Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has made television history by becoming the first performer to win two lead acting prizes in a single evening at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
The 51-year-old Cardiff-born star secured the record-breaking double victory at the 78th annual ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, 14 September 2026. Rhys took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in the Apple TV+ horror-comedy Widow’s Bay, alongside the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for the Netflix thriller The Beast in Me.
The achievement marks a significant milestone in the ceremony’s 78-year history, as no other actor has previously claimed two lead honours on the same night. The wins also mean Rhys is the first person to have won a Lead Actor Emmy in all three major genre categories—Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series—having previously won in 2018 for his role in The Americans.
Speaking after the historic night, his older sister, Rachel Evans, said she was “so proud of him”. The pair grew up in Cardiff and attended Welsh-medium schools together before Rhys found international fame.
During his acceptance speech, Rhys paid tribute to his roots, describing Wales as a “small but mighty nation”. He also offered a personal thank you to his sister for her “sage words and patient, patient listening” throughout his career.
According to The Guardian, the ceremony saw several other notable wins, but it was Rhys’s unprecedented double-victory that dominated the evening’s headlines.
For viewers in the UK, both of Rhys’s award-winning performances are currently available to stream. The Beast in Me is hosted on Netflix, while Widow’s Bay is available via Apple TV+.
