Mariska Hargitay to Host Emmys, First Woman in 15 Years

Q: As the first female Emmy host in 15 years, what surprises does Mariska Hargitay have planned with Colbert's writers?

Mariska Hargitay has not revealed any firm surprises yet. She says she is still in the early brainstorming stage with writers from *The Late Show With Stephen Colbert*, and that the opening and monologue ideas are still subject to change. What she has disclosed is that they have already generated several concepts for the opening, and one of her favorite possibilities is an *“SVU: The Musical”* bit. She has also discussed a joke built around a long-running *Law & Order: SVU* oddity: famous people asking to appear on the show as dead bodies. So, the short answer is that the “surprises” are not locked in or publicly detailed. The clearest hints are an opening built from multiple pitched ideas, a possible *SVU*-themed musical segment, and comedy material tied to celebrity cameos as corpses on *SVU*. That uncertainty fits Hargitay’s own description of the process. In interviews with *Variety* and *Deadline*, she said she and the Colbert team have been meeting frequently, pitching heavily, and shaping ideas as the show approaches. As the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years, she appears to be aiming for a fresh, television-loving tone rather than announcing a single headline stunt in advance.

Q: Will Jalen Brunson's confirmed guest appearance on SVU's 28th season feature him as a detective or a high-profile suspect?

No one has said yet whether Jalen Brunson will play a detective or a suspect. What is confirmed is that Brunson is expected to appear on *Law & Order: SVU* Season 28. Mariska Hargitay told *Variety* it is “definitely happening,” and she has also said on *TODAY* that “we’ve got some things in the works.” But neither Hargitay nor NBC has disclosed the character type or plot details. The available reporting suggests the role is still being framed more as a cameo or guest spot than a fully defined dramatic part. Brunson himself has only said he wants to “get on *SVU*,” and public discussion around it has been speculative, with outlets and fans floating possibilities such as playing himself, a cop, or a suspect. Hargitay’s joking comment about celebrities wanting to play dead bodies on *SVU* also underlines that no official casting description has been released. So, the best-supported answer is that Brunson’s appearance is confirmed, but whether he will be a detective, a high-profile suspect, or something else remains unknown.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 24

Mariska Hargitay said she nearly turned down hosting the Emmy Awards before accepting the role that will make her the first woman to emcee the ceremony in 15 years.
Friends who had hosted awards shows urged her not to do it, she told Variety, but her love of television and appetite for a new challenge changed her mind.
The 61-year-old actor said she is developing material with former Late Show With Stephen Colbert writers, including ideas drawn from Law & Order: SVU's long-running parade of celebrity corpse cameos.
The booking caps a crowded year for Hargitay, who made her Broadway debut, is returning for her 28th SVU season and could also win at the Emmys for her HBO documentary My Mom Jayne, nominated for 3 awards.