Sally Field Proves She's in a Category of Her Own With Emmys Speech

Zendaya, Connor Storrie and More Emmys 2026 Nominations Snubs and SurprisesSally Field is having a remarkably bright night at the 2026 Emmys. The Remarkably Bright Creatures star won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Sept. 14 ceremony in Los Angeles' Peacock Theater. Field beat out Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette's Sarah Pidgeon, The Beast in Me's Claire Danes, Beef's Carey Mulligan and All Her Fault's Sarah Snook for the award. (Click here to see all the winners.) While accepting her prize, the 79-year-old—who became the oldest performer to win in the category—quipped, "This was not supposed to happen." "I have been so grateful and so proud to be a part of this community—the arts—for 62 years," Field continued. "We're the arts. We matter. Our voices matter. Our diversity, our unique storytelling matters. We can't let those voices be silenced, or compromised, or merged."This is Field's fourth Emmy win. The actress won in the same category in 1977 for her performance in Sybil, as well as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2001 for ER and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Brothers & Sisters. During her acceptance speech, Field also had a hilarious recovery after stumbling over the name of author Shelby Van Pelt, whose book Remarkably Bright Creatures served as the inspiration behind the movie. "I love this project from page one of this lovely novel by Shelby Van Pelt, whatever her name is," she quipped. "She knows what it is. This story of an old woman, a young man and an octopus doesn't come around a lot." And for Field, she "read about three chapters" of the book before immediately jumping on board the project, which also stars Lewis Pullman.LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty Images"Because I'm old, it's very hard to find a role that's interesting for an older woman," she told People in May. "I never take to the kinds of stories about women and older women that are trying to find a man." Especially since the two-time Oscar winner didn't like those types of stories when she was younger as well. "It doesn't appeal to me,' she explained, "because I think women are about so much more." In fact, Field found Remarkably Bright Creatures to be quite "life-affirming." "It's an homage to life, to creatures, and the connection that human beings have to creatures," she told People back in February. "Even when we were shooting, we were constantly noodling and fixing and letting it breathe and have its own existence outside of the book. It was a long journey." To see Field and more stars on the Emmys 2026 red carpet, read on.Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesTiffany HaddishAFF-USA/ShutterstockMichael J. Fox, Traci Pollan & Kids Sam Fox, Esme Fox, Aquinnah Fox & Schuyler FoxJesse Grant/NBC via Getty ImagesAwkwafinaRandy Shropshire/NBCMark Ronsonin Celine.Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesTyler James Williamsin Canali and Christian Louboutin shoes.Randy Shropshire/NBCChristopher Chungin Dunhill.Randy Shropshire/NBCMarta PozzanVivienne Westwood, Paris Texas shoes and Neil Lane jewelry.Randy Shropshire/NBCYahya Abdul-Mateen IIin Dior and Tiffany & Co. jewelry.Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesTed McGinley & Gigi Ricein custom Jack Victor (McGinley).Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty ImagesRosalind Eleazarin Miss Sohee.Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesMarisol Ribeiro & Marcello Hernandezin Prada (Hernandez).Jesse Grant/NBCIsabel Gravittin Alex Perry, Gianvito Rossi shoes and Sophia D jewels.LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty ImagesSally Fieldin Akris.LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty ImagesGrace Gummerin Dior.Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty ImagesJohn Oliver & Kate NorleyJesse Grant/NBC via Getty ImagesTaylor DeardenJesse Grant/NBC via Getty ImagesJack LowdenJesse Grant/NBC via Getty ImagesDavid Harbourin Giorgio Armani.Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty ImagesMo Welch & Brett GoldsteinKevin Mazur/Getty ImagesJohn Mulaney & Olivia Munnin Brunello Cucinelli (Mulaney) and FFORME (Munn). Randy Shropshire/NBCAmy PoehlerRandy Shropshire/NBCEmilia Clarkein Prada. Jesse Grant/NBCShawn Hatosycustom Louis Vuitton and Omega watch.Randy Shropshire/NBCClaire Danes & Hugh Dancyin custom Giorgio Armani Privé and Martin Katz jewelry (Danes). Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesJessica Williamsin Honor, Tyler Ellis bag, and Jessica McCormack jewelry.Randy Shropshire/NBCSterling K. Brownin Brunello Cucinelli. Monica Schipper/Getty ImagesDan Levyin Celine.Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesAmanda Peetin Givenchy. Randy Shropshire/NBCJanelle Jamesin vintage Roberto Cavalli.Jesse Grant/NBCJaclyn Smith & Cheryl LaddDon't miss the Emmy Awards 2026 live telecast tonight, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and streaming on Peacock. E!'s red carpet kicks off at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.