Matthew Rhys Makes Emmys History With Two Lead Wins

Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter report Matthew Rhys became the first man to win two lead acting Emmys in one night, taking comedy and limited series.

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards unfolded at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, airing live on NBC and Peacock with Mariska Hargitay hosting. According to Deadline, Matthew Rhys won Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Apple TV's "Widow's Bay" and Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Netflix's "The Beast in Me," drawing a standing ovation as he collected both trophies on the same evening.

The scale of the achievement is what makes the night stand out. Deadline reports that Rhys became the first actor ever to win across all three lead categories — comedy, drama, and limited series/movie — and the first man to win two lead acting awards in the same year. The Hollywood Reporter flagged the same feat, noting Rhys won twice in a night and calling it a record. These were the second and third Emmy wins of his career, meaning a single ceremony more than doubled his trophy haul.

Rhys was not the only beneficiary of "Widow's Bay's" breakout season. Deadline reports the Apple TV freshman comedy had 19 total nominations, won five awards on Monday night plus eight at the Creative Arts ceremonies, and was one of only two shows with multiple Emmys on the telecast so far, alongside "Pluribus." Other "Widow's Bay" winners included Kate O'Flynn and Stephen Root for supporting comedy acting, Hiro Murai for comedy directing, and Katie Dippold for comedy writing, per Deadline's running list.

The winners' roster is corroborated by multiple outlets tracking the ceremony live. Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Times, Page Six and NBC Los Angeles all list Rhys as the winner in both lead actor categories, with the Los Angeles Times and Page Six noting he beat fields including Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Martin Short in comedy, and Riz Ahmed, Jason Bateman, Charlie Hunnam and Oscar Isaac in limited series. The Guardian's live blog likewise framed the night as one where Noah Wyle, Matthew Rhys and Jean Smart won as "Widow's Bay" cleaned up.

Rhys shared the history-making spotlight with other landmark wins. Deadline reports Jean Smart won her eighth career Emmy for the final season of "Hacks," tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most Emmys ever by a performer, while Noah Wyle repeated as Lead Actor in a Drama Series for "The Pitt." Rhea Seehorn won her first Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama for "Pluribus," and Michael J. Fox received the Television Academy's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to an extended standing ovation.

The platform scoreboard underlines how the night consolidates streaming power. Deadline reports Apple TV led among platforms with eight wins on the night, ahead of HBO Max with four and Netflix with three, after also leading the Creative Arts ceremonies with 19 statuettes. With drama and comedy series prizes among the 19 categories still being handed out at the Peacock Theater, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter are both updating their lists live, and the full Creative Arts results will air as an edited broadcast on FXX on September 12.