La maldición de Widow’s Bay claimed 14 Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. The series outperformed established favorites and took best comedy. Mariska Hargitay hosted a ceremony marked by surprises and emotional moments.
La maldición de Widow’s Bay, a new series that mixes horror and comedy, took over the 2026 Emmy Awards with 14 wins, including best comedy. Created by Katie Dippoll, the show outperformed established favorites and surprised many by dominating nearly every category it entered—a rare feat for a debut.
This year, the Emmys opened with the comedy awards, putting the spotlight on the rivalry between La maldición de Widow’s Bay and the final season of Hacks. Instead of saving best comedy for the end, the ceremony handed it out early, setting the tone for the night. La maldición de Widow’s Bay went on to win in acting, writing, and directing, leading the official tally by a wide margin. Outlets like BBC and NPR confirmed its sweep across both creative and performance categories.
"Widow’s Bay achieved a total of 14 Emmy wins, the highest for any series at this year’s ceremony, as confirmed by multiple independent sources."
— BBC
Matthew Rhys won twice: best lead actor in a comedy for his role in La maldición de Widow’s Bay, and best actor in a miniseries earlier in the night. In his speech, he thanked his family and mentioned his Welsh background. Stephen Root and Kate O’Flynn also took home acting awards for their supporting roles. O’Flynn dedicated her win to outsiders like her character, Patricia. The show’s pilot, written by Dippoll 18 years ago, won both writing and directing, beating out the Hacks finale in both categories. NPR and others noted that Root and O’Flynn’s wins were major upsets in the comedy acting races.
The drama categories played out as expected. The Pitt won best drama series for its second season. Creator R. Scott Gemill used his speech to thank the medical professionals who inspire the show. Jean Smart set a new Emmy record by winning best actress for every season of Hacks, a streak no other performer has matched. She thanked her children and the show’s creative team, while her co-star Hannah Einbinder was visibly emotional in the audience.
Allison Janney won best supporting actress in a drama for La diplomática, beating four nominees from The Pitt. Tom Pelphrey took best supporting actor in Task, thanking his family and his wife, Kaley Cuoco, who was in the audience.
"Both Jean Smart and Allison Janney matched the all-time record for most Emmy wins by an actor, a milestone confirmed by live coverage and official results. Their achievements were highlighted by several major outlets as historic moments in Emmy history."
— NPR
Mariska Hargitay hosted the ceremony for the first time, which included a musical tribute to television history and NBC, plus appearances by Taylor Swift and her cat Olivia. Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, and tributes to Dolly Parton and Catherine O’Hara added a note of nostalgia to the evening.
La maldición de Widow’s Bay’s sweep at the Emmys shows how quickly the industry can shift toward new, genre-blending shows. Its success in both creative and acting categories, despite being a newcomer, left established favorites behind and made it clear that risk-taking and originality are being recognized at the highest level.
