The 2026 Emmy Awards are set to bring Hollywood’s biggest television stars to Los Angeles on Monday, September 14, with a ceremony that matters to viewers across the United States—including fans following their favorite series, actors and cultural moments. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live and air live at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT. Here is who will host the show, which celebrities are confirmed as presenters and what is known about the musical performances.
Mariska Hargitay will host the 2026 Emmy Awards, making her hosting debut at television’s biggest awards night. The Emmy-winning actor, director and producer is internationally recognized for playing Olivia Benson on NBC’s long-running drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. NBC selected one of its best-known stars to lead the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, a major moment for Hargitay after decades as a defining figure on U.S. television. Also, she will become the first woman to host this ceremony solo in 15 years.
Hargitay’s role offers an added connection to a familiar primetime TV presence: Law & Order: SVU has remained a widely followed crime drama among bilingual and multicultural viewers. The ceremony will air from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, allowing fans in cities such as Miami, New York, Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles to tune in during prime time in their respective U.S. time zones.
The presenter lineup includes major names from television, film and pop culture, led by Zendaya, Jon Hamm, Sally Field, Keke Palmer, Amy Poehler, Florence Pugh, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy, Niecy Nash-Betts, David Harbour, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alan Cumming. Other initially announced presenters include Odessa A’zion, David Boreanaz, Linda Cardellini, Marcello Hernández, Peter Krause, Julianna Margulies, Annie Murphy, Amanda Peet, Rachel Sennott, Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith.
The Television Academy later added Stephen Amell, Awkwafina, Scott Caan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma D’Arcy, Julia Garner, LL COOL J, Woody Harrelson, Hassie Harrison, Matthew McConaughey, John Mulaney, Emmy Rossum, Shailene Woodley and Sofía Vergara, among others. Vergara’s inclusion is especially notable for Latino viewers in the U.S., as the Colombian actor and longtime Modern Family star remains one of the most recognizable Latin American talents in mainstream American television.
Noah Kahan is confirmed to perform during the 2026 Emmy Awards. The singer-songwriter will take the stage for the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment, where he is scheduled to perform “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the classic song associated with Simon & Garfunkel. The performance is expected to accompany the annual tribute to television figures who died over the past year.
Producers have also previewed a tribute to Dolly Parton as part of the ceremony, but it remains a surprise which artists will participate in that segment and also the additional musical performances. So our recommendation is to watch the live telecast for any last-minute additions, special guests or tribute appearances.
Contenido GEC