NBC announced Tuesday that Mariska Hargitay, star of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," will host the 78th annual Emmy Awards this fall, marking the first time a woman has headlined television's biggest night in 15 years.
Hargitay's Statement and Historic Role
"Bringing important stories into the light has been the heartbeat of my career. It's my great honor to host the 78th Emmy Awards – in the 100th birthday year of my beloved NBC – and celebrate this extraordinary community of storytellers," Hargitay said in a press release Tuesday. She expressed feeling privileged to be part of an industry that creates "television that unites us. Regardless of how, where, or when we watch."
Hargitay will be the first woman to host the Emmys since actor Jane Lynch did so in 2011. Previous hosts include Jimmy Kimmel, Kenan Thompson, and Stephen Colbert.
Emmy History and Advocacy Work
Despite being a first-time host, Hargitay is familiar with the ceremony, having earned eight Emmy nominations and one win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series during her nearly three-decade run on "SVU." She also won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama. She is heading into her 28th season portraying NYPD Capt. Olivia Benson on the hit NBC crime drama.
Outside acting, Hargitay founded and served as former president of the Joyful Heart Foundation, which supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking. A survivor of sexual assault herself, she advocates against stigmatizing survivors. "Tell someone you've survived cancer, and you're celebrated. I want the same response for sexual assault survivors. I want no shame with the victim," Hargitay wrote in a 2024 essay for People Magazine.
Ceremony Details
Nominations for the 78th Emmy Awards will be announced Wednesday, July 8. The ceremony will air at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Sept. 14 on NBC and Peacock.
