‘Law & Order’ Star Mariska Hargitay Roasts Nicole Kidman’s Iconic AMC Ad, and Kidman Fires Back Live From the Audience

Opening monologues at award shows live or die by their ability to surprise a room full of people who’ve seen every kind of celebrity bit imaginable. Nailing that balance between genuine warmth and sharp comedy is no small feat, especially for a first-time host stepping into one of television’s biggest stages.

Mariska Hargitay took on exactly that challenge this year, becoming the first woman to host the Emmys since 2011. She kicked things off with a pre-recorded sketch featuring New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson before transitioning into a live monologue packed with celebrity cameos and musical numbers set to Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

That buildup eventually gave way to the moment everyone ended up talking about the next day. Hargitay decided to spoof Nicole Kidman’s beloved AMC Theatres ad in front of the very audience Kidman was sitting in, and the actress didn’t hold back her reaction.

Hargitay set up the parody by claiming she was ignoring the advice she’d received about not getting too sincere during her hosting duties. She then launched into a near-perfect recreation of Kidman’s famous lines, telling the crowd, “At the end of the day, we come to TV for magic, to laugh, to cry, to care because we need that, all of us — that indescribable feeling that we get when the lights begin to dim, dazzling images on the silver screen.”

That’s when Kidman, seated in the audience, jumped in to shut the bit down herself. “No, Mariska. C’mon! That’s mine. That’s my bit. You can’t do that,” Kidman said, according to TVInsider, adding for emphasis, “That is actually my line!”

Nicole Kidman calls out Mariska Hargitay for recreating her AMC ad at the #Emmys: “Mariska, no. That’s my bit… you can’t do that” “Zip it movie lady… It’s TV’s turn tonight” https://t.co/672Gea3486

— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 15, 2026

Hargitay wasn’t about to back down, firing back with one of the night’s most quoted lines: “Zip it, movie lady. It’s TV’s turn tonight.” The exchange landed exactly as intended, turning what could have been a simple parody into a genuinely funny back-and-forth between the two stars.

Kidman’s original AMC ad has become something of a permanent fixture in pop culture roasting since it first went viral, having already been parodied by ‘Saturday Night Live’ and referenced by Jimmy Kimmel during his own Oscars hosting stint back in 2023. That history made Hargitay’s version feel like part of an ongoing tradition rather than an isolated bit, playing into a joke Kidman herself has clearly grown comfortable leaning into over the years.

mariska hargitay at the 78th emmy awards. pic.twitter.com/HgIY3rfcgX

— 21 (@21metgala) September 14, 2026

Hargitay’s monologue didn’t stop there, also including jokes about her decades-long run on ‘Law & Order: SVU’ and a playful jab at series creator Dick Wolf’s name. The full opening sequence blended music, celebrity appearances from names like Jean Smart and Jennifer Coolidge, and sharp comedic writing that set the tone for the rest of the ceremony.

Nicole Kidman is Emmys-ready 🤍✨ The actress looked impossibly elegant in a sleek white Chanel gown with dramatic feather detailing as she prepared to celebrate with her Margo’s Got Money Troubles family.
Nicole, 59, is part of the show’s Emmy-nominated producing team, while… pic.twitter.com/KnL21fXceS

— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) September 14, 2026

For a host stepping into the role for the very first time, pulling off a bit that got Kidman herself to play along live on camera is about as strong a start as any Emmy monologue could hope for. It’s the kind of unscripted-feeling moment that tends to outlast the awards themselves in the cultural conversation.

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