Mariska Hargitay experienced a wardrobe malfunction on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, while rolling out the blue carpet for the 78th Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The Law & Order: SVU star, who is hosting the September 14 ceremony, laughed off the mishap as good luck.
Mariska Hargitay Kicks Off Emmy Week With a Blue Carpet Wardrobe Mishap
Ahead of her turn hosting the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, Mariska Hargitay brought plenty of energy to downtown Los Angeles. Standing outside the Peacock Theater on Thursday, Sept. 10, the longtime Law & Order franchise star wore a sequined LaQuan Smith skirt suit and sunglasses to roll out the official carpet. Instead of the traditional red, this year’s carpet was dyed blue to mark NBC’s milestone 100th anniversary.
Midway through the photo opportunities, Hargitay stopped the proceedings. She called out a minor clothing snag with a laugh, announcing to the crowd, Hold up, wardrobe malfunction! Better now than at the Emmys.
Speaking to reporters, the diehard sports fan explained that her enthusiasm got the better of her during the rollout.
She added with a smile, I was a superhero.
Far from being discouraged by the snag, Hargitay treated it as a positive omen heading into Monday night’s broadcast, declaring, Damn straight it is.
The live ceremony airs Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC and streams on Peacock.
Behind the Scenes of an Unconventional Emmy Host Selection
Hargitay makes history on Monday as the first woman to solo host the Emmy Awards in 15 years, as well as the first non-comedian to host since Angela Lansbury took the stage in 1993. When NBC first approached her with the offer, she initially considered turning it down.
Friends who had previously hosted awards ceremonies advised her against taking the job, warning her that the gig is notoriously thankless. Ultimately, her appreciation for television as a healing medium won out. Executive producer Jesse Collins joked that the telecast should be called Mariska Unleashed
to reflect her hosting style, while co-producer Jeannae Rouzan-Clay pushed back against critics who assume she lacks comedic timing, noting that she’s kind of a comedian.
To build her material, Hargitay enlisted former writers from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, led by former head writer Ariel Dumas. The writing team set up shop directly at the SVU offices, allowing the host to collaborate on jokes between filming her long-running police drama.
Celebrity Cameos, Tributes, and What to Expect on Monday Night
The production team has kept most of the three-hour ceremony under wraps, but press previews have confirmed several major segments. Grammy-nominated singer Noah Kahan is scheduled to perform a vocal tribute during the In Memoriam segment, performing Paul Simon’s Bridge Over Troubled Water
. Additionally, the broadcast will feature milestone celebrations recognizing the 30th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the 50th anniversary of Charlie’s Angels.
Hargitay also confirmed that she will sing and dance during the telecast, noting that the performance leans heavier on vocals than choreography. Meanwhile, the writers’ room has fielded endless requests from notable industry figures hoping to secure a spot in a very specific role.
I cannot tell you how many people—famous people—ask to be a dead body on the show.
Whether those cameos materialize on Monday remains to be seen, but the host enters the night fresh off winning two Creative Arts Emmys on September 6 for her deeply personal HBO documentary, My Mom Jayne, which explores the life of her late mother, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield.
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