Mariska Hargitay scores double win at first night of Primetime Emmy Awards

Mariska Hargitay, Octavia Spencer, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert were among the winners during night one of the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Mariska Hargitay paid tribute to the late Gloria Steinem as she picked up two Primetime Emmy Awards on Saturday (05.09.26) night.

The Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actress was “utterly overwhelmed” to accept the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program prizes for My Mom Jayne, her HBO film about her late mother Jayne Mansfield, and she gave a nod to the feminist icon, who died earlier this week at the age of 92.

Speaking on stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles during night one of the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards – which were previously known as the Creative Arts Emmys – Mariska said as she accepted her first trophy: “My hero and friend Gloria Steinem recently said, ‘Please tell your own story.’ The most important thing we can do for each other is to know each other through stories. I got to know my mother through telling the story. It’s a gift that’s indescribable.”

And when she accepted the prize for directing, she referenced Steinem’s advice again as she said: “I just want that invitation to go out, especially to women. I’m so excited to explore and discover and innovate new ways of telling stories from half of the earth’s population because we don’t hear from you enough. I can’t wait to get to know you…

“I’m utterly overwhelmed. I just wanted to share with you that it took me a while when I decided to make this film during the pandemic. It took me a while to realise that this was my story to tell. I could direct it.”

In the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category, My Mom Jayne won ahead of John Candy: I Like Me; Marty, Life Is Short; Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!; and Ocean with David Attenborough, while for directing, Mariska was up against Lawrence Kasdan of Marty, Life Is Short; Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio for Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!; Alexandria Stapleton for Sean Combs: The Reckoning; and Rebecca Miller for Mr. Scorsese.

Meanwhile, Octavia Spencer won her first Emmy with a surprise victory in the Outstanding Narrator category for her work on true-crime series Lost Women of Alaska.

The 56-year-old actress’ win stopped Sir David Attenborough becoming the oldest Emmy winner ever as the 100-year-old broadcaster was shortlisted twice in the category for both Netflix’s A Gorilla Story: Told By David Attenborough and National Geographic’s Ocean with David Attenborough. The category was rounded out by nominations for Breakdown: 1975 narrator Jodie Foster and Werner Herzog for Ghost Elephants.

Elsewhere, despite its controversial cancellation, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’s 10-year streak in the Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series category, which also had Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the shortlist.

Accepting the accolade, executive producer Tom Purcell said: “I’d like to thank all those who keep late-night going, [John] Oliver, [Jimmy] Kimmel, super important institution in this country, keep the flame burning, guys.”

Online series Colbert Before Air won the Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama Or Variety Series prize, and the CBS show also took a win for picture editing.

Night two of the Primetime Emmy Awards takes place on Sunday (06.09.26) ahead of the televised Primetime Emmy Awards – which will be hosted by Mariska – on 14 September.



Primetime Emmy Awards Night One list of winners:



Outstanding Host for a Game Show:

Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire



Outstanding Game Show:

Jeopardy



Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series:

The Traitors



Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special:

The Muppet Show



Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Program (Original Dramatic Score):

John Candy: I Like Me



Outstanding Music Direction:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny



Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny



Outstanding Emerging Media Program:

Uncanny Alley: A New Day



Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program:

Love on the Spectrum



Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media Programming:

Crafting Crimes



Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program:

Ocean with David Attenborough



Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program:

The Traitors



Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series:

Colbert Before Air



Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series:

Inside the Pitt



Outstanding Commercial:

I’m Not Remarkable – Apple



Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program:

RuPaul’s Drag Race



Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program:

Saturday Night Live



Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming:

The Masked Singer and The Traitors



Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special:

The Muppet Show



Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert



Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program:

The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse



Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny



Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Reality Program:

Welcome to Wrexham



Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program:

Billy Joel: And So It Goes



Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program:

Ocean with David Attenborough



Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming:

The Muppet Show



Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment):

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert



Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program:

Sean Combs: The Reckoning



Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series:

Desi Lydic, The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains



Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program:

Love on the Spectrum



Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program:

The Traitors



Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special:

My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay



Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:

Mr. Scorsese



Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special:

Tucci in Italy



Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program:

Mariska Hargitay, My Mom Jayne



Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program:

Ben Archard, The Traitors



Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking:

The Librarians



Outstanding Narrator:

Octavia Spencer, Lost Women of Alaska



Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program:

Alan Cumming, The Traitors



Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program:

Love on the Spectrum



Outstanding Structured Reality Program:

Antiques Roadshow



Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny



Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert



Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert



Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny



Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series:

Yvonne De Mare, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert



Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special:

Hamish Hamilton, The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny



Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded):

The Muppet Show



Outstanding Variety Special (Live):

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny