NAIROBI, Kenya — Welsh actor Matthew Rhys made Emmy history on Monday night after becoming the first performer to win two lead acting awards in a single ceremony.
Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me before later collecting the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series award for Widow’s Bay.
The achievement marked the first time an actor has won two lead performance Emmy awards in the same night.
Rhys dedicates win to Wales
Accepting his second award, Rhys dedicated the honour to Wales and the people who supported him throughout his career.
He described Wales as a “small but mighty nation” and thanked his compatriots, ending his speech with “Diolch yn fawr iawn” — Welsh for “thank you very much”.
Backstage, Rhys said he was proud to have an opportunity to put Wales on the global map.
“I’m from a small country, and I’m glad we get moments to kind of put our flag on the map and say, ‘we punch higher than our weight sometimes’,” he said.
Double win breaks Emmy record
Rhys joined a select group of performers who have won two acting Emmys during the same ceremony.
However, his achievement is unique because both of his awards were in lead acting categories. Previously, performers had won two acting awards on the same night, but none had won two lead acting prizes in one ceremony.
Rhys had already won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for The Americans in 2018.
His latest victories mean he has now won lead acting awards in three different categories during his Emmy career.
From mystery thriller to cursed comedy
In The Beast in Me, Rhys plays a mysterious neighbour whose presence becomes entangled with the life of a grieving author played by Claire Danes.
The actor described his victory in the limited-series category as a “real shock” and thanked Danes for allowing him to become part of the show’s central mystery.
He later switched genres for Widow’s Bay, where he plays the mayor of a fictional island dealing with a centuries-old curse.
The Apple TV comedy dominated its category, also winning Outstanding Comedy Series alongside acting, writing and directing prizes.
Kate O’Flynn also wins for Widow’s Bay
Rhys’ Widow’s Bay co-star Kate O’Flynn won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Patricia.
The British actress, who comes from Bury in Greater Manchester, described the role as the part of a lifetime.
“Thank you for trusting this Lancashire lass to play a sassy broad like Patricia,” O’Flynn said.
Stephen Root also won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the show.
Jean Smart makes Emmy history
Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the fifth and final season of Hacks.
It was her fifth win in the category for the show, meaning she won the award every season in which she was eligible.
The victory took her total acting Emmy wins to eight, matching Allison Janney’s career tally and putting both among the performers with the most acting Emmy victories, alongside Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
The Pitt takes top drama prize
The Pitt won Outstanding Drama Series, the night’s top drama honour, while its star Noah Wyle won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the second consecutive year.
Rhea Seehorn won her first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Pluribus.
Allison Janney also claimed Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Diplomat.
Michael J Fox honoured
The ceremony also featured an emotional moment for Michael J Fox, who received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy and fundraising efforts related to Parkinson’s disease.
Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 29, told the audience that accepting his condition did not mean surrendering to it.
Instead, he said, it meant doing what he could to advocate for patients, raise funds and help advance the search for a cure.
Stephen Colbert takes final Emmy
Stephen Colbert won Outstanding Variety Series for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which ended its run in May.
The award came as Colbert marked the conclusion of his long-running late-night programme.
Elsewhere, Alan Cumming won Outstanding Reality Competition Programme for The Traitors, while the ceremony also paid tribute to late stars including Dolly Parton and Catherine O’Hara.
For Rhys, however, the night belonged to a record-breaking double that put his name into Emmy history.
