‘Widow’s Bay’ Sweeps Early Emmys with Eight Awards, ‘The Pitt’ Earns Four

LOS ANGELES — “Widow’s Bay” dominated the early Emmy Awards ceremony on September 6, securing eight trophies for its debut season. The event, held eight days before the main Emmy telecast, also saw HBO Max’s “The Pitt” earn four awards in its second season, while Rob Reiner posthumously received an acting Emmy nearly nine months after his death.

Apple TV’s horror comedy “Widow’s Bay,” starring Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a small New England town grappling with a centuries-old curse, won in key categories including cinematography, sound, music, and production design. Betty Gilpin was honored as best guest actress in a comedy for her role on the show, delivering a rapid-fire comic poem during her acceptance speech that referenced the acting profession and cultural figures.

HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt,” which led the nominations with 25 and was the reigning best drama winner from its first season, took home awards including prosthetic makeup and best guest actor in a drama for 73-year-old Ernest Harden Jr., a first-time nominee. Harden won for his portrayal of Louie Cloverfield, a long-standing emergency room figure and struggling alcoholic. He was visibly emotional upon hearing his name and described the win as surreal backstage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Harden’s acting career spans decades, with early roles in the 1975 thriller “Three Days of the Condor” and a three-season stint on the sitcom “The Jeffersons,” but this marked his first major award recognition. Additionally, singer-songwriters Andrew Bird and Gavin Brivik won for original music and lyrics for a song about Harden’s character, highlighting a rare musical moment in the show.

The Television Academy presented over 100 primetime Emmys during the weekend’s ceremonies, formerly known as the Creative Arts Emmys but now rebranded as the initial nights of the 78th Emmy Awards. These events primarily honor behind-the-scenes talent but also include guest-acting awards, which often feature well-known performers. This year, five categories usually reserved for the main telecast were moved to the earlier weekend, boosting the star power of the ceremonies.

Among these, David Harbour won best supporting actor in a limited series for “DTF St. Louis,” marking his third nomination and first win. Linda Cardellini, in her fourth nomination, won best supporting actress in a limited series for the same show, which took six awards overall. Cardellini, known for roles in “Freaks and Geeks” and “Mad Men,” expressed heartfelt gratitude on stage through tears.

A poignant moment came when Rob Reiner was announced as best guest actor in a comedy for his work on “The Bear.” The audience gave a long, thoughtful ovation, with fellow guest star Jamie Lee Curtis among those paying tribute. Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were killed in December, and their son has been charged with their deaths. This Emmy win came about 50 years after Reiner’s earlier acting awards for “All in the Family.”

The weekend’s ceremonies will be edited into a broadcast airing September 12 on FXX and streaming on Hulu the following day. The main primetime Emmy ceremony, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, will take place on September 14 at the Peacock Theater, airing live on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Both “Widow’s Bay” and “The Pitt” remain contenders for up to six additional Emmys at that event.

Other notable winners included “Pluribus,” an Apple TV newcomer from “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, which won four awards including editing and sound mixing. Shailene Woodley earned her first Emmy as best guest actress in a drama for “Paradise.” Amazon Prime Video’s “Spider-Noir,” canceled after one season, won five Emmys including visual effects and stunts. Hargitay herself won two Emmys for her documentary about her mother, Jayne Mansfield, adding to her 2006 best actress Emmy for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Additionally, Bad Bunny received his first Emmy for his Super Bowl halftime show, which won seven trophies at the initial ceremony on Saturday.