Mariska Hargitay may have been a first-time host at Emmys 2026, but her opening monologue was steeped in TV history, including the actor’s nearly three-decade run on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the time she “arrested” fellow nominee Martin Short onscreen. “NBC is celebrating its 100th year,” Hargitay began in her opening act. “And I have been on Law & Order: SVU for all of them.” She then quipped of Law & Order creator Dick Wolf that although “there have been a lot of jokes about his name…. His real name is Richard Penis.”
The actor also paid homage to the viral AMC Theatres ad fronted by Nicole Kidman, who interjected from her seat, “That’s my bit, you can’t do that!” when Hargitay began speaking of “dazzling images on the silver screen” and “sound that I can feel.” To that, Hargitay gamely replied, “Zip it, movie lady. It’s TV’s turn tonight.”
Hargitay struck an earnest tone for the remainder of her brief remarks, which she began with an elongated musical number, featuring cameos from New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jeff Hiller, among others—although the TV Academy received some shade, namely for the fact that Hargitay is the Emmys’ first female host in 15 years. (Jane Lynch last did the honors amid Glee’s heyday in 2011.) “For 15 straight years, Amy and Tina said no,” Hargitay said, referring to frequent Golden Globes hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.
Before even taking the stage on Monday night, Hargitay entered Emmys 2026 as a winner. She recently picked up two awards for her feature directorial debut, My Mom Jayne, an HBO documentary released last June that explores the life and career of her mother, Old Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield. During her acceptance speech, Hargitay quoted “my hero and friend Gloria Steinem,” who passed away on September 2 at the age of 92. “Please tell your own story. The most important thing we can do for each other is to know each other through stories,” Hargitay recalled Steinem saying. “I got to know my mother through telling this story, and it is a gift that is indescribable.”
Hargitay won her first Emmy Award two decades ago, earning outstanding lead actress in a drama series for Law & Order: SVU back in 2006. Ahead of the Emmys, Hargitay studied former hosts to craft a tight opening routine. “I have not only watched past monologues,” she told The Hollywood Reporter, “I’ve built mine out of everything that killed in the past 78 years. It’s been focus-grouped, and it works. Word-for-word, no updates. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
When asked if the Knicks superfan would enlist any title-winning special guests, like her pal and star point guard Jalen Brunson, Hargitay replied, “Not sure, but maybe OG will come flying in with 1.2 seconds left.”
