Keri Russell Hilariously Humbled Matthew Rhys After His 2 Emmy Wins

How Matthew Rhys Really Feels About Keri Russell’s Infamous Felicity Haircut

The Emmys have become a running joke in Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell's household.

Thank goodness.

"These events are kind of incredible and incredulous, and kind of bizarre, and everything in between," Rhys exclusively told E! News backstage after making history with his second win of the night at the 2026 Emmys on Sept. 14. "I think a healthy sense of humor always helps."

With his dual lead actor wins for the Netflix limited series The Beast in Me—"I didn't really prepare anything, which is why I vomited that speech"—and Apple TV+ comedy Widow's Bay, Rhys became the first person to ever win two lead acting Emmys in one night. And with a 2018 lead acting in a drama win for The Americans already under his belt, Rhys is also the first male actor to have won in all three categories. (See all the winners from the Emmys 2026.)

But he and Russell, a nominee for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the third straight year, prefer not to get too swept up in the pomp and circumstance.

So, earlier in the evening, Rhys shared, "She goes, 'If you win both, I'm not coming home with you.' OK, fair enough."

Asked if that meant he was free for the evening, he added, "I don't know if I'm free. Lonely, maybe."

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Presuming he's still going home with his longtime partner, the couple having fallen in love on the set of The Americans 13 years ago, Rhys can now turn his attention to showing off his statues at home.

The dad to 10-year-old son Sam with Russell and stepfather to her son River, 19, and daughter Willa, 13, explained, "Every time we play games and I do silly imaginary voices and they tell me to shut up, cause I'm so bad doing them, I say, 'How bad am I doing now, kids?!'"

But when he took the stage for what he characterized as his more expected win of the night, for critical darling Widow's Bay, a 19-time nominee heading into the evening, Rhys couldn't help getting a little choked up.

But first, some quips.

"My apologies to the women who had to stand again," Rhys said upon reaching the stage. "Stephen Root was right, this is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of Katie Dippold, and her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain."

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Root had just won his first-ever Emmy, for his supporting role in Widow's Bay, moments beforehand.

Rhys continued, "It is also because of my hero, [series director] Hiro Murai, who helmed this so beautifully, as did all of them."

The 51-year-old also shouted out the "wondrous cast" of Widow's Bay and "crew of all crews."

Rhys then thanked his agent of 33 years Dallas Smith for taking "a big swing on me."

"And for that reason, Dal, you have my life long indebted gratitude and thanks," Rhys noted. "Not least, my dear old friend—he's not that old, he's very dear—[talent manager] Duncan Millership—whose hard work and tenacity I see and appreciate every day. I far more I appreciate our lifelong friendship."

Rhys continued to thank his team—"Barry Buren, you know what you did, all of you at CAA"—and then he got a little choked up as talk turned to his family.

"Obviously my parents, they just kicked me onto a stage from a very early age," Rhys shared. "My sister, who is here tonight, turns out she was the brains of the outfit all along. Thank you for all the sage words and patience."

And then he got to his beloved home country.

"Finally, to the great and good people of Wales, who were as much a nurture as anyone else," Rhys concluded, "we are a small but mighty nation. This is incredible."

Russell wasn't thanked out loud, but she knows by now just how darn much Rhys appreciates her. And how darn annoyed he gets on her behalf when she doesn't win.

See all the couples who made a date night out of the 2026 Emmys:

—Reporting by Nikki Novak

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