Dek: The Welsh actor won two lead acting Emmys on Monday, for “Widow’s Bay” and “The Beast in Me,” and landed a spot in the record books no performer had reached before.
Matthew Rhys won two lead acting awards at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, becoming the first performer to win in all three lead acting categories.
He took lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie for Netflix’s “The Beast in Me.” Later in the night, he returned to the stage to win lead actor in a comedy series for Apple TV’s horror comedy “Widow’s Bay.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: Matthew Rhys, winner of the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Award for “Widow’s Bay” and the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Award for “The Beast in Me” poses in the press room during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Rhys had already won lead actor in a drama series in 2018 for FX’s “The Americans.” Monday’s wins completed a set no one had finished before. He is also the first man to win two lead acting Emmys in the same year, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.
The ceremony, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, aired live Sept. 14 on NBC and Peacock from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Two wins, two different reactions
The first trophy caught Rhys off guard. Speaking backstage, he said he “genuinely didn’t think I would get it for Beast,” and said that explained his loose, unplanned acceptance speech.
In that speech, he praised co-star Claire Danes, who leads the Netflix series, and called her an “intimidating scene partner.”
The comedy award was less of a surprise. Deadline reported that Rhys went into the night as the clear favorite in that category. When his name was called, the audience gave him a second standing ovation.
“My apologies to the women who’ve had to stand again,” Rhys said as he opened his second speech.
He credited “Widow’s Bay” creator Katie Dippold, repeating supporting actor winner Stephen Root’s line about her “depraved and twisted mind,” CNN reported. Cameras cut to Rhys’ longtime partner, Keri Russell, cheering from the audience.
Russell was a nominee herself this year, for lead actress in a drama series for Netflix’s “The Diplomat.” Rhea Seehorn won that category for “Pluribus.”
(Related: See every winner in our 2026 Emmy winners list.)
The two roles behind the record
“The Beast in Me” (Netflix). In the limited series, Rhys plays a wealthy real estate mogul who becomes the new neighbor of a best-selling author, played by Danes. She is searching for inspiration for her next book, and he is rumored to have been involved in his wife’s death. The series premiered in November 2025. It had already earned Rhys and Danes nominations at the 2026 Golden Globes and Actor Awards before the Emmys, and it was nominated for outstanding limited series, a category won by “DTF St. Louis.”
“Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV). Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the mayor of an island town whose residents believe the place is cursed. Loftis wants to turn it into a tourist destination, and the old stories start coming true once visitors arrive. The show premiered April 29, 2026, and earned 19 Emmy nominations for its first season.
It became the biggest comedy winner in Emmy history. Across the Creative Arts ceremonies and Monday’s telecast, “Widow’s Bay” won 14 Emmys, the most for a comedy series in a single year, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Its Monday wins included outstanding comedy series, supporting actress for Kate O’Flynn, supporting actor for Root, writing for Dippold and directing for Hiro Murai.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Stephen Root, Dale Dickey, Jeff Hiller, Neil Casey, Kate O’Flynn, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, Matthew Rhys, Katie Dippold, Hiro Murai, and crew, winners of the Outstanding Comedy Series Award for “Widow’s Bay” pose in the press room during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
Rhys, an executive producer on the show, also shared in the comedy series win.
The role was harder than it looked. Rhys told reporters the season finale was demanding enough that “this is the hardest I’ve worked for a very long time.”
(Related: What is “Widow’s Bay”? [Cast, plot and where to watch].)
Matthew Rhys’ Emmy wins at a glance
| Year | Category | Show | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Lead actor, drama series | “The Americans” (FX) | Won |
| 2026 | Lead actor, limited or anthology series or movie | “The Beast in Me” (Netflix) | Won |
| 2026 | Lead actor, comedy series | “Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV) | Won |
| 2026 | Outstanding comedy series (executive producer) | “Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV) | Won (shared) |
That gives Rhys three performing Emmys, all in lead categories. Full nomination history is available on the [Television Academy’s awards database].
Who is Matthew Rhys?
Rhys was born Matthew Rhys Evans on Nov. 8, 1974, in Cardiff, Wales. He is 51. He attended Welsh-language schools in Cardiff and later trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
American audiences first knew him as Kevin Walker on ABC’s family drama “Brothers & Sisters,” which began in 2006. His film work includes playing poet Dylan Thomas in “The Edge of Love” (2008), whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg in “The Post” (2017) and a journalist opposite Tom Hanks in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (2019).
His defining TV role came in 2013, when he began playing Philip Jennings, a Soviet spy living undercover in suburban America, on “The Americans.” That role won him his first Emmy in 2018. He has said his first Emmy speech was “the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
He followed it with the title role in HBO’s “Perry Mason” in 2020, which earned him another Golden Globe nomination. He also voices Emperor Belos in the animated series “The Owl House.”
(Related: [Matthew Rhys movies and TV shows, ranked].)
Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell
Rhys and Russell played married spies Philip and Elizabeth Jennings on “The Americans.” They have been partners since the mid-2010s and have one child together. Both were nominated for lead acting Emmys this year, and Monday’s broadcast repeatedly showed Russell celebrating his wins.
(Related: [Keri Russell biography].)
What’s next
Apple TV renewed “Widow’s Bay” for a second season in June, so Rhys will return as Mayor Loftis. With lead Emmys now in comedy, drama and limited series, he has won in every lead category the Television Academy awards.
FAQs
How many Emmys has Matthew Rhys won?
Matthew Rhys has won three performing Emmys: lead drama actor in 2018 for “The Americans,” plus lead limited series actor for “The Beast in Me” and lead comedy actor for “Widow’s Bay” in 2026. He also shared the 2026 outstanding comedy series award as an executive producer of “Widow’s Bay.”
What record did Matthew Rhys set at the 2026 Emmys?
Matthew Rhys became the first performer to win Emmys in all three lead acting categories: comedy, drama and limited series or movie. He is also the first man to win two lead acting Emmys in one year.
What did Matthew Rhys win at the 2026 Emmys?
Two lead actor awards: limited or anthology series or movie for Netflix’s “The Beast in Me,” and comedy series for Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay.”
Who stars with Matthew Rhys in “The Beast in Me”?
Claire Danes. She plays a best-selling author, and Rhys plays her wealthy new neighbor.
Who is Matthew Rhys’ partner?
Keri Russell. The two co-starred on “The Americans” and have one child together.
How old is Matthew Rhys?
51. He was born Nov. 8, 1974, in Cardiff, Wales.
Is “Widow’s Bay” getting a season 2?
Yes. Apple TV renewed “Widow’s Bay” for a second season in June 2026.
