David Harbour finally wins his first Emmy after years of nominations

He credited Steve Conrad’s writing while praising cast and crew after his first Emmy victory for ‘DTF St. Louis’

David Harbour has finally secured his first Emmy, taking home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his performance in DTF St. Louis. The win came during Night 2 of the 78th Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 6, marking a major career milestone for the actor after previous nominations for his work on Stranger Things.

Harbour won for his portrayal of Floyd Smernitch, an American Sign Language interpreter at the centre of HBO Max’s dark comedy about a complicated relationship that spirals into tragedy. The seven episode limited series was created by Steve Conrad and stars Harbour alongside Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini.

The victory was particularly notable because Harbour had already become closely associated with the Emmys through his role as Jim Hopper in Stranger Things. He received supporting actor nominations for the Netflix series in both 2017 and 2018, but left those ceremonies without a trophy. His latest nomination was his first in the limited series acting category and ultimately delivered his first Emmy win.

During his acceptance speech, Harbour appeared visibly moved by the recognition and praised the response to DTF St. Louis. He described the series as a vulnerable and unusual project that he deeply loves before turning his attention to Steve Conrad, whose writing created the character of Floyd Smernitch.

Harbour also highlighted the strength of the ensemble, telling the audience that the recognition extended across the production. The limited series received 13 Emmy nominations this year, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, directing, writing and casting categories.

The actor's preparation for Floyd was also significant. Harbour previously told Variety that he spent around four months practising American Sign Language every day before filming. He worked with instructors in New York and Atlanta and described the experience as something that changed the way he processed language.

His latest Emmy campaign also carried a different emotional weight from his earlier awards experiences. In comments to Variety, Harbour explained that his Stranger Things nominations felt primarily connected to his own performance, while DTF St. Louis made him feel deeply invested in the entire production. He described the series as his baby and expressed pride in seeing colleagues recognised alongside him.

Harbour was competing against a strong group of nominees, including Jason Bateman, Richard Gadd, Richard Jenkins, Charles Melton and Nick Offerman. His victory therefore gave DTF St. Louis another significant moment during the Creative Arts Emmys.

The series has already established itself as one of the leading limited series contenders of the 2026 television awards season. Its 13 nominations placed it among the year's most recognised programmes, while Harbour's win adds a personal milestone to the show's awards run.