Steve Carell finally has an Emmy of his own after more than two decades of iconic television work. At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, September 14, Carell won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Greg Russo in HBO's Rooster, beating out a competitive field that included Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Matthew Rhys for Widow's Bay, Jason Segel for Shrinking and Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building. The win corrects one of television comedy's most notable long-running omissions, Carell earned six Emmy nominations for playing Michael Scott on The Office but never won for the role, ultimately racking up 12 career nominations before this victory.
Earlier in the night, Carell had a lighthearted moment during E!'s red carpet coverage when he was informed that the internet had crowned him a "zaddy." Reacting to the title on Live From E!: 2026 Emmys, Carell quipped, "I really buy into the whole thing." Rooster, created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, premiered on HBO in March 2026 and was renewed for a second season the following month.
The comedy-drama is set at the fictional Ludlow College in New England and centers on Carell's character, a well-traveled but semi-dysfunctional author navigating a complicated relationship with his daughter, Katie, played by Charly Clive.