Mariska Hargitay is adding another major achievement to her already remarkable television career. The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star is hosting the 2026 Emmys on September 14, just days after collecting two Creative Arts Emmy Awards for her documentary My Mom Jayne.
The 78th Emmy Awards are taking place at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock at 8 p.m. ET.
For Hargitay, the hosting role arrives during an especially significant period in her career. She has spent decades playing Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU. Now, she is stepping into the spotlight as the person guiding one of television’s biggest nights.
Mariska Hargitay Is Hosting the 2026 Emmys
Hargitay is hosting the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, September 14.
The Television Academy and NBC confirmed her role earlier this year. The decision gives the veteran television star a new position at an awards ceremony where she already has a long history.
The 2026 ceremony is also notable because Hargitay is coming into the event as a recent Emmy winner herself.
She won two awards during the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies for My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay. The documentary received the award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, while Hargitay also won Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program.
Her Documentary About Jayne Mansfield Earned Two Emmys
My Mom Jayne explores Hargitay’s relationship with her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield.
Hargitay served as director and producer on the HBO Max documentary. The Television Academy lists the film with three nominations and two wins at the 2026 Emmys.
The project represents a different side of Hargitay’s career. Audiences have known her primarily for her work as an actress, particularly her long-running role as Olivia Benson.
With my mom, Jayne, however, she moved behind the camera to tell a deeply personal family story.
That achievement makes her 2026 Emmy hosting opportunity even more significant.
From Olivia Benson to Emmy Host
Hargitay has been associated with Law & Order: SVU since its early years. Her portrayal of Olivia Benson became one of the defining performances of her career.
Her work on the series previously earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Now, more than two decades after becoming one of television’s best-known crime drama stars, she is taking on a very different kind of television role.
Instead of investigating cases as Benson, Hargitay will be welcoming nominees, presenters and winners to the Emmy stage.
The change is a major career moment, but it also reflects the range of work she has taken on beyond acting.
Hargitay and Peter Hermann’s Relationship Also Began on SVU
Hargitay’s connection to Law & Order: SVU extends beyond her professional life.
She met actor Peter Hermann when he appeared on the series as defence attorney Trevor Langan. The two later married in August 2004.
The couple have three children. They welcomed their son August in 2006 and adopted daughter Amaya and son Andrew in 2011.
Hargitay has often spoken publicly about the importance of her family. Her relationship with Hermann has also remained a recurring part of her personal story as her career continued to grow.
In 2026, the couple marked 22 years of marriage.
Why the 2026 Emmys Are a Major Moment for Hargitay
The timing could hardly be more fitting.
Hargitay arrives at the 2026 Emmys having just received two awards for a project that allowed her to explore her family history. At the same time, she continues to be closely associated with one of television’s longest-running scripted dramas.
Her hosting role therefore brings together several parts of her career: acting, directing, producing and her decades-long relationship with television audiences.
The 2026 Emmy ceremony also features a strong field of contenders. The Pitt leads the nominations with 25, followed by Hacks with 24, according to Peacock’s official Emmy information.
How to Watch the 2026 Emmy Awards
Viewers in the United States can watch the 2026 Emmy Awards on NBC or stream the ceremony live through Peacock.
The ceremony begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on September 14, 2026, with the event taking place at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
With Mariska Hargitay hosting and several major television contenders competing for awards, the ceremony marks another important chapter in the 78th Emmys.
For Hargitay, it is also the latest milestone in a career that has expanded well beyond the role that first made her a household name.