Widow’s Bay Star Officially Sets Awards History With Massive Second Win

Published Sep 14, 2026, 9:24 PM EDT

Matthew Rudoy is one of ScreenRant's Movie & TV News Editors. He covers the latest in movie & TV news, with a focus on major franchises like Star Wars, The Boys, and Game of Thrones, and also writes some features and reviews. He wrote lists for ScreenRant from 2017-2022, became a news writer in 2023, a senior staff writer in 2024, and an editor in 2025. 

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Matthew Rhys has just set a historic first for the Primetime Emmy Awards with his big Widow's Bay victory.

In Netflix's 2025 limited series The Beast in Me, Rhys played the wealthy and unsettling Nile Jarvis, who is widely believed to have killed his wife, and moves next door to author Aggie Wiggs (Claire Danes). Several months later, in 2026, he played the lead role of Mayor Tom Loftis in Apple TV's acclaimed horror-comedy series Widow's Bay, in which he tries to turn the eponymous town into a tourist destination despite the residents' claims of it being haunted.

After having already claimed the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me, Matthew Rhys has now won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Widow's Bay. This officially sets history for the ceremony as the Welsh performer is now the first-ever male actor to score both Lead Actor wins.

Developing...

• 

  Release Date

  April 28, 2026

  Network

  Apple TV

  Showrunner

  Katie Dippold

  Directors

  Sam Donovan, Andrew DeYoung, Hiro Murai, Ti West

  Writers

  Alberto Roldán, Neil Casey, Kelly Galuska, Colton Dunn, Dave Harris, Katie Dippold, Mackenzie Dohr

  Cast

  • 

    Matthew Rhys

    Mayor Tom Loftis

  • 

    Wyck

  A single father and pragmatic mayor of a New England island town contends with superstitious residents convinced that it is cursed.

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  Dates

  September 14, 2026

  Location

  The Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, CA

  Network

  NBC

  An annual celebration of television excellence gathers actors creators and industry leaders to honor standout series performances and creative achievements from the past year.