2026 Creative Arts Emmy Winners: Bad Bunny, Rob Reiner and More

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 2026 Emmy Awards season has begun with the Creative Arts Emmys, honoring the performers, programmes and creative teams behind some of television's biggest productions. Bad Bunny, Rob Reiner, Mariska Hargitay and several other prominent names were among those recognized ahead of the main Primetime ceremony.

According to Today.com, winners announced over the weekend included the late Rob Reiner for his guest role on The Bear and Bad Bunny for his critically acclaimed Super Bowl halftime show. Mariska Hargitay also took home two awards for her documentary My Mom Jayne.

The Creative Arts Emmys, held ahead of the Primetime Emmy Awards, recognize achievements across a wide range of categories, including reality and documentary programming, variety shows, casting, choreography, cinematography and other technical and creative fields.

As reported by The Sunday Guardian, The Traitors, Love on the Spectrum, The Muppet Show and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert were among the programmes to collect multiple honors. Bad Bunny's Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show also emerged as one of the major winners.

The Creative Arts Emmys are being held over two nights, with additional categories set to be announced before the Primetime Emmys on Sept. 14.

Here is the complete list of winners from the first night of the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys, category by category.

2026 Creative Arts Emmy Winners

Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program

Winner: Love on the Spectrum

Outstanding Choreography For Variety Or Reality Programming

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Program

Winner: Ocean With David Attenborough

Outstanding Cinematography For Reality Program

Winner: The Traitors

Outstanding Commercial

Winner: “I'm Not Remarkable” – Apple

Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program

Winner: My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay

Outstanding Directing For A Reality Program

Winner: The Traitors – Let The Cards Fall As They Will

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series

Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series

Winner: Mr. Scorsese

Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special

Winner: My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay

Outstanding Emerging Media Program

Winner: Uncanny Alley: A New Day

Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking

Winner: The Librarians

Outstanding Game Show

Winner: Jeopardy!

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program

Winner: RuPaul's Drag Race – Rate-A-Queen Talent Show, Part 2

Outstanding Host For A Game Show

Winner: Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality Competition Program

Winner: Alan Cumming, The Traitors

Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special

Winner: Stanley Tucci, Tucci In Italy

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Series

Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Special

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Makeup For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program

Winner: Saturday Night Live – Host: Bad Bunny

Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary/Nonfiction Or Reality Program

Winner: John Candy: I Like Me

Outstanding Music Direction

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Narrator

Winner: Octavia Spencer, Lost Women Of Alaska – The Missing

Outstanding Performer In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series

Winner: Desi Lydic, The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program

Winner: Sean Combs: The Reckoning

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Structured Reality or Competition Program

Winner: The Traitors – The Death Conga

Outstanding Picture Editing For An Unstructured Reality Program

Winner: Love On The Spectrum – Episode 4

Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming

Winner: The Muppet Show

Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming (Segment)

Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show closes out its storied run at the Ed Sullivan Theater with help from Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello

Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special

Winner: The Muppet Show

Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Or Reality Series

Winner: The Traitors – The Black Banquet

Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama Or Variety Series

Winner: Colbert Before Air

Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series

Winner: Inside The Pitt

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Nonfiction Or Reality Program

Winner: Ocean With David Attenborough

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Nonfiction Program

Winner: Billy Joel: And So It Goes

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Reality Program

Winner: Welcome To Wrexham – Do A Wrexham

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Structured Reality Program

Winner: Antiques Roadshow

Outstanding Technical Direction And Camerawork For A Series

Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale

Outstanding Technical Direction And Camerawork For A Special

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program

Winner: Love On The Spectrum

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

Winner: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)

Winner: The Muppet Show

Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program

Winner: The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers The Pulse: Give The Man A Prize

Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series

Winner: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special

Winner: The Muppet Show

Sabrina Carpenter was also listed among the notable names connected to the Creative Arts Emmys as an executive producer and performer.

The first Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies set the stage for the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, when television's leading acting, drama, comedy and other major awards will be presented.

Read: 2026 Emmy Awards: 7 Key Facts About This Year's Nominations

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