Mariska Hargitay at the 78th Emmy Press Preview held at Peacock Theater on September 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Deadline via Getty Images)
Deadline via Getty Images
With the 78th Emmy Awards just next week, Mariska Hargitay is preparing to step into a role she has never held before: host and executive producer of television’s biggest night.
On September 10, the Television Academy hosted its 2026 Emmys Press Preview, at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, offering a first look at what viewers can expect when the ceremony airs live on September 14. Among the evening’s biggest storylines is Hargitay’s turn at the helm to host the Primetime Emmys.
For Hargitay, who has spent more than two decades portraying Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the opportunity represents more than another career milestone. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the medium that made her a household name—and to contribute to greater representation for women on one of television’s most visible stages.
“I’m excited that a woman is hosting,” Hargitay told me at the preview. “I’m excited that we’re trying to, you know, level the scales a little bit because they have been out of whack. So I’m honored to contribute to that.”
The significance is especially notable because Hargitay is the first woman to host the Emmy Awards in 15 years. But rather than approaching the opportunity as a traditional awards-show host, Hargitay is leaning into what makes her uniquely suited for the job: her ability to perform live, connect with an audience, and bring authenticity to the stage.
Hargitay will arrive at the 2026 Emmys next Monday. After winning big at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, she took home two trophies for My Mom Jayne, the documentary exploring the life and legacy of her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield. Hargitay won Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program and Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
The wins add another dimension to an already remarkable television career. While audiences have known Hargitay primarily as an actor, the documentary allowed her to step behind the camera and tell an intensely personal story about her family and her mother’s legacy.
Now, she is stepping into another unfamiliar arena. Hargitay acknowledged that hosting initially came with a healthy dose of fear. “I had trepidation, and I was so scared,” she said to me. But that fear has turned into excitement as she has immersed herself in preparation alongside the show’s writing team, her family, and friends. She also sought advice from Jimmy Kimmel, who has hosted the Emmys multiple times.
For Hargitay, the experience fits a larger pattern in her career: repeatedly saying yes to opportunities that initially scare her. “I really believe that so much of the reason I accepted this was that I had just completed my Broadway run, which was a one-woman show,” she said. “It was such a magical experience. I mean, so terrifying, but you know, we can do hard things.”
That philosophy has followed her into directing, producing, Broadway, and now hosting. “And as long as we can tolerate the uncomfortableness and the fear, feel the fear, and then we do it anyway,” she said, “What waits for you on the other side is truly extraordinary.”
Why Hargitay Was The Right Choice
For the team producing this year’s ceremony, Hargitay’s unconventional path to hosting is precisely what makes her compelling. Jesse Collins, executive producer of the 78th Emmy Awards and CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, said the production team saw Hargitay’s live-performance ability firsthand when they watched her Broadway work.
“We saw her Broadway play, and in your play, you saw how great she could be live and improv,” Collins said. “She comes from comedy, and so we’ve just been able to lean into her talents. She’s really been an amazing host.”
That versatility could give this year’s ceremony a different energy. Hargitay isn’t approaching the role as a stand-up comedian or a conventional awards-show emcee. Instead, the producers are building around her personality and experience as a performer.
“She’s TV royalty. She’s an icon,” Collins said. “She really, like, is a triple threat. She’s going to give everything that you could ever want in a host of the Emmys.” For Hargitay, the goal is ultimately straightforward: celebrate television. “I love television. I want to celebrate,” she said. “It’s a gorgeous night full of life.”
And few people have had as long a relationship with television as Hargitay. Her tenure as Benson has made her one of television’s most recognizable women, giving her a particularly meaningful connection to the medium she will now celebrate from the Emmy stage.
Dionne Harmon, executive producer of the ceremony, emphasized that history. “We’ve all spent hours and hours watching Olivia Benson on TV for over 25 years, so now you’re going to get to see her celebrate TV,” Harmon said. “I can’t think of anyone better to be a host and celebrate television than someone who’s been on television for that long.”
Putting Women At The Center
Putting Hargitay at the center of the ceremony gives the 2026 Emmys a chance to place a woman with an extraordinary television legacy in a position traditionally held by men. For Collins, the 15-year gap between women hosting the Emmys is significant. “It’s kind of wild that it’s taken—it’s been a 15-year gap,” he said.
But rather than simply treating Hargitay’s gender as a talking point, the producers are focused on what she brings to the stage. “She is TV royalty. She is an icon,” Collins said. “We are just very lucky to have Mariska hosting this show.” For Hargitay, however, the representation itself matters. After years of seeing women achieve extraordinary things on television, she recognizes the significance of being the person entrusted to lead the celebration.
“I’m privileged to be a host,” she said. “But also privileged just to be in a room [with] so many extraordinary [people].” Her hosting opportunity arrives at an interesting point in her career. Rather than staying within the boundaries of the role that made her famous, Hargitay has continued to expand—into directing, producing, Broadway and documentary filmmaking. Hosting the Emmys becomes another extension of that evolution. It also reminds us that career longevity doesn’t have to mean staying in one lane.
Hargitay has spent more than 25 years playing Olivia Benson. Now, she is using that platform to explore what else she can do. And as she prepares to walk onto the Emmy stage, shes’ there to celebrate. “I’m having the time of my life,” Hargitay said.
The 78th Emmys broadcast live from the Peacock Theater at LA Live on Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.
