The 2026 Emmy Awards delivered plenty of memorable moments on stage, but some of the best stuff happened once the cameras cut away. Mariska Hargitay hosted the 78th annual ceremony at the Peacock Theater, and while the trophies were handed out as expected, the buzz today is all about what happened between the commercials.
Shailene Woodley and Olivia Munn, both former partners of Aaron Rodgers, were spotted having an intense conversation during the evening. Nobody knows exactly what was said, but the room noticed. Kaley Cuoco also gave everyone a reason to smile when she kissed fiancé Tom Pelphrey right after his win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Rhea Seehorn earned her first Emmy for Pluribus, and Stephen Colbert shared a warm reunion with Jimmy Kimmel and Jon Stewart after The Late Show took home Outstanding Variety Series.
The night also included a touching tribute to the late Catherine O’Hara from Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy, reminding everyone that the Emmys are about more than trophies. Even Guillermo Rodriguez was working the crowd, campaigning for Dancing With the Stars votes. Which off-camera moment surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
