Harrison Ford nears Emmy milestone

"Hacks" star Jean Smart could become the first performer to win the Emmy for best comedy actress in every season of a TV show's run while Harrison ‌Ford could claim his first Emmy at age 84 for "Shrinking" at Monday's Primetime Emmy Awards.

The Emmys offer a rare night of celebration as Hollywood grapples with production cutbacks, anxiety over artificial intelligence and the proposed Paramount Skydance purchase of HBO owner Warner Bros Discovery , a deal that has divided the industry and faces challenges in court.

HBO Max's "The Pitt," set in a Pittsburgh trauma center, is favored to win best drama for a second straight year, while star Noah Wyle, a veteran of 1990s medical ⁠drama "ER," is a leading contender for a second straight best actor Emmy.

Mariska Hargitay, star of NBC's drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," will host the ceremony, breaking with a tradition of having a comedian serve as emcee. The red-carpet event will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET (0000 GMT on Tuesday) from downtown Los Angeles on NBC and stream on Peacock .

Michael J. Fox will be recognized with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy for people with Parkinson's disease.

Outside of "The Pitt," several races that once looked predictable now are hard to call, say Hollywood experts. Best comedy is a "nail-biter," said Debra Birnbaum, editor-in-chief of awards website Gold Derby.

"Hacks," about a septuagenarian stand-up comic fighting to stay relevant, looked like the clear frontrunner two months ago. It earned best comedy once in its previous four seasons.