Creative Arts Emmys 2026 full list: The Pitt, DTF St. Louis, Widow's Bay win big
The Creative Arts Emmy Awards honoured winners across two nights ahead of the Primetime Emmys. The results gave an early boost to shows including The Pitt, Pluribus, DTF St. Louis and Widow's Bay.
The Pitt's Ernest Harden Jr., DTF St. Louis actors Linda Cardellini and David Harbour, Widow's Bay actor Betty Gilpin won at the Creative Emmys 2026. Photo: AP/AFP
New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 7, 2026 12:05 IST
The 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards were presented on September 5 and 6 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, more than a week before the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will be hosted by Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay and will air on Monday, September 14, in the US and on September 15 in India.
The Creative Arts Emmys recognise performances as well as the technical and creative work behind television shows, including casting, directing, writing, editing, costumes, sound and visual effects.
The Pitt entered this year's Emmy season as the most-nominated show, with 25 nominations. Hacks, which is in its fifth and final season, followed with 24 nominations, while Apple's Pluribus received 18 nominations.
DTF St. Louis leads acting wins
DTF St. Louis had a strong showing in the limited or anthology series and movie categories.
David Harbour won Outstanding Supporting Actor, while Linda Cardellini took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress. The series also won Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Picture Editing in the limited or anthology series or movie categories.
Steven Conrad won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for DTF St. Louis.
The Pitt wins guest acting honours
The Pitt also picked up acting awards during the second night of the Creative Arts Emmys.
Ernest Harden Jr won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his work on the show. The series also had several nominations in the category, including Jeff Kober and other performers.
The show was among the most recognised titles across the weekend, with its nominations covering several acting and craft categories.
South Park wins Outstanding Animated Program
South Park won Outstanding Animated Program, beating Bob's Burgers, Rick and Morty, The Simpsons, Smiling Friends and Star Wars: Visions.
The show was also nominated in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category.
Night 1 winners list:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series | Desi Lydic — The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains |
| Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Programme | Alan Cumming — The Traitors |
| Outstanding Host for a Game Show | Jimmy Kimmel — Who Wants to Be a Millionaire |
| Outstanding Narrator | Octavia Spencer — Lost Women of Alaska: The Missing |
| Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series | The Traitors |
| Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special | The Muppet Show |
| Outstanding Casting for a Reality Programme | Love on the Spectrum |
| Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny |
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Programme | Ocean With David Attenborough |
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Programme | The Traitors |
| Outstanding Commercial | I'm Not Remarkable – Apple |
| Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming | Juried — recipients announced separately |
| Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert |
| Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny |
| Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Programme | My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay |
| Outstanding Directing for a Reality Programme | The Traitors |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming | The Muppet Show |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment) | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Programme | Sean Combs: The Reckoning |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Programme | The Traitors |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Programme | Love on the Spectrum |
| Outstanding Emerging Media Programme | Uncanny Alley: A New Day |
| Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media Programming | Juried — Crafting Crimes |
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programme | RuPaul's Drag Race |
| Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert |
| Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny |
| Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programme | Saturday Night Live |
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Programme | John Candy: I Like Me |
| Outstanding Music Direction | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny |
| Outstanding Variety Special (Live) | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny |
| Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) | The Muppet Show |
| Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series | Colbert Before Air |
| Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series | Inside The Pitt |
| Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special | My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay |
| Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series | Mr. Scorsese |
| Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special | Tucci in Italy |
| Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking | The Librarians |
| Outstanding Structured Reality Programme | Antiques Roadshow |
| Outstanding Unstructured Reality Programme | Love on the Spectrum |
| Outstanding Game Show | Jeopardy! |
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Programme | Ocean With David Attenborough |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Programme | Billy Joel: And So It Goes |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Reality Programme | Welcome to Wrexham |
| Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert |
| Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special | The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad |
Night 2 winners list:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Legacy Award | I Love Lucy |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | David Harbour — DTF St. Louis |
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Linda Cardellini — DTF St. Louis |
| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Rob Reiner — The Bear |
| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Ernest Harden Jr. — The Pitt |
| Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Betty Gilpin — Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Shailene Woodley — Paradise |
| Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Julie Andrews — Bridgerton |
| Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation | Juried — recipients announced separately |
| Outstanding Animated Programme | South Park |
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Programme | Pluribus |
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Programme | Fallout |
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Programme (Half-Hour) | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | The Pitt |
| Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette |
| Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming | Palm Royale |
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour) | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour) | Spider-Noir |
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | DTF St. Louis |
| Outstanding Period Costumes | Palm Royale |
| Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes | Fallout |
| Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series | Margo's Got Money Troubles |
| Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | BEEF |
| Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | DTF St. Louis |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Pluribus |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series | Hacks |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Multi-Camera Comedy Series | Leanne |
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | DTF St. Louis |
| Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling | Margo's Got Money Troubles |
| Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Hairstyling | Bridgerton |
| Outstanding Title Design | Spider-Noir |
| Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) | Margo's Got Money Troubles |
| Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) | Palm Royale |
| Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup | The Pitt |
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Series | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special | The Beast in Me |
| Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics | The Pitt |
| Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music | Pluribus |
| Outstanding Music Supervision | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Movie | Remarkably Bright Creatures |
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) | Spider-Noir |
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special | BEEF |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) | Pluribus |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | BEEF |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation | Widow's Bay |
| Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie | Stranger Things |
| Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode | Spider-Noir |
| Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Comedy Programming | Spider-Noir |
| Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Drama Programming | The Boys |
| Outstanding Stunt Performance | A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms |
| Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | DTF St. Louis |
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