Mariska Hargitay paid tribute to the late Gloria Steinem as she picked up two Primetime Emmy Awards on Saturday (09.05.26) night.

The Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actress was "utterly overwhelmed" to accept the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program awards for My Mom Jayne, her HBO film about her late mother Jayne Mansfield, and she gave a nod to the feminist icon, who died earlier this week at the age of 92.

Speaking on stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles during night one of the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - which were previously known as the Creative Arts Emmys - Mariska said as she accepted her first award: "My hero and friend Gloria Steinem recently said, 'Please tell your own story.' The most important thing we can do for each other is to know each other through stories. I got to know my mother through telling the story. It's a gift that's indescribable."

And when she accepted the award for directing, she referenced Steinem's advice again as she said: "I just want that invitation to go out, especially to women. I'm so excited to explore and discover and innovate new ways of telling stories from half of the earth's population because we don't hear from you enough. I can't wait to get to know you...

"I'm utterly overwhelmed. I just wanted to share with you that it took me a while when I decided to make this film during the pandemic. It took me a while to realize that this was my story to tell. I could direct it."

In the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category, My Mom Jayne won ahead of John Candy: I Like Me; Marty, Life Is Short; Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!; and Ocean with David Attenborough, while for directing, Mariska was up against Lawrence Kasdan of Marty, Life Is Short; Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio for Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!; Alexandria Stapleton for Sean Combs: The Reckoning; and Rebecca Miller for Mr. Scorsese.

Meanwhile, Octavia Spencer won her first Emmy with a surprise victory in the Outstanding Narrator category for her work on the true-crime series Lost Women of Alaska.

The 56-year-old actress' win stopped Sir David Attenborough from becoming the oldest Emmy winner ever as the 100-year-old broadcaster was shortlisted twice in the category for both Netflix's A Gorilla Story: Told By David Attenborough and National Geographic's Ocean with David Attenborough. The category was rounded out by nominations for Breakdown: 1975 narrator Jodie Foster and Werner Herzog for Ghost Elephants.

Elsewhere, despite its controversial cancellation, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended Last Week Tonight with John Oliver's 10-year streak in the Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series category, which also had Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the shortlist.

Accepting the award, executive producer Tom Purcell said: "I'd like to thank all those who keep late-night going, [John] Oliver, [Jimmy] Kimmel, super important institution in this country, keep the flame burning, guys."

Online series Colbert Before Air won the Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama Or Variety Series award, and the CBS show also won for picture editing.

Night two of the Primetime Emmy Awards takes place on Sunday (09.06.26) ahead of the televised Primetime Emmy Awards - which will be hosted by Mariska - on September 14.

Primetime Emmy Awards Night One list of winners:

Outstanding Host for a Game Show:

Jimmy Kimmel, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Outstanding Game Show:

Jeopardy

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series:

The Traitors

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special:

The Muppet Show

Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Program (Original Dramatic Score):

John Candy: I Like Me

Outstanding Music Direction:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Emerging Media Program:

Uncanny Alley: A New Day

Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program:

Love on the Spectrum

Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media Programming:

Crafting Crimes

Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program:

Ocean with David Attenborough

Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program:

The Traitors

Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series:

Colbert Before Air

Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series:

Inside the Pitt

Outstanding Commercial:

I'm Not Remarkable - Apple

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program:

RuPaul's Drag Race

Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program:

Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming:

The Masked Singer and The Traitors

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special:

The Muppet Show

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program:

The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Reality Program:

Welcome to Wrexham

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program:

Billy Joel: And So It Goes

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program:

Ocean with David Attenborough

Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming:

The Muppet Show

Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment):

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program:

Sean Combs: The Reckoning

Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series:

Desi Lydic, The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains

Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program:

Love on the Spectrum

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program:

The Traitors

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special:

My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:

Mr. Scorsese

Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special:

Tucci in Italy

Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program:

Mariska Hargitay, My Mom Jayne

Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program:

Ben Archard, The Traitors

Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking:

The Librarians

Outstanding Narrator:

Octavia Spencer, Lost Women of Alaska

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program:

Alan Cumming, The Traitors

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program:

Love on the Spectrum

Outstanding Structured Reality Program:

Antiques Roadshow

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series:

Yvonne De Mare, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special:

Hamish Hamilton, The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded):

The Muppet Show

Outstanding Variety Special (Live):

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny