Entertainment
Matthew Rhys makes Emmy history with double lead-actor wins
September 15, 2026 at 04:59 PM · Updated 31d ago
Coverage
4 reports · 1 in Arabic, 3 in English · over 10 hours
BNBBC News
'Luck and timing': Matthew Rhys on his historic Emmy Awards double win
(opens the publisher’s site)
BABBC Arabic
الممثل الويلزي ماثيو ريس يدخل تاريخ جوائز إيمي بفوز مزدوج - BBC News عربي
(opens the publisher’s site)
TGThe Guardian
Matthew Rhys’s alma mater pays tribute to ‘loyal pupil’ and Welsh language devotee
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
Matthew Rhys: Five things you may not know about Emmy history-maker
(opens the publisher’s site)Welsh actor Matthew Rhys became the first performer to win two best lead acting Emmys in one ceremony, for Widow's Bay and The Beast in Me.
- Rhys won best lead actor in a limited series for The Beast in Me and in a comedy for Widow's Bay, the first actor to win both categories in one night.
- Rhys dedicated his second award to "the great and good people of Wales," saying "We are a small but mighty nation" and thanking them in Welsh.
- The Pitt won best drama series, Noah Wyle took best drama actor for a second straight year, and Jean Smart won best comedy actress for Hacks.
- Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, saying he initially concealed his Parkinson's diagnosis for fear it would hurt his career.
- Rhys told the BBC the double win felt surreal and incredible, said he had not prepared a speech for the first award, and credited the historic outcome to luck and timing.