The 10 Best Moments from the 2024 Emmy Awards

Mar. 15, 2025

Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, and Bowen Yang at the 2024 Emmys.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

WithEugeneandDan Levyhosting, the76th annual Primetime Emmy Awardswere primed to be a fun night.And the show did not disappoint. From the father-son duo’s hilarious show opener, toJean Smart’s epic sixth Emmy Award win toSelena Gomez’s cheeky nod to “childless cat ladies,” the 2024 Emmy Awards were chock-full of heartwarming moments, friendly jabs and of course, hilarious bits.Check out all the best moments from this year’s show, below.

WithEugeneandDan Levyhosting, the76th annual Primetime Emmy Awardswere primed to be a fun night.

And the show did not disappoint. From the father-son duo’s hilarious show opener, toJean Smart’s epic sixth Emmy Award win toSelena Gomez’s cheeky nod to “childless cat ladies,” the 2024 Emmy Awards were chock-full of heartwarming moments, friendly jabs and of course, hilarious bits.

Check out all the best moments from this year’s show, below.

01of 10

Eugene and Dan Levy’s Opening Monologue

Eugene Levy and Dan Levy.Kevin Winter/Getty

02of 10Selena Gomez and Her ‘Childless Cat Ladies’Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.Kevin Winter/GettySteve Martin,Martin ShortandSelena Gomez"murdered" their bit as theypresented the first award of the night.Short was the first to rib hisOnly Murders in the Buildingcostar and longtime friend, saying, “Steve, let me say what an honor it is to be working with someone who looks like he’s fallen and can’t get up.“Never one to be silently roasted, Martin swiftly responded, “And let me say what an honor it is for me to be working with someone who looks like a former women’s tennis champion.“Their “straight man” costar Gomez added a quip of her own: “And let me say, what an honor it is to work with two men who arethisfar away from being childless cat ladies.“The comment was a reference toRepublican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, who recently used thephrase to describe Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

02of 10

Selena Gomez and Her ‘Childless Cat Ladies’

Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.Kevin Winter/Getty

Steve Martin,Martin ShortandSelena Gomez"murdered” their bit as theypresented the first award of the night.

Short was the first to rib hisOnly Murders in the Buildingcostar and longtime friend, saying, “Steve, let me say what an honor it is to be working with someone who looks like he’s fallen and can’t get up.”

Never one to be silently roasted, Martin swiftly responded, “And let me say what an honor it is for me to be working with someone who looks like a former women’s tennis champion.”

Their “straight man” costar Gomez added a quip of her own: “And let me say, what an honor it is to work with two men who arethisfar away from being childless cat ladies.”

The comment was a reference toRepublican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, who recently used thephrase to describe Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

03of 10Liza Colón-Zayas Wins Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesLiza Colón-Zayas.ABCLiza Colón-Zayas took home her very first Emmy!The Bearactress won for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Tina Marrero on the hit show.“Thank you for lowering the microphone for me,” she joked at the beginning of her acceptance speech.“Thank you to my husband David Zayas, he told me to write a speech and I didn’t, because I didn’t think it would be possible,” she continued. “How could I have thought it would be possible to be in the presence of Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett and Janelle and Sheryl Lee Ralph? I love you all, I revere you to the bottom of my heart. My mamí, mamí, I thank you. My family, my grandkids, thank you.““Thank you for giving me a new life with this show,” she concluded. “And to all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”

03of 10

Liza Colón-Zayas Wins Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Liza Colón-Zayas.ABC

ABC

Liza Colón-Zayas took home her very first Emmy!

The Bearactress won for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Tina Marrero on the hit show.

“Thank you for lowering the microphone for me,” she joked at the beginning of her acceptance speech.

“Thank you to my husband David Zayas, he told me to write a speech and I didn’t, because I didn’t think it would be possible,” she continued. “How could I have thought it would be possible to be in the presence of Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett and Janelle and Sheryl Lee Ralph? I love you all, I revere you to the bottom of my heart. My mamí, mamí, I thank you. My family, my grandkids, thank you.”

“Thank you for giving me a new life with this show,” she concluded. “And to all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”

04of 10

Candice Bergen’s Moment of Candor

Candice Bergen.Kevin Winter/Getty

Presenting outstanding lead actress in a comedy series,Murphy BrownstarCandice Bergenreferred back to the cultural furor that arose when, in 1992, former Vice PresidentDan Quayleattacked the sitcom for promoting poor family values.

Bergen concluded cheekily, “So as they say, my work here is done. Meow!”

05of 10Jean Smart Is Just Happy to Be Getting Some AttentionJean Smart.ABCJean Smartsimply does not get the spotlight she deserves — at least, according to heracceptance speech.The legendary actress took home her sixth Emmy, winning in the lead actress in a comedy series category for her work inHacks.“And I appreciate this, because I just don’t get enough attention,” the 72-year-old actress joked, adding amid laughter from the audience, “I’m serious!“Smart previously won the same award in 2021 and 2022 for the same role.

05of 10

Jean Smart Is Just Happy to Be Getting Some Attention

Jean Smart.ABC

Jean Smartsimply does not get the spotlight she deserves — at least, according to heracceptance speech.

The legendary actress took home her sixth Emmy, winning in the lead actress in a comedy series category for her work inHacks.

“And I appreciate this, because I just don’t get enough attention,” the 72-year-old actress joked, adding amid laughter from the audience, “I’m serious!”

Smart previously won the same award in 2021 and 2022 for the same role.

06of 10Honoring ‘Saturday Night Live’ … at Lorne Michaels’ ExpenseMaya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, and Bowen Yang at the 2024 Emmys.Kevin Winter/GettyWhenSaturday Night LivealumniKristen Wiig,Seth MeyersandMaya Rudolphjoined current cast memberBowen Yangto present outstanding writing for a variety special, they used creatorLorne Michaelsas the butt of their jokes.“We heard that our dear friend, our mentor Lorne Michaels, has been nominated for and lost the Emmy 85 times. He has never won,” Wiig said, as the camera cut to a grinning Michaels in the audience.Rudolph declared that Michaels was “robbed, while Yang encouraged his boss, “It gets better. Just becauseSNLdidn’t work doesn’t mean your next idea won’t. Keep dreaming.“Meyers corrected his fellowSNLstars, informing them that Michaels has won 21 Emmys andSNLhas won over 200.Rudolph pivoted: “I can’t believe you’re complaining about this, Lorne. Not to be rude, but grow up.”

06of 10

Honoring ‘Saturday Night Live’ … at Lorne Michaels' Expense

Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, and Bowen Yang at the 2024 Emmys.Kevin Winter/Getty

WhenSaturday Night LivealumniKristen Wiig,Seth MeyersandMaya Rudolphjoined current cast memberBowen Yangto present outstanding writing for a variety special, they used creatorLorne Michaelsas the butt of their jokes.

“We heard that our dear friend, our mentor Lorne Michaels, has been nominated for and lost the Emmy 85 times. He has never won,” Wiig said, as the camera cut to a grinning Michaels in the audience.

Rudolph declared that Michaels was “robbed, while Yang encouraged his boss, “It gets better. Just becauseSNLdidn’t work doesn’t mean your next idea won’t. Keep dreaming.”

Meyers corrected his fellowSNLstars, informing them that Michaels has won 21 Emmys andSNLhas won over 200.

Rudolph pivoted: “I can’t believe you’re complaining about this, Lorne. Not to be rude, but grow up.”

07of 10

Ron Howard and Henry Winkler.Kevin Winter/Getty

Ron HowardandHenry Winkler, former stars ofHappy Days, reunited on the Emmys stage tocelebrate the show’s 50th anniversaryand present outstanding directing for a comedy series. The two gathered on a recreated set of the show’s iconic restaurant, Arnold’s Drive-In, to which Howard commented, “This is fantastic.”

Winkler added, “Feels like home.”

Howard and Winkler fussed about the ceremony not introducing them with Happy Days’ theme song, and Howard suggested that Winkler play the jukebox like he did in the series.

“First of all, I’m out of practice,” theBarryactor said — before performing Fonzie’s iconic jukebox slam and triggering the music.

08of 10

Martin Sheen, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff and Allison Janney.Kevin Winter/Getty

Schiff spoke about the show’s memorable political storylines, then pointed out, “Today … storylines can be plucked right off the news — storylines that writers would have deemed a bit far-fetched, if not utterly ridiculous, 25 years ago.”

The cast then did their civic duty, with Moloney emphasizing “the importance of everyone making sure to be registered and to vote.”

09of 10’Shōgun' Brings Four More Awards HomeHiroyuki Sanada and the cast of ‘Shōgun’.ABCFX’sShōguncontinued its historic Emmys season during the Sunday night ceremony, winning four more categories in addition to the 14 Creative Arts Emmys it won at the Sept. 7 and 8 ceremony. Frederick E. O. Toye won outstanding directing for a drama series, andHiroyuki SanadaandAnna Sawaiaccepted the awards for outstanding lead actor and actress in a drama series, respectively.The series claimed outstanding drama series near the end of the night againstThe Crown,Fallout,The Gilded Age,The Morning Show,Mr. & Mrs. Smith,Slow Horsesand3 Body Problem. Before leaving the stage, Sanada took the mic to express his gratitude in Japanese as co-creator Justin Marks translated.“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the crew and directors and masters who have inherited and supported our samurai period dramas up until now,” they said. “The passion and dreams that we have inherited from you have crossed oceans and borders.”

09of 10

‘Shōgun’ Brings Four More Awards Home

Hiroyuki Sanada and the cast of ‘Shōgun’.ABC

FX’sShōguncontinued its historic Emmys season during the Sunday night ceremony, winning four more categories in addition to the 14 Creative Arts Emmys it won at the Sept. 7 and 8 ceremony. Frederick E. O. Toye won outstanding directing for a drama series, andHiroyuki SanadaandAnna Sawaiaccepted the awards for outstanding lead actor and actress in a drama series, respectively.

The series claimed outstanding drama series near the end of the night againstThe Crown,Fallout,The Gilded Age,The Morning Show,Mr. & Mrs. Smith,Slow Horsesand3 Body Problem. Before leaving the stage, Sanada took the mic to express his gratitude in Japanese as co-creator Justin Marks translated.

“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the crew and directors and masters who have inherited and supported our samurai period dramas up until now,” they said. “The passion and dreams that we have inherited from you have crossed oceans and borders.”

10of 10

‘Schitt’s Creek’ Costars Fold In One More Fun Moment

Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Eugene and Dan Levy brought out their formerSchitt’s CreekcostarsAnnie MurphyandCatherine O’Harafor one more hilarious bit to cap off the night. Murphy, who did not walk the red carpet, made a surprise appearance before the night’s last award.

“They said the shining star ofSchitt’s Creekis going to present the final award of the night, so…” Murphy announced herself to her onscreen dad and brother, to which Eugene replied that there’s “a little confusion here.”

The actress responded, “You can stay onstage, but just kind of scootch back a bit.”

source: people.com