Los Angeles – At an early Emmy ceremony held at the Peacock Theater, HBO Max’s hit medical series The Pitt emerged as a major winner, taking home three awards. The most notable honor went to 73‑year‑old veteran actor Ernest Harden Jr., who received the Guest Actor in a Drama award for his portrayal of Louie Cloverfield, the ever‑present, struggling alcoholic in the show’s emergency department.
Harden, a longtime character actor whose first speaking role was in the 1975 thriller Three Days of the Condor, was visibly moved when his name was announced. “I am just on cloud 25,” he said backstage. “I’m not saying it’s a complete surprise because ‘The Pitt’ is such a powerful show, but just to get it in your hands is unreal.”
Other Wins for ‘The Pitt’ and Competing Shows
In addition to Harden’s acting trophy, The Pitt earned Emmys for prosthetic makeup and casting, reinforcing its reputation as the year’s top‑rated drama with 25 nominations. The series, a day‑in‑the‑life look at a bustling hospital, continues to dominate the drama acting categories for its second season.
Apple TV+’s first‑year horror‑comedy Widow’s Bay also performed strongly, walking away with four awards, including Production Design and Sound. The show’s success highlights the growing impact of streaming platforms on the awards landscape.
Other Notable Recipients
Shailene Woodley secured her first Emmy for Best Guest Actress in a Drama for her role in Hulu’s dystopian series Paradise, beating three fellow nominees from The Pitt. Woodley praised the series, noting, “The whole ‘Paradise’ journey from beginning to end is just a gift that continues to give.”
Amazon Prime Video’s short‑lived series Spider Noir earned four Emmys for Visual Effects and Stunts, while the Vince Gilligan‑produced drama Pluribus won for Editing, Production Design, and Sound Mixing. Netflix’s limited series Beef added three craft awards, including Costumes and Sound.
Industry Highlights
The Television Academy announced that the first two nights of the 78th Emmy Awards, formerly known as the Creative Arts Emmys, will be broadcast on FXX on September 12 and streamed on Hulu the following day. The primetime ceremony on September 14 will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock, with Mariska Hargitay returning as host.
Hargitay also collected two Emmys for her documentary “My Mom Jayne,” about her mother Jayne Mansfield, complementing her 2006 Best Actress in a Drama win for Law & Order: SVU. Bad Bunny received his first career Emmy for his Super Bowl halftime performance, adding seven trophies to his collection from the weekend’s opening ceremony.
Rob Reiner, who passed away with his wife Michele Singer Reiner in December, remains a contender for a posthumous Emmy in the Guest Actor in a Comedy category for his role on The Bear, a nod to his enduring legacy dating back to his 1960s work on All in the Family. Five‑time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox is also nominated in the same category for portraying a patient with Parkinson’s disease on the series Shrinking.
The Academy’s decision to shift five categories—including Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Limited Series—from the September 14 telecast to the early ceremony underscores the growing importance of craft awards in shaping the overall awards narrative.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
