A New Look on the Emmys Red Carpet
On Monday evening, Zendaya stepped onto the Emmys 2026 red carpet in a see-through, deeply cut gown encrusted with a multitude of glittering beads. The custom Prada creation she wore included tulle at the neckline and illusion fabric across the body, while the rear echoed the front's V-shaped neckline. She had first shown off her cropped pixie cut during a paparazzi-photographed outing earlier in the year, but this occasion was her initial formal event with the shorter hair. She was photographed alongside Law Roach, who calls himself an image architect, styled her that night, and told red carpet reporters that Halle Berry served as the inspiration for the new cut.[S1]
The actress rounded out her ensemble with similarly eye-catching accessories, among them a Rolex timepiece encrusted with diamonds and pearl-trimmed statement earrings by Mikimoto. She had recently married Tom Holland in a private UK ceremony, yet the Marvel star chose not to accompany her along the carpet, showing up at the event itself in a Dior suit. Zendaya is also set to take the stage as a presenter during the evening's ceremony, which Mariska Hargitay is hosting.[S1]
A Final Euphoria Nomination and a New Chapter
Zendaya earned a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series thanks to the third and final season of HBO's Euphoria. Competing against her in the category are Carrie Coon of The Gilded Age, Chase Infiniti of The Testaments, Keri Russell of The Diplomat, and Rhea Seehorn of Pluribus. At 30 years old, she has made only three prior appearances at the Emmys, and in 2022 she became the youngest performer ever to take home two acting trophies at the ceremony. This nomination for Euphoria is her last, marking both the close of one period and the beginning of a fresh stylistic phase.[S1]
Other Notable Moments From the 2026 Emmys
The 2026 Emmys, staged on a Monday, produced a number of standout moments. Host Mariska Hargitay sang in two musical performances and changed wigs repeatedly, moving through a bob, extensions, shoulder-length waves, and yet another bob. Widow's Bay, which came into the evening with 19 nominations, took home Outstanding Comedy Series. Its lead, Matthew Rhys, became the first actor ever to collect two lead acting Emmys on the same night and the first to win in all three lead acting categories. Jean Smart likewise entered the record books as the first woman to win for each season of a series.[S2]
During the In Memoriam tribute, Catherine O'Hara was remembered, with three actors who played her children on screen — Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy — offering remarks before Noah Kahan sang Bridge Over Troubled Water. Culkin encouraged people to phone their mothers, noting she had been their mom and would remain in their memories. Murphy described strangers in bright clothing expressing sympathy and characterized O'Hara's laugh as an endless yes, and. Levy recalled her wig ideas with warmth, agreeing to a wig wall and to the name she gave that wig. Dolly Parton was honored less than a month after her death, with Sally Field recalling her as blisteringly funny and Reba McEntire performing Appalachian Memories backed by a live orchestra.[S2]
