Rhea Seehorn won her first Emmy on Monday night, and she opened the speech with a joke about her nerves. During her acceptance speech for best lead actress in a drama series for Pluribus, Seehorn cracked that she was on a beta blocker — a medication used to treat anxiety — and that it wasn’t working very well.
“This is me on a beta blocker,” she said. “It’s pretty bad.”
The line landed because Seehorn looked exactly as she described. She was visibly emotional as she thanked everyone involved in the show, from the Television Academy voters to her fellow nominees.
Her Thanks List
Seehorn’s gratitude was wide-ranging. She thanked show creator Vince Gilligan, the TV Academy members who voted, her castmates, her producers, her writers, the background artists, and her family.
But the most moving part came when she turned to her fellow nominees. She congratulated each of them individually, calling their performances “brilliant, brilliant performances.”
“I also just want to say congratulations, and thank you for the performances to my fellow nominees in my category,” she told the L.A. crowd. “All brilliant, brilliant performances. Carrie Russell among them, who sent us a lovely gift and a card, quoting — sadly, we didn’t know that we would lose her so soon — Gloria Steinem, saying, ‘We are linked, not ranked, and I feel that way about all you women.'”
The tribute to Russell made the moment personal, not just formal.
The Nominees
Seehorn was nominated alongside four other actresses. The category included:
- Carrie Coon, for her work on HBO Max’s The Gilded Age
- Chase Infiniti, for Hulu’s The Testaments
- Keri Russell, for Netflix’s The Diplomat
- Zendaya, for HBO Max’s Euphoria
Seehorn’s win marks her first Emmy. She had been nominated three times before, for her supporting role in Better Call Saul and once for Cooper’s Bar. The win is a milestone for the actress.
What Pluribus Is
Pluribus is Vince Gilligan’s latest project. It is a mind-bending comedic thriller produced by Sony Pictures Television in association with Apple. The show scored a total of 18 nominations this year, including four wins at the Creative Arts Emmys.
Those Creative Arts wins went to main title music and outstanding sound mixing for a comedy.
The Host and the Venue
The 2026 Emmys were hosted by Mariska Hargitay, who herself won an award for her work on Law & Order: SVU and was up for three more on Monday night tied to the 2025 documentary My Mom Jayne. She marked the first female host in 15 years.
The event was produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment and held in the Peacock Theater in downtown L.A. It was broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Why the Speech Worked
Seehorn’s speech worked because it was genuine. She joked about her anxiety, thanked everyone sincerely, and honored a fallen colleague with a specific quote.
The tribute to Russell was the highlight. By mentioning the quote from Gloria Steinem, Seehorn tied Russell’s memory to a larger message about women in the industry.
“We are linked, not ranked, and I feel that way about all you women.”
The line stood apart from the usual platitudes of an awards show.
The Numbers
- Winner: Rhea Seehorn, for lead actress in a drama series (Pluribus)
- Nominees: Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell, Zendaya
- First Emmy win for Seehorn
- Fourth nomination overall for Seehorn
- Previous nominations: Supporting role in Better Call Saul, role in Cooper’s Bar
- 18 nominations for Pluribus
- Four Creative Arts Emmys won by Pluribus
Seehorn’s win is a milestone for the actress. Her first Emmy comes after years of recognition, and her speech showed why she connected with audiences.
The moment was spontaneous and human. That is the kind of acceptance speech that stays with viewers.
Seehorn’s tribute to Russell also carried weight. It honored a colleague whose death was unexpected, and it framed her memory within a larger statement about women in the industry.
The win is a reminder that recognition takes time. Seehorn waited through three previous nominations before finally taking home the trophy. Her speech celebrated that journey, from the beta blocker joke to the final thank-you.
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