The 2026 Emmys opened with a throwback we all recognized. Host Mariska Hargitay walked out and launched into a full spoof of Nicole Kidman’s viral AMC Theaters ad, dramatic music and lighting included. The twist? Kidman was sitting in the audience, and she wasn’t about to let it slide.“That’s mine. That’s my bit, you can’t do that,”she called out. Hargitay shot back,“Zip it movie lady, it’s TV’s turn tonight.”The crowd ate it up.
Hargitay made a little history of her own as the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years. She joked that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler turned down the job, and she pretended not to know how to pronounce“finale,”pointing out that after all these years on Law&Order: SVU, she’s never gotten one. That landed about as well as anything all night.
On the awards front, HBO’s“The Pitt”leads the pack with 25 nominations, with“Hacks”close behind at 24. And the In Memoriam segment this year honors Hayden Panettiere, James Van Der Beek, Catherine O’Hara, Chuck Norris, and Dolly Parton, a list that will hit country fans especially hard.
Did you catch the Emmys Sunday night, or were you watching something else? Let us know what you thought of Hargitay’s hosting debut.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
