What the Emmys Red Carpet Looked Like 20 Years Ago: Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Mariska Hargitay & More (PHOTOS)

Arrested Development, The Sopranos, The West Wing, Sex and the City, Frasier — the 56th Emmy Awards boasted a murderer’s row of TV favorites among its nominees. As we approach the 2024 Emmys, we’re taking a look back to two decades ago when prestige TV resigned supreme — and its stars made a mark on the red carpet.

The 2004 ceremony honored the hot, new comedy series Arrested Development, which saw its win in the Outstanding Comedy Series category as well as its pilot success in the writing and directing categories. The Sopranos finally saw its claim to the crown prize of the awards show for Outstanding Drama Series, knocking down the four-time defending Aaron Sorkin series The West Wing, which was also the first cable show by HBO to beat out NBC, CBS, and ABC.

This same year, major strides were made for cable network shows and their accreditation in the entertainment industry, with first-time wins in categories such as Drama Supporting Actress (won by Drea de Matteo), Comedy Lead Actress (won by Sarah Jessica Parker), and Comedy Supporting Actress (won by Cynthia Nixon). Not to mention, it was a time when power couples like Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were making the awards ceremony must-see TV.

Scroll down to see some of the biggest names that walked the Emmys carpet just 20 years ago, from James Gandolfini to Simon Cowell and Mariska Hargitay.