Ariana Madix is still trying to process the news that she just received her first Emmy nomination.
After hosting the peacock Love Island in the USA For three seasons, Maddix learned Wednesday morning that she had been nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Show. However, since she is currently in Fiji filming season 8, she learned about the nomination later than everyone else in America due to the time difference.
“I was sound asleep. It was 4:30 a.m. here. My room phone, not my cell phone, started ringing, and as an anxious person, that’s terrifying,” she says. Hollywood Reporter Based on a call from Fiji on Wednesday afternoon. “So I ran to answer the phone, and I was worried that something bad was going to happen. My team was calling to tell me about it and congratulate me, and we were all so excited on the phone.”
But Maddix admits she was still half-asleep during that first call, so she “almost fell back asleep wondering if it had really happened.”
Fortunately for her, she wasn’t dreaming at all. Now that she’s had a few hours to process everything, Maddix says she’s “overjoyed” about the nomination.
In the stack reality host class, Vanderpump Rules The alum was nominated alongside RuPaul Charles for RuPaul’s Drag RaceAlan Cumming TraitorsChristine Kish L Top Chef And Jeff Probst’s Survivor.
Madix says THR That it was a “crazy, amazing, really wonderful feeling” to see her name and photo next to the people she calls her TV heroes.
“I know there’s kind of this joke that people make that it’s just an honor to be nominated, but it’s absolutely true,” she says. “It is an honor to be nominated, especially to be nominated in a category where these people are the absolute best at what they do.”
Since joining Love Island in the USA As host of season six in 2023, Madix played a huge role in helping the series become not only one of Peacock’s top original series but also one of the most popular reality shows in the United States.
She had previously spoken openly about her love for the franchise long before she was hired as host, which is why she earned her first Emmy nomination for hosting. Love Island in the USAMaddix says it feels “very special.”
“I think part of the reason people want to see me nominated in this category is so they can see my love for the job and my love for the show translate to the screen. At least I hope so,” she explains.
As for how Madix plans to celebrate this special moment in her career, she said THR She will have some sunset drinks with her team at a “beautiful beach bar” in Fiji.
“The hotel that has this beach bar, there are some amazing, beautiful people who work there. I promised them the last time I was there that we would do Zara Larsson’s ‘Lush Life’ dance together. And I think I’ll make it happen tonight,” she says with a laugh.
The 78th Emmy Awards will air live on September 14 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on NBC and stream on Peacock. The Creative Arts Emmys will be held on September 5-6. See all of the 2026 Emmy nominations here.
