Top 20 Emmy Awards Moments That Made Us Cry
#20: Glenn Weiss Proposes to His Girlfriend
“70th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2018)
Winning an Emmy is usually the happy ending, but Glenn Weiss turned his 2018 victory into something far more personal. After taking Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special for The Oscars, Weiss spoke about his mother, who had died just two weeks earlier. Then he looked toward his girlfriend, Jan Svendsen, calling her the sunshine in his life. He invited her to the stage and revealed a ring that had been placed on his mother’s finger by his father 67 years earlier. Weiss dropped to one knee, and Svendsen said yes. The audience erupted into cheers and a standing ovation. On that night, grief and new love shared one unforgettable moment.
#19: Billy Porter Makes History
“71st Primetime Emmy Awards” (2019)
Dressed like a walking disco ball with a hat that deserves its own dressing room, Billy Porter made Emmy history in 2019. His win for “Pose” marked the first time an openly gay man won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Porter stepped up to the microphone visibly overwhelmed, telling the audience he was overjoyed to have lived long enough to see the moment. Then, quoting the ballroom lingo the show celebrated, he joyfully announced the category. Porter thanked the people who helped him reach that stage and celebrated the possibility of being fully seen. For viewers familiar with ballroom culture, representation and his decades-long career, it was a triumphant, tear-inducing release.
#18: Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” Emmy Victory
“77th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2025)
Two months after CBS announced “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would end in 2026, the program won Outstanding Talk Series at the 2025 Emmys. Colbert received a huge standing ovation earlier that night, joking about whether anyone was hiring for his 200-person staff. When the show won, the mood shifted from comedy to bittersweet. Colbert thanked CBS for letting the team join the late-night tradition, then praised the 200-plus professionals who made the show. He also remembered longtime assistant Amy Cole, who died from cancer in 2024. Reflecting on the show’s original mission, Colbert recalled wanting a late-night program built around love and connection, all of which made the victory feel like a farewell.
#17: Tributes to Catherine O’Hara & Rob Reiner
“78th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2026)
The 2026 Emmys’ In Memoriam segment turned into an especially emotional family affair when Catherine O’Hara’s on-screen children gathered to remember her. Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy shared stories about the actress, with Culkin calling her “mama” and recalling how she always showed up for him. Then, Murphy spoke about encountering strangers, after O’Hara’s passing, who wanted to tell her what the comedy icon’s work meant to them. Levy, the co-creator of “Schitt’s Creek,” also remembered the greatest lesson O’Hara taught him: always say yes. Later, Jamie Lee Curtis fought back tears while honoring her friend Rob Reiner, praising his warmth, generosity and humanity. With Noah Kahan performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the entire segment became one long emotional gut punch.
#16: Sheryl Lee Ralph Sings Her Acceptance Speech
“74th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2022)
After decades of Broadway, television and film work, Sheryl Lee Ralph finally heard her name called at the 2022 Emmys. Her first ever nomination became her first ever win when she took Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Abbott Elementary.” Ralph paused, visibly overwhelmed, before singing part of Dianne Reeves’ “Endangered Species” a cappella. The song gave voice to a career shaped by persistence, while her speech turned toward anyone who had ever been told their dream was impossible. Ralph credited creator Quinta Brunson, her husband, children and supporters. The room rose to its feet as Ralph transformed an upset victory into a celebration of perseverance, artistry and refusing to give up.
#15: Jean Smart Dedicates Her Win to Her Late Husband
“73rd Primetime Emmy Awards” (2021)
Grief has a way of showing up uninvited, even on the best nights. Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “Hacks” at the 2021 Emmys, just six months after losing her husband, actor Richard Gilliland, who passed away in March of that year. She credited Gilliland with putting his career on the back burner so she could pursue her acting ambitions. The audience responded with a standing ovation, while her co-star Hannah Einbinder became emotional. Then the familiar awards show music began playing her offstage. Smart acknowledged the cue with a laugh, but the moment underscored just how difficult it was to squeeze such enormous gratitude and grief into a few minutes.
#14: Joan Rivers Finally Gets Her Due
“17th Daytime Emmy Awards” (1990)
By 1990, Joan Rivers had endured more than most people could survive. Her Fox late-night show had been canceled, her finances had collapsed, and in 1987, her husband and manager Edgar Rosenberg had taken his own life. Winning the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “The Joan Rivers Show” was, by any measure, an extraordinary comeback. She opened with a joke, naturally, about finally fulfilling a childhood dream. But thanking her staff cracked her open. Rivers wept, telling the audience that just two years earlier, she hadn't been able to get a single job. She then dedicated the award to Rosenberg, remembering he had been there at the beginning.
#13: Barbra Streisand Sings “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
“53rd Primetime Emmy Awards” (2001)
The “53rd Primetime Emmy Awards” had already been postponed twice before it eventually took place. September 11th had just happened, and nobody quite knew what a televised awards show was supposed to look like in its aftermath. Then Barbra Streisand took the stage at the end of the night and answered that question. Standing before a wall bearing the names of those killed in the attacks, she sang Rodgers and Hammerstein's “You'll Never Walk Alone,” a song about walking through storms rather than around them. The audience sat in near-total silence, many visibly crying. Streisand later said she wanted to give something back to the country. With this performance, she undoubtedly did.
#12: Jane Lynch Honors Cory Monteith
“65th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2013)
“Glee” actor Cory Monteith died in July 2013 at just 31 years old, and the loss reverberated far beyond the show’s cast. At that year's Emmy ceremony, the traditional In Memoriam segment was reimagined into individual tributes, and Jane Lynch was chosen to honor her former co-star personally. She spoke about his warmth, his generosity, and an openness that made him genuinely impossible not to love. She also acknowledged his struggle with substance use disorder, but deliberately refused to let that struggle define his memory. Lynch framed Monteith as someone mourned not only for who he was, but for everything he never got to become. It was tender, honest, and handled with a care that the moment absolutely deserved.
#11: Kate McKinnon’s Acceptance Speech
“68th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2016)
Kate McKinnon is a pro at making us laugh, which is why she won a well-deserved Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2016. But this moment shows she’s also great at making us cry. At the start of her speech, a visibly emotional McKinnon emphasized she was shedding actual tears. But she managed to keep herself together and deliver a touching tribute to the people who inspired and believed in her, including her late father. We cherished Kate McKinnon during her time on “Saturday Night Live,” but this speech might be her greatest live television moment so far.
#10: Sarah Paulson Tributes Marcia Clark
“68th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2016)
“The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story” taught us there was more to this famous true crime case than we assumed. It also shone a new light on prosecutor Marcia Clark, played brilliantly by Sarah Paulson, who won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. In her speech, Paulson spoke about the pressure that comes with playing real-life figures. She discussed how, while researching Clark, she realized she had previously misjudged her. Clark was in the audience as Paulson’s guest of honor, and you can tell how touched she is by this tribute. With this speech, Sarah Paulson delivered an Emmys moment we’ll never forget. Case closed.
#9: Jharrel Jerome Tributes the Central Park Five
“71st Primetime Emmy Awards” (2019)
Another great chronicle of a shocking case is “When They See Us,” a miniseries about the Central Park Five, who were falsely convicted of a heinous crime. Jharrel Jerome won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. And his speech was brimming with power. After recognizing his family and others, Jerome took a moment to honor the series’ subjects, listing them by name. The Exonerated Five stood up and offered applause and salutations in return. Speaking to members of the press backstage, Jerome talked about how significant their presence at that night’s ceremony was. Justice might not always prevail, but this incredible speech reminded us why it’s so important to keep believing and fighting.
#8: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Tributes Her Father
“68th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2016)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won an incredible eight Emmys and counting for acting. So, there have been plenty of memorable speeches. However, this one is arguably the most touching. Winning her fifth consecutive Emmy for “Veep,” Louis-Dreyfus sounded choked up at the start of her speech. And she ended it by paying homage to her late father. It’s clear how much Louis-Dreyfus’ father meant to him based on her body language alone. Her speech also had moments of humor expertly woven in. Just like with seemingly everything else she does, Julia Louis-Dreyfus can deliver one exceptional speech.
#7: Tracy Morgan Returns
“67th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2015)
In 2014, actor Tracy Morgan was seriously injured in a vehicular collision and underwent an extensive physical rehabilitation process. The following year, he appeared at the Emmy Awards as a surprise presenter and received a standing ovation even before he began speaking. Morgan spoke from the heart about how he made it through this unimaginably difficult time and the people who helped him along the way. He also brought in some of his beloved comedic persona and showed his sense of humor was still intact. Though Morgan wasn’t nominated for any awards, there’s no question he was an absolute winner that night.
#6: Billy Crystal Honors Robin Williams
“66th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2014)
Robin Williams had passed away just two weeks before the 2014 Emmy ceremony, and we hadn’t even begun reeling from the shock. However, there was arguably no better person to tribute the late icon than his friend and fellow comedian Billy Crystal. After Sara Bareilles sang during the “In Memoriam'' segment, Crystal appeared on stage and talked about just how much of a legend Williams was. He shared stories about Williams that were both hilarious and heartfelt. Crystal referred to Williams as “the brightest star in the comedy galaxy.” We might not know exactly where that galaxy is, but we do know that this was the perfect way to honor a legend.
#5: Henry Winkler Wins
“70th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2018)
Henry Winkler gave us one of the greatest television characters of all time when he played Fonzie on “Happy Days.’ But he didn’t win his first Emmy until decades later, when he won Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series for his role on dark comedy “Barry.” The room bursts into huge applause as Winkler’s name is announced, and his speech earned even further adulation. It seems like Winkler had been dreaming of this moment for a very long time. And his speech is lovely from beginning to end, including his adorable tribute to his adult children. As if we didn’t already think Henry Winkler was the coolest.
#4: Susan Lucci Finally Wins After 18 Losses
“26th Daytime Emmy Awards” (1999)
For 18 consecutive years, Susan Lucci heard her name announced as an Emmy nominee without hearing “winner.” In 1999, on her 19th nomination for playing Erica Kane in “All My Children,” that changed. Presenting the award, Shemar Moore opened the envelope and made a major declaration before saying Lucci’s name. She did not immediately realize she had won; Lucci later recalled thinking Moore was announcing a playoff score because they were at Madison Square Garden. Rosie O’Donnell grabbed Lucci’s evening bag as the room erupted, and Lucci finally understood. She burst into tears before reaching the stage, as did many in the audience and at home. After nearly two decades, television’s most famous losing streak had reached its joyful ending.
#3: Viola Davis Wins
“67th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2015)
Viola Davis made history when she became the first Black actress to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. And her acceptance speech made this already-historical moment even more special. Davis begins by quoting words from Harriet Tubman that resonate now as much as they did more than a century ago. She speaks of the need for opportunity for actors of color and moves the crowd - and us - in the process. Davis also tributed other Black actresses starring on television series at the time. This speech - and her victory - truly shows why representation matters.
#2: Oprah Winfrey’s Lifetime Achievement Award
“25th Daytime Emmy Awards” (1998)
If you don’t watch the Daytime Emmy Awards, you’re missing out on seeing some very moving speeches. That includes this one, from the Queen of Daytime herself, Oprah Winfrey. Receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, Winfrey earned a standing ovation and was wiping away tears before her speech even started. Speaking over cheers from the audience, Winfrey tributed Barbara Walters, partner Stedman Graham, and others. She also spoke about growing up in Mississippi and dreaming of a better future and how blessed she is. Oprah Winfrey’s influence is immeasurable. And this speech shows why she continues to inspire us.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Camryn Manheim Wins, “50th Primetime Emmy Awards” (1998)
A Great Moment for Body Positivity From This “Practice” Star
Patricia Arquette Honors Her Late Sister, “71st Primetime Emmy Awards” (2019)
Arquette Advocated for Dignity, Opportunity & Protection for Transgender People
Tramell Tillman Thanks His Mother, “77th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2025)
After Making History for “Severance,” Tillman Gave the Sweetest Shout Out to His Mom
#1: Fred Rogers' Lifetime Achievement Award
“24th Daytime Emmy Awards” (1997)
The most touching speech in Emmy history wasn’t delivered by an actor or late-night talk show host but by a children’s television show host. Fred Rogers, known to countless viewers young and old as “Mister Rogers,” was honored at the 1997 Daytime Emmy Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award. But in true Rogers fashion, he didn’t make it about himself. He spoke fondly of the people who had brought him to that special moment. He then made a special request of the audience, asking that they take a moment to think of someone who inspired them. To say the crowd is moved is an understatement. We will always remember Fred Rogers as our favorite neighbor.
