Widow’s Bay swept the 2026 Emmys, and The Pitt earned back-to-back wins for best drama series. But so much more happened during the tight three-hour telecast on Monday night, hosted by Mariska Hargitay.
Lucky for you, Vanity Fair was in the ballroom where the Emmys unfolded as well as the afterparties, catching all the off-camera action. Below, we share some of the surprising and sweetest moments that the TV cameras missed.
Jimmy Who?
Às show time approached, a mad crush of guests poured in off the red carpet. The crowd inside the theater parted like the Red Sea for Zendaya, while Beef‘s Charles Melton, Shrinking star Brett Goldstein, and Shawn Hatosy of The Pitt stopped every two inches to take selfies with fans. Steve Martin and Martin Short arrived together, keeping their heads down. As The Pitt‘s Noah Wyle entered, he was quickly surrounded by a mob of well-wishers and selfie-takers so dense that a member of his entourage had to grab his hand and physically yank him through the crowd. Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel stood at the entrance to the Peacock Theater, struggling with his phone trying to find his digital ticket. Surely Kimmel’s face is enough of a ticket?
Spider-Man’s Sneaky Arrival
Zendaya and Tom Holland have never attended an awards show together—until today. For the first time, the newly married (?) couple arrived at the show together, though not on the red carpet. Vanity Fair ran into Holland inside the theater, where he came in through the general audience entrance instead of the entrance used for stars who had walked the carpet. Holland hung out inside for a bit, largely unnoticed, while Zendaya—Emmy nominated for Euphoria— posed for photographers. Inside, the pair did sit together, and during commercial breaks they’d catch up with friends, including Ayo Edebiri, Chase Infiniti, and Holland’s Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo.
