Allison Janney wins Emmy for The Diplomat and ties record
Allison Janney won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 78th Emmy Awards for playing President Grace Penn in Netflix's The Diplomat. Deadline reported the win from backstage. With the win, she tied the record for most Emmys ever won by a performer.
Janney joined The Diplomat in Season 2 as Vice President Grace Penn. Deadline first reported the casting in August 2024. The Television Academy now lists her 2026 nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, meaning a female actor in a supporting role in a drama, for playing President Grace Penn. The Academy credits the show with 10 Emmy nominations in total. Television Academy
The ceremony, the 78th edition of the awards, aired live on NBC. Decider Going into the night, Academy records updated on 8 July 2026 put Janney at 16 Emmy nominations and 7 wins. Television Academy The win is confirmed in the Academy's winners list for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
That long history includes her earlier role as C.J. Cregg on The West Wing. In The Diplomat, her key screen relationship in Season 2 is with Keri Russell's character. Russell and Janney spoke to Deadline in December 2024 about navigating their characters' relationship across the season. Deadline
She was far from the favourite. Janney said backstage she felt relaxed coming to the Emmys because she was 100% sure she was not going to win. She had seen a website that gave her a 2% chance of winning. She said she expected one of her fellow nominees from The Pitt to win instead.
She spoke about filming the swearing-in scene that made Grace Penn president. She called the shoot very emotional because it came right after the results of the election. She added backstage that it would be great to have a female president sooner than later.
She also looked back at her own path. She said her career did not start until she was 38. She arrived relaxed. She left with a record-tying win.
What makes this stand out is the wait behind it. A career that started at 38 has reached 16 nominations and a share of the all-time wins record. For viewers, the Season 2 entrance as vice-president is now an Emmy-winning turn as president.
