Jean Smart makes Emmy history with fifth win for 'Hacks'

Supporting comedy actress went to Kate O'Flynn, who plays a quirky mayoral assistant on the Apple TV AAPL.O horror comedy Widow's Bay.

Mariska Hargitay, star of NBC's drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, hosted the ceremony, breaking with a tradition of having a comedian serve as emcee. It was broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock CMCSA.O.

"It's a lot of pressure, but it is so reassuring to see so many familiar faces out there, and I'm not just talking about how many of you I've arrested on SVU," Hargitay told the crowd.

Jean Smart won her fifth Emmy on Monday for portraying a tenacious stand-up comic on Hacks, making her the first performer to claim the award for best comedy actress for every season of a show's run.

Smart played Deborah Vance, a septuagenarian comedian fighting to stay relevant, on Hacks. The show aired its final season on HBO Max this year.

"What a ride this has been!" Smart said on stage after thanking the show's creators.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won best comedy actress for six of the seven seasons of Veep, is the only woman to come close to Smart's milestone.

The Emmys offered a rare night of celebration as Hollywood grapples with production cutbacks, anxiety over artificial intelligence and the proposed Paramount Skydance PSKY.O purchase of HBO owner Warner Bros Discovery WBD.O, a deal that has divided the industry and faces legal challenges.

HBO Max's , set in a Pittsburgh trauma center, was favored to win best drama – the night's top award – for a second straight year. Competitors include newcomer , an Apple TV AAPL.O show about a woman at war with an alien hive mind. star Wyle is a leading contender for a second straight best actor Emmy.