September 8, 2026, 7:44 pm
LOS ANGELES — Mariska Hargitay is heading into the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards with two new trophies and a growing list of career achievements.
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star received two awards at the Creative Arts Emmys for her documentary My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay. She won for outstanding directing for a documentary/nonfiction program and for outstanding documentary or nonfiction special.
The victories bring Hargitay’s career Emmy total to three. Her first Emmy came in 2006, when she won outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her long-running role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Speaking to reporters backstage after her latest wins, Hargitay said the new awards carried a very different meaning from her first Emmy.
“It feels extraordinarily new and deeply meaningful for me to have gone into a completely different arena,” she said, adding that being recognized for her work as a filmmaker was beyond anything she had expected.
The awards come at an important stage in Hargitay’s career, as the actress continues to explore opportunities beyond her best-known television role.
Hargitay described 2026 as a “year of firsts” and said she has been trying to approach new opportunities without allowing fear to hold her back.
“I just say yes,” she said, pointing to her decision to appear on Broadway as well as accept the invitation to host the Primetime Emmys.
She recalled initially thinking the Emmy hosting offer was a joke when she received the call. Instead of turning it down, she decided to take the opportunity.
Hargitay said her current approach to life is centered on taking chances and not worrying too much about whether everything will go according to plan.
“What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?” she asked, describing her current outlook as one of taking on challenges and trusting herself to work things out.
Hargitay will host the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, adding another major milestone to an already eventful year.
The actress admitted that preparing for the ceremony has been far more demanding than she initially expected. According to Hargitay, NBC originally suggested that she would need only two days of rehearsal — something she later discovered was far from the reality.
“It’s been a big week,” she said, acknowledging that hosting the Emmys is a significant responsibility.
Despite the demanding schedule, Hargitay said she is enjoying the experience, particularly her collaboration with the writing team behind The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which is working on material for the ceremony.
For Hargitay, the upcoming Emmy broadcast represents more than simply another professional assignment. After decades as one of television’s most recognizable actresses, she sees this period as the beginning of a new chapter.
“I just can’t believe that at this place in my life, my third act is starting,” she said. “And it’s pretty awesome.”
With two new Emmy trophies already in hand, Hargitay now has another challenge ahead: taking the stage as host of television’s biggest awards night.
