Melissa Rivers returns to Emmy Awards red carpet

Melissa Rivers has returned to red carpet hosting at the 2026 Emmy Awards, conducting interviews for the CNN and Variety pre-show. Seeking to move away from the sanitized and tense interview styles that led her and her mother, Joan Rivers, to leave the scene years ago, Rivers stated her intention to “bring back the shallow” by focusing on fun and fashion.

Providing fashion commentary, Rivers named Zendaya as the night’s best dressed, praising her crystal-embellished Prada design. While Rivers offered high praise for Zendaya, she provided mixed critiques for other attendees. She described Selena Gomez’s gold Louis Vuitton gown as showstopping but suggested her overall styling felt like “two separate looks.” Additionally, while she noted Florence Pugh looked amazing in Vivienne Westwood, she expressed that the actress’s hair “didn’t work” for her.