Mariska Hargitay Hosts Emmys, Parodies Nicole Kidman's AMC Ad

Mariska Hargitay hosted the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, September 14, 2026, becoming the first woman to emcee the ceremony in 15 years. The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star opened the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles with a monologue that blended self-deprecating humor about her long-running role with a parody of Nicole Kidman's viral AMC movie theater advertisement. Hargitay, 62, began by acknowledging the milestone, noting she was the first female host since Jane Lynch in 2011. "I am so incredibly proud to be the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years," she said. "For 15 straight years, Amy and Tina said no." The monologue featured jokes about her 27-year tenure as Detective Olivia Benson, including a quip about never having to pronounce the word "finale." She also poked fun at her boss, Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, claiming his real name was "Richard Penis." The opening segment included a pretaped song parody titled "I Love TV Screens," a satire of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," featuring Hargitay with NBA player Jalen Brunson and actress Jean Smart. The number name-dropped several nominated shows.