TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 2026 Emmy Awards season has begun with the Creative Arts Emmys, honoring the performers, programmes and creative teams behind some of television's biggest productions. Bad Bunny, Rob Reiner, Mariska Hargitay and several other prominent names were among those recognized ahead of the main Primetime ceremony.
According to Today.com, winners announced over the weekend included the late Rob Reiner for his guest role on The Bear and Bad Bunny for his critically acclaimed Super Bowl halftime show. Mariska Hargitay also took home two awards for her documentary My Mom Jayne.
The Creative Arts Emmys, held ahead of the Primetime Emmy Awards, recognize achievements across a wide range of categories, including reality and documentary programming, variety shows, casting, choreography, cinematography and other technical and creative fields.
As reported by The Sunday Guardian, The Traitors, Love on the Spectrum, The Muppet Show and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert were among the programmes to collect multiple honors. Bad Bunny's Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show also emerged as one of the major winners.
The Creative Arts Emmys are being held over two nights, with additional categories set to be announced before the Primetime Emmys on Sept. 14.
Here is the complete list of winners from the first night of the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys, category by category.
2026 Creative Arts Emmy Winners
Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program
Winner: Love on the Spectrum
Outstanding Choreography For Variety Or Reality Programming
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Program
Winner: Ocean With David Attenborough
Outstanding Cinematography For Reality Program
Winner: The Traitors
Outstanding Commercial
Winner: “I'm Not Remarkable” – Apple
Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Winner: My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay
Outstanding Directing For A Reality Program
Winner: The Traitors – Let The Cards Fall As They Will
Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series
Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale
Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series
Winner: Mr. Scorsese
Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special
Winner: My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay
Outstanding Emerging Media Program
Winner: Uncanny Alley: A New Day
Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking
Winner: The Librarians
Outstanding Game Show
Winner: Jeopardy!
Outstanding Hairstyling For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program
Winner: RuPaul's Drag Race – Rate-A-Queen Talent Show, Part 2
Outstanding Host For A Game Show
Winner: Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality Competition Program
Winner: Alan Cumming, The Traitors
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
Winner: Stanley Tucci, Tucci In Italy
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Series
Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Special
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Makeup For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program
Winner: Saturday Night Live – Host: Bad Bunny
Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary/Nonfiction Or Reality Program
Winner: John Candy: I Like Me
Outstanding Music Direction
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Narrator
Winner: Octavia Spencer, Lost Women Of Alaska – The Missing
Outstanding Performer In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series
Winner: Desi Lydic, The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains
Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program
Winner: Sean Combs: The Reckoning
Outstanding Picture Editing For A Structured Reality or Competition Program
Winner: The Traitors – The Death Conga
Outstanding Picture Editing For An Unstructured Reality Program
Winner: Love On The Spectrum – Episode 4
Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming
Winner: The Muppet Show
Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming (Segment)
Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show closes out its storied run at the Ed Sullivan Theater with help from Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special
Winner: The Muppet Show
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Or Reality Series
Winner: The Traitors – The Black Banquet
Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama Or Variety Series
Winner: Colbert Before Air
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series
Winner: Inside The Pitt
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Nonfiction Or Reality Program
Winner: Ocean With David Attenborough
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Nonfiction Program
Winner: Billy Joel: And So It Goes
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Reality Program
Winner: Welcome To Wrexham – Do A Wrexham
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Winner: Antiques Roadshow
Outstanding Technical Direction And Camerawork For A Series
Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale
Outstanding Technical Direction And Camerawork For A Special
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
Winner: Love On The Spectrum
Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Winner: The Muppet Show
Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program
Winner: The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers The Pulse: Give The Man A Prize
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series
Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special
Winner: The Muppet Show
Sabrina Carpenter was also listed among the notable names connected to the Creative Arts Emmys as an executive producer and performer.
The first Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies set the stage for the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, when television's leading acting, drama, comedy and other major awards will be presented.
Read: 2026 Emmy Awards: 7 Key Facts About This Year's Nominations
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