Emmys 2026 recap: See the winners, emotional tributes and biggest moments

Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy took the Emmys stage together to honor Catherine O'Hara, who died in January.

Culkin said "the word that I think of" with O'Hara is "mama."

"She was all of our mom," he said, adding, "By the way, call your mother tonight."

Levy, O'Hara's "Schitt's Creek" co-star, said, "The greatest lesson I learned from Catherine, both professionally and personally, was to always say yes."

"Say yes [to the] TV character over the age of 60 that wears leather miniskirts and 8-inch heels and speaks in a strange, sometimes unintelligible trans-Atlantic accent, and know that she will not 'scare an audience away,'" he continued. "Say yes to that rewrite she emails you, sometimes the night before. 'Dear Dan, some thoughts.' It will always improve the story."

After winning the Emmys for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series and outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie, Matthew Rhys reacted to the moment by saying he hoped the celebrations to follow would be "long, varied, and I hope, at times, wild."

"It certainly hasn't sunk, sunk in," Rhys told reporters. "[I'm] stumbling for words, because I really don't have them at the moment ... I really can't quite believe it."

Rhys' wins make him the first male to win two lead actor categories in the same year.

The actor, who is from Wales, added that he was proud to represent the country and "put our flag in the map."

Rhys' wife, Keri Russell, was also nominated this year for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her performance in "The Diplomat."

The Emmys honored late country music superstar and actress Dolly Parton with a tribute during Monday's telecast, nearly three weeks after her death.

Sally Field remembered Parton, her friend and "Steel Magnolias" co-star, as "blisteringly funny" and a trailblazing humanitarian.

"I adored her from day one. How could you not?" Field said.

Country music star Reba McEntire also paid tribute to Parton, singing "Appalachian Memories," a song Parton wrote about her Smoky Mountain roots.

"I love you Dolly," McEntire said at the end of the song.

Actor and activist Michael J. Fox was presented with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award on Monday night.

The award is given to "an individual in the telecommunications industry whose philanthropic efforts exemplify Bob Hope's decades-long altruism and positive impact on society," according to the Television Academy website.

Fox thanked Julianna Margulies, who presented him the award, and spoke about the legacy the award's namesake, comedian and actor Bob Hope, left behind.

"When it starts to get tough, you show up. You help," he said.

Fox also touched on his Parkinson's diagnosis.

"Initially, I kept my Parkinson's diagnosis a secret," he said.

After he found support from his community, Fox said he "understood that accepting Parkinson's didn't mean I had to surrender to it. It just meant doing what I could for everyone living with this disease."

Fox also thanked his family for their support.

Fox was named this year's honoree for his "commitment to Parkinson's research" over the years. The actor was first diagnosed with Parkinson's in the early '90s and has been open about his health issues since announcing his diagnosis publicly in 1998.

Fox founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000. The nonprofit "is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today," according to its website.

In a July statement announcing Fox as this year's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award nominee, Television Academy chair Cris Abrego said the actor's work had "left an indelible mark on generations of audiences."

"The Television Academy is proud to honor him for his extraordinary leadership in advancing Parkinson's research, transforming public awareness and inspiring global support through The Michael J. Fox Foundation, whose investments have accelerated scientific breakthroughs and the search for a cure," Abrego said. "He continues to exemplify compassion, courage and service, reflecting the power of one individual to drive meaningful change."