Matthew Rhys made history at the 2026 Emmy Awards on September 14, becoming the first person ever to win two lead acting Emmys in a single night. He took the prize for lead actor in a limited series for the Netflix drama The Beast in Me, and lead actor in a comedy series for the Apple TV+ show Widow's Bay.
Backstage, Rhys exclusively told E! News how he and his longtime partner, actress Keri Russell, who was also nominated that night, try not to take the awards circuit too seriously. "These events are kind of incredible and incredulous, and kind of bizarre, and everything in between," he said. "I think a healthy sense of humor always helps."
Of his win for The Beast in Me, Rhys admitted he had not prepared anything. "I didn't really prepare anything, which is why I vomited that speech," he said.
Keri Russell's warning
Russell was not about to let the sweep go to his head. "She goes, 'If you win both, I'm not coming home with you,'" Rhys told E!. "OK, fair enough." Asked if that meant he was a free man for the night, the self-deprecating actor said, "I don't know if I'm free. Lonely, maybe."
With the double win, plus his 2018 lead actor in a drama trophy for The Americans, Rhys became the first male actor to win in all three lead acting Emmy categories. Russell has been nominated three years running for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for The Diplomat, and has yet to win. Rhys said he is still rooting for her.
Thirteen years together
Rhys and Russell fell in love while filming the first season of The Americans, 13 years ago. They have a 10-year-old son together, Sam, and Rhys is stepfather to Russell's son River, 19, and daughter Willa, 14.
"Every time we play games and I do silly imaginary voices and they tell me to shut up, cause I'm so bad doing them, I say, 'How bad am I doing now, kids?!'" Rhys said.
An emotional speech for Widow's Bay
Rhys called his win for Widow's Bay, a 19-time nominee heading into the ceremony, his more expected victory of the night, but he still got choked up on stage.
He opened with a joke referencing best actress in a comedy winner Jean Smart, who had lamented that women in elaborate gowns kept having to stand up to accept awards. "My apologies to the women who had to stand again," Rhys said, before crediting the show's writing. "Stephen Root was right, this is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of Katie Dippold, and her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain."
He also thanked series director Hiro Murai, calling him his hero, and praised the show's "wondrous cast" and "crew of all crews."
Rhys went on to thank his agent of 33 years, Dallas Smith, for "taking a big swing on me," adding, "for that reason, Dal, you have my life long indebted gratitude and thanks." He also singled out his talent manager, Duncan Millership, and his team at CAA, including Barry Buren.
The 51-year-old actor grew emotional discussing his family, thanking his parents for pushing him onto a stage from an early age and his sister, who was in the audience, calling her "the brains of the outfit all along." He closed by thanking his native Wales. "We are a small but mighty nation," he said. "This is incredible."
Russell was not thanked by name from the stage, but as anyone who follows the couple knows, Rhys is known to get just as frustrated on her behalf whenever she comes up short at the podium.
By night's end, Rhys had added a fourth Emmy to his career tally as a producer, after Widow's Bay was also named outstanding comedy series.
Emmys date night
Rhys and Russell were among several couples who turned the 2026 Emmys red carpet into a date night, according to E! News.
- Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney
- Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey, four months after confirming Cuoco's pregnancy
- Jon Hamm and Anna Osceola, who debuted her baby bump
- Grant Snow and Katherine LaNasa, married 12 years
- Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart
- Kayla Radomski and Jason Segel
- Stephen Colbert and Evelyn McGee
- Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka, married 25 years
- John Mulaney and Olivia Munn
- Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin
- Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, joined by their children Andrew, Amaya and August
- Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, married nearly 30 years
