Matthew Rhys makes Emmy history with double win for Widow's Bay, The Beast in Me

Actor Matthew Rhys won lead acting Emmys for Widow's Bay and The Beast in Me at the 2026 ceremony. The double triumph made him the first male actor to take two lead categories in the same year.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" at 2026 Emmys. (Photo by Amy Sussman /Getty Images via AFP)Matthew Rhys made Emmys history on Monday, September 14, becoming the first male actor to win two lead acting categories in the same year at the 2026 Emmy Awards. The 51-year-old actor took home both Outstanding Lead Actor trophies he was nominated for, winning for Widow’s Bay and The Beast in Me.Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Mayor Tom Loftis in Widow’s Bay. He later won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for playing Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me. His second win came before the halfway point of the ceremony at the Peacock Theater.Rhys received a standing ovation after his second victory and thanked his Widow’s Bay co-stars and crew, before acknowledging his family and his native Wales.“Obviously my parents, they just kicked me onto a stage at a very early age,” he said. “My sister... thank you for all the sage words and patient listening. Finally, to the great and good people of Wales who were just as much a nurturer as anyone else, we are a small but mighty nation.” In the comedy category, Rhys was competing against Riz Ahmed for Bait, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story and Oscar Isaac for Beef. In the limited series category, he beat Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Steve Carell for Rooster, Jason Segel for Shrinking and Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building.With the two wins, Rhys is now a three-time Emmy winner and has received eight nominations over his career. His previous Emmy came in 2018, when he won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Philip Jennings in The Americans. Speaking about his nominations last month, Rhys told PEOPLE, “It’s everything you dream for. And then when it happens, you still can’t quite believe it.”The actor had also said he would not “necessarily” prepare an acceptance speech in advance, although he had a few talking points in mind. “I was very fortunate enough to win an Emmy before, and I missed out on some people I didn’t thank,” he said. “So if — the very big if — I win, I will hopefully remedy that.”The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, were held at the Peacock Theater and aired on NBC and Peacock from 8 pm ET on September 14.- EndsPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 08:39 IST