Emmys host Mariska Hargitay was left red-faced after suffering an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction during a press preview ahead of the ceremony. The Law & Order star, 62, was at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday when her blazer came undone in front of the cameras.
Hargitay had dazzled in a LaQuan Smith champagne-colored sequined skirt suit, which she paired with statement sunglasses and pointed-toe heels. The event was held ahead of the 78th annual Emmy Award show on Monday, and Hargitay joined a host of famous faces from across the industry to roll out the blue carpet.
As the group strode forward hand-in-hand to complete the walk, Hargitay glanced down and called a halt to proceedings. "Hold on, we have to go again. My thing popped off!" she announced, rushing to rearrange her blazer, which had come undone to create a plunging neckline.
Hargitay's blushes were spared by a sequined undershirt underneath, but she hastily readjusted her outfit anyway. "It's better that it happens here than at the Emmys," she joked afterward.
Hargitay jokes about the mishap
Speaking to USA Today after the incident, the New York Knicks fan joked that her enthusiasm on the carpet was to blame. "I started going into full-on Knicks-mode, kicking the carpet," she told the outlet. "I was a superhero... just starting to pop open."
Asked whether it was good luck to get a wardrobe mishap out of the way before the main event, Hargitay replied, "Damn straight it is."
Two wins at the Creative Arts Emmys
The slip-up came just days after Hargitay, who directed a documentary about her late mother, the actress Jayne Mansfield, titled "My Mom Jayne," won two awards at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday.
She received the award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for "My Mom Jayne," which was released on HBO Max in June last year, and also won Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program.
While accepting the award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Hargitay gave a special shout-out to Gloria Steinem for encouraging her to bring the film to life. The activist and journalist died on September 2 at the age of 92.
The story behind My Mom Jayne
According to an IMDb synopsis, "My Mom Jayne" explores the life and legacy of Jayne Mansfield, the Hollywood icon who died in a car accident at age 34, when Hargitay was just three years old.
Hargitay is best known for playing Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU," a role for which she previously won an Emmy for Best Actress in 2006. Her turn as Emmys host this year marks the first time a woman has hosted the ceremony in 15 years.
What happens next
The 2026 Emmy Awards will air live on NBC and Peacock on Monday, September 14, at 8pm EST/5pm PST.
