Matthew Rhys makes Emmy history with double win
Cardiff-born Matthew Rhys becomes first male actor to win two lead Emmy awards in one night, sparking pride across Wales.
Matthew Rhys became the first actor to win two best lead actor prizes in a single night at the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, sparking a wave of well‑wishes across Wales.
The Cardiff‑born star was named best actor in a comedy series for Widow’s Bay and best actor in a limited or anthology series or movie for The Beast In Me at the Los Angeles ceremony. Mr Rhys, who previously won best actor in a drama for The Americans in 2018, is now the first male performer to win in all three lead acting categories.
In a statement on social media following the ceremony, Mr Rhys said: “A very surreal night but a very real hangover.” His sister, speaking to BBC Wales, expressed her pride, describing the experience as “an experience I will never ever forget or probably match” and recalled the emotional moment when Mr Rhys thanked her during one of his acceptance speeches, calling her “the brains of the outfit”. The First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth, described the wins as “historic” and offered his congratulations.
The Welsh Government quoted part of Mr Rhys’s on‑stage speech in a tweet, writing: “We’re a small but mighty nation.” The tweet also noted that “Llongyfarchiadau” means congratulations in Welsh.
During his acceptance speech, Mr Rhys dedicated one of his awards to “the great and good people of Wales, who were as much a nurture as anyone else”. He closed with the Welsh phrase “Diolch yn fawr iawn” – meaning “thank you very much”.
Rhys has deep family roots in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, where his mother was born, and he spent his childhood holidays in the seaside town. A community‑owned pub in Felinfach, Aeron Valley, where he is a stakeholder, also celebrated his success.
Tarfan y Vale shared a photo of the actor kissing his trophies, writing: “Congratulations to Matthew Rhys, a shareholder at Tafarn y Vale on his amazing success at the Emmys last night! (Fingers crossed) that we’ll have a photo like this of the Darts team captain at the end of the season.”
The dual Emmy triumph not only marks a personal milestone for Rhys but also underscores the pride of Welsh communities that have long supported his career, highlighting Wales’s cultural impact on the global television landscape.