The 2026 Emmys highlight reel might not be what you expected.
On Monday night, Matthew Rhys made history by taking home not one but two awards. When Marcello Hernández took the stage to present, he invited Zendaya and "Spider-Man" to dine at his home. Later, John Mulaney roasted method acting and DJ Khaled in the span of two minutes. And Taylor Swift appeared in a pre-recorded skit as a rookie cop on "Law and Order: SVU," leaving Easter Eggs for Swifties to analyze in her wake.
The night was like an entertainment-filled Bingo card that kept viewers on their toes as celebrities honored the best TV of the year, including "Widow's Bay" and "The Pitt," in their red-carpet best (and worst looks, in some cases).
Still, there were plenty of Emmys moments the live show didn't capture, from hugs between stars to appearances by celebrity couples.
Check out some of the best moments you missed from the 2026 Emmys below.
Zendaya and Tom Holland posed for a photo together.
Tom Holland didn't walk the red carpet with Zendaya, who arrived in a custom Prada gown.
However, he joined her inside the event, sitting by her side throughout the show. The pair stood for a photo during the awards ceremony, grinning together.
The couple caught up with Chase Infiniti.
Zendaya and Infiniti were both nominated for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Euphoria" and "The Testaments" at the 2026 Emmys.
They didn't let the competition get in the way of their bond, laughing as they spoke.
Zendaya also posed for a photo with Ayo Edebiri and Quinta Brunson.
Edebiri and Brunson were up for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for their performances in "The Bear" and "Abbott Elementary."
The trio squeezed each other as they smiled for the shot.
Oscar Isaac congratulated Matthew Rhys on his historic night.
Rhys became the first person to win two lead actor Emmys in one night, winning outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for "Widow's Bay" and lead actor in a limited or anthology series for "The Beast in Me."
Isaac was also nominated in the limited series category, but he looked overjoyed for Rhys as they hugged.
Sterling K. Brown seemed elated to see Shailene Woodley.
Brown may have been giving Woodley a congratulatory hug when they reunited at the Emmys.
She took home the Emmy for guest actress in a drama series at the Creative Arts Emmy for her appearance in "Paradise," in which she starred opposite Brown for much of her performance.
Tyler James Williams cracked up as he spoke to Colman Domingo.
Williams, who was nominated for supporting actor in a comedy series for "Abbott Elementary," was photographed mid-giggle as Domingo spoke to him.
Domingo was nominated in the same category for "The Four Seasons," as well as in the guest actor category for "Euphoria."
He also posed for a shot with Brunson.
Though neither Brunson nor Williams took home Emmys, they're still winners.
They'll be returning to TV screens for the sixth season of "Abbott Elementary" in October 2026.
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Samantha Grindell Pettyjohn is a Senior Lifestyle Reporter at Business Insider with more than eight years of experience in the lifestyle space.At Business Insider, Samantha's coverage focuses on unique living situations, interior design, celebrity style, and books. Her work includes features on multigenerational living and one-of-a-kind houses, timely articles on celebrity fashion, live coverage of award shows and pageants, and fun pieces about popular book series. Samantha also loves reporting on celebrities on her beats, from HGTV stars Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa to authors such as Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros.Samantha appeared on Scripps News and CBS in 2022 to discuss the royal family, and in 2023, she won an Anthem Award for her work on Business Insider's package "Better Me."Samantha received her B.A. in English from Birmingham-Southern College in 2017, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She later earned her M.S. in Publishing from New York University in 2019. Samantha was previously a staff writer at Romper, and her writing has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Mic, and Oprah.com. Today, Samantha lives in Atlanta with her husband and dog.Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X.
