# Ernest Harden Jr. Wins First Emmy For ‘The Pitt’, Dedicates Award To Bette Davis: “I Am On Cloud 25”

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-09-07 05:07 UTC · Category: Entertainment

## Executive Summary
Ernest Harden Jr. has won his first Emmy Award for his role in 'The Pitt,' dedicating the achievement to legendary actress Bette Davis.

## Intelligence Brief
Actor Ernest Harden Jr. has secured his first Emmy Award for his performance as an ER patient named Louie in the production 'The Pitt'. This victory occurred during the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys, where the 73-year-old actor was recognized for his role. During his acceptance speech, Harden Jr. expressed his excitement by stating that he was "on cloud 25" and explicitly dedicated the award to Bette Davis, saying, "This one is for us." Coverage of the event is widespread across several major entertainment and news outlets. People.com focused on the specific character of Louie, while Deadline highlighted the emotional dedication to Bette Davis and the actor's personal reaction to the win. AP News provided a broader look at the success of the production, noting that 'The Pitt' secured a total of three early Emmys, with the acting trophy for Harden Jr. being one of those key achievements.


Yahoo noted that 'The Pitt' and 'Hacks' were among the primary competitors vying for awards ahead of the main telecast. The context of this win is situated within the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys, which serves as a precursor to the main Emmy telecast. The success of 'The Pitt' in these early categories suggests the show is a strong contender in the current awards cycle. By winning three early trophies, the series has established significant momentum. The recognition of a 73-year-old actor for a specialized role as a patient underscores the specific performance metrics being rewarded by the academy this year.


Looking forward, observers will monitor the upcoming main telecast to see if 'The Pitt' or 'Hacks' secure further accolades. Because coverage from Yahoo confirms that these shows are competing in categories leading up to the primary event, the industry is watching for additional wins. The trajectory of 'The Pitt' following its three early wins remains a point of interest for news outlets like AP News and Deadline as the awards season continues to unfold.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| People.com | Betty Gilpin Wins Best Guest Actress in a Comedy for Widow’s Bay Flashback Episode at 2026 Creative Arts Emmys | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxNdnF1NkxNUUVpa2UwUnBsMFpPWW9vWnl4ZlA2bm9aXzVnQk9ic1BZUmJrWnpnS05tWEljbnoxX1dIUk55RHE4YnNEd25XSml6S1VNRDl2Tm40YVk1eUI3UTVFTGwxMEFRTnNES2d4V2ZnaWFWN3RLOS1DWlVmRlRfYU9uRDNQNmdaVXFXSlA0a29BUQ?oc=5) |
| Deadline | Emmys Night 2 Craft Awards Predict Smooth Sailing For ‘Widow’s Bay’ Alongside Celebrating ‘The Pitt’ & ‘DTF St. Louis’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAFBVV95cUxQcW93VkpRVDZYYTZ0ZTlfNkdyMjVoSkdvVVVMVmtUblRMM2hCQ2xWYkpLd1pZMWJHYU54QmhxdXVBYTd0eU5GSVZsOEZKbmUxaGFzZ3E5Z0VVRE9GWkxOMGxtQ2pzLTJsTmF4S1l5ZWsyRnFCMGdYSnd6RHlqcWpXZA?oc=5) |
| NBC News | ‘Widow’s Bay’ dominates with 8 Emmys at early ceremony, ‘The Pitt’ takes 4 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxONTVoT3Vta25waVhHaG9oMlY5RU9Qa1laQU1FRTF5SGJaX3Y2bUZQZWwxWE5iOHZFa2M2NUdoN0pqS2hzNk13eWMzTUVZUUJOOVVYZFNiUFhrSUNhSGRzaXdJMFMtVjAzdV9aaHpYc3p3MnNvV25uQTV4QnU5WGJNbk9IYjV1Mkp3OU05UmZEZE4waUdOQkw0WGphM1I?oc=5) |
| The Intelligencer | Early Emmys ceremony could bring many trophies for ‘The Pitt,’ ‘Hacks’ and ‘Pluribus’ - | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1gFBVV95cUxPLXNpbklRVmVxQVRHMnFJOG1JR0kzUWExd0wzN3lQRjB1RVQyWlJiMjJLUDRfNTRTQXRXOVZjQVQ5N1I4WUhIVEVUZ1Mybm1nVk8zSVpXYlM3bnVoQU9IRmQwdnU0cm82elRxbGtYcWR3MjFzY04xMUNfWDRMRV9PZDRJcW9xV2hUcjJ2WnpRbFQ3QkUxWVBzSGxpdlJLa1JZYWhMeGZ2eU9XS08wQlROWnktMk1rQnpWM1U5aVFVSUxrUXRWZUZGdG81N3U3NmhDYjhWVjdn?oc=5) |
| Beloit Daily News | 'The Pitt' wins 3 early Emmys including an acting trophy for 73-year-old Ernest Harden Jr. | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigJBVV95cUxOM21veG45elFMVWl5cHc3cEpLcU9vNks1LURJV0NPUHVWU25HcW5BV1FjYU51RHl2RnBaVTE4YUt3VXhYcDNNb2o0UUUyQ2xtZWxQRm9Dek5NZzR6a0JWeVJqZjBKLUlTWTQ5RmdUQUFxUEMyXzVtX19rY28wRVVTWE1CTU5ocVljTGZLdlNLVy1SWFVoZjZqd0FXNE1mMVBmaWlyVWZZUlUwbXhJcW95NnZuRnE5QXQ5VmZYck1qei0xbE4wNDJrQ2lQbjVNYXV4cFJzemY0a0FabDFsUDU2QXpRU2ZZdjFyX2thMElfUzlxbE5yaXVNOWQxaEVVQm1YQUhwdkg2eE9SUQ?oc=5) |
| Television Academy | Widow’s Bay and DTF St. Louis Set the Pace on Night Two of 78th Emmy Awards | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijwFBVV95cUxNTnpJcVJZaDN3cHlLZzJ4MlYtM2hCVUxTQVhpLVZjR19HWElzVWM3MktFX3QxREtRbzBKbkhTODYzd2pLN0Uzdy1zaGc5ZklNY1Nxblp4eF9sQWRybjRqRG5oZFVScVhyazhSM3lyU29pcjF6UXpvYUZQVUVLSHZQQmZ6TTdTbU1jbVZMU0VXaw?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | ‘The Pitt,' ‘Hacks' and others compete for Emmys ahead of main telecast | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxPN2hJRHZjOXdrelNZc0FibldVb25ObVlfVzBxQTBLXzdjTDVpUkJUdkRCOUNwSE9GejNaQk9uYzJjd01wZzZpd25sQUNvVkJnaGJtX3dUM0tObmVXNHdsbWR1MFhqVHhGZkp2Qk9Bd1pYY1E4ejItYThKenhSRVAtWnRTdlpnNE54a0hIRzd2STRXUFNLbk4wbk5B?oc=5) |
| ew.com | ‘The Pitt’ star Ernest Harden Jr. dedicates Emmy to Bette Davis in speech: ‘This one is for us’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMingFBVV95cUxONGlEZEhvdE1mSWpNazg4TWxWV0owWFk2T1BoSUpPU0JRcTZ5MVZ5RzlmM044ejdjZlgyUVhIa1hLR29PRjdkZUpHZDNzWVNfanduc1FHaTV4ODAzeEZMTjFXYWFoRVJMeTlGNF9VM2NnTno0RHdocE9wRFM4M2VCZ044ZFRUU1RlQjZUOXpJMjRLOVBVUVRHMllRVkdTdw?oc=5) |
| people.com | ‘The Pitt’ Actor Ernest Harden Jr. Wins at 2026 Creative Arts Emmys for His Role as ER Patient Louie | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxQYUJWeXJWTTRyZGVlWkhQYUdocHlKQzdwNFlrT3FIVzRUTUhVSks3YnlXT3lxOEcxODdvRTZHNjZfSmhNcXBZLWViR2Q3czZvQ01yNFU0NnlBMWctVEU1NTh5S09IZld2Zk5GQk1GV2dyeGI3QThIV2o3T3BjSmxKT0tKOEc2YVc0XzN4UFotOHNLc28?oc=5) |
| AP News | ‘The Pitt’ wins 3 early Emmys including an acting trophy for 73-year-old Ernest Harden Jr. | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxOSV9md0toZTJUNGt6b21uT205OU9mN05mYnVWQjB1bDZjVkgwZnprcEkxRV9GYm11YXJicG5KOUlScS1SOS1YcS1zRzNVcXJ0d1RsVkRtVDRQc2RqSFJua0psbktkZVB3MWk3WXNYZHJHUVdpQTBUcnlsSmp5Znl6d0tnQV9mRXNIRC1KTGJBMTZtTURuWUYtZjQzOHp4aG5jUmZUdjNn?oc=5) |
| Deadline | Ernest Harden Jr. Wins First Emmy For ‘The Pitt’, Dedicates Award To Bette Davis: “I Am On Cloud 25” | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxNMnF4NnFZSFZIYjlHNmdxalpreWlLcVhxc3U3XzVmSGo0Vk1Rc1dHckZkQmI5Ui1SY1hxeE82a3RZNWhpRHUzam01VDc2QnRGTGptb2FVbkxEWWg5Vlk5RVFOclZHY3BtdDRGbF92Vl8zTG9Dbkd5UkdCVVhnbXFFVUFDbDNPTDZod1hCOG9GRGZwY2tBX0ptMVAzd0FaNlRD?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-09-07/ernest-harden-jr-wins-first-emmy-for-the-pitt-dedicates-award-to-bette-davis-i*