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Mariska Hargitay to make Emmy history ahead of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 28 return this fall

The 78th Emmy Awards are scheduled to take place on Monday, September 14, from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live

NBC has found its host for television's biggest celebration, and this year's choice breaks a long-running streak. Mariska Hargitay, best known for playing Captain Olivia Benson on ‘Law & Order: SVU’, has been selected to host the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. This marks the first time she will take the reins of the annual ceremony. The announcement also puts Hargitay in the history books. She will become the first woman to host the Emmy Awards in 15 years, following Jane Lynch, who fronted the show in 2011 for Fox. While male comedians and late-night personalities have become the usual picks over the past decade, NBC has gone in a different direction this time by handing the microphone to one of its biggest drama stars. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 14, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live.

Viewers can watch the awards live on NBC and Peacock. Sharing her excitement after the announcement, Hargitay said in a statement, “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.” She continued, “Whether it's an actor or a director, a costumer or a sound designer, we are all so privileged to take part in creating television that unites us. Regardless of how, where or when we watch, we are together in our laughter, our tears, our love of stories — and our delighted anticipation to see what happens next.”

The selection stands out because recent Emmy ceremonies have usually leaned toward comedians or television personalities with experience in live entertainment. In 2022, ‘Saturday Night Live’ star Kenan Thompson handled hosting duties, while the network previously turned to ‘Weekend Update’ anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost when it aired the ceremony in 2018. This year, however, NBC is taking a different route, making Mariska Hargitay's appointment rare from a historical standpoint as well.

Since 2000, only four women have hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards. Before Hargitay, the list included Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted twice in 2001 and 2005; Heidi Klum, who shared hosting duties with Tom Bergeron, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst, and Ryan Seacrest in 2008; and Jane Lynch in 2011. Meanwhile, Hargitay continues to be one of NBC's most recognizable stars. She not only headlines ‘Law & Order: SVU’ but also serves as an executive producer and director of the long-running crime drama. After more than a quarter of a century on the air, the series is still going strong. Fans won't have to wait too long for new episodes either. ‘Law & Order: SVU’ is returning for Season 28 this fall, with the new season set to premiere on October 8. With the Emmy Awards arriving just weeks before ‘SVU’ returns, Hargitay is gearing up for a busy fall.