulls.
Matthew Rhys
Emma McIntyre/GA/Getty Images
Stars—They Also Have to Wait in Line
After the show, the attendees filed out and headed across the street to the Emmy gala, which took place in a giant tent at L.A. Live. For this year’s theme, “The Garden After Dark,” the room featured giant trees and plenty of foliage. But to get to this postshow oasis, everyone had to stand in line to have their ticket scanned. And no, there was no VIP express lane for stars. We spotted Paradise actor Sterling K. Brown and The Diplomat’s Rufus Sewell both patiently waiting with their friends. And further back in the line, we saw The Testaments’ Chase Infiniti, looking statuesque in her copper beaded Louis Vuitton gown, with the beads gently tapping against the pavement.
Mariska Breaks Bread
After successfully hosting the Emmys for the first time, Mariska Hargitay celebrated at the gala by holding court at a long table with friends and family. She was engrossed in conversation with her guests, but got up to greet any friends who came by to congratulate her on a job well-done. She was joined by her husband and three kids, sharing a sweet moment when her daughter came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her. Though she and her daughter walked the carpet in closely matching red Monse gowns, Hargitay attended the after-party in the black-and-white dress she’d worn during the show. And her hair was back to a bob after transforming all night.
Apple’s Big Night
It was a triumphant Emmy night for Apple TV—marking the first time the streamer beat HBO and Netflix to bring home the most statues of any platform, putting it on top of the prestige streaming heap. Widow’s Bay virtually swept the comedy categories, winning a total of 14 Emmys. Added to that were Pluribus’s six wins (including Rhea Seehorn for outstanding lead actress in a drama), as well as trophies for Slow Horses and Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
Many of Apple’s winners converged at the gala’s statue-engraving station. Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan and star Seehorn—neither of whom took home a single Emmy for their previous collaboration, Better Call Saul—looked absolutely jubilant as they clasped their golden prizes. Seehorn, who brought her family along, got some help taking off her high heels so that she could celebrate in barefoot comfort the rest of the night.
Just as Seehorn and Gilligan were finishing up, the Widow’s Bay gang appeared at the engraving station. Matthew Rhys, who went by the engraving station without his longtime partner, Keri Russell, held aloft three statues (he made history by winning two lead-acting awards, and Widow’s Bay also won for best comedy series) while fellow cast members and Emmy winners Stephen Root and Kate O’Flynn stood behind him, looking stunned. Hiro Murai (who won for directing Widow’s Bay) and O’Flynn shared a moment of pure joy: “Can you believe this?” she asked him. (By this point, maybe he could.)
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