Emmy Awards 2026: Widow's Bay & Matthew Rhys Make Emmy History
Rhys also wins for the Netflix thriller The Beast in Me
The 2026 Emmys are now in the books, and the ceremony produced more than a few winners. Throughout the evening, however, one series in particular took center stage: "Widow's Bay." With its awards, both the Apple production and its lead actor, Matthew Rhys, set Emmy records.
Widow's Bay Sweeps the Board in Record-Breaking Fashion
Let's look at the specific numbers: "Widow's Bay" was nominated in 19 categories—and won a whopping 14 (!) of them. No other series in the comedy category has ever achieved this feat before. Among other honors, "Widow's Bay" received the prestigious award for Outstanding Comedy Series. From the horror series' cast, Matthew Rhys won Outstanding Lead Actor, Kate O'Flynn won Outstanding Supporting Actress, and Stephen Root won Outstanding Supporting Actor. Additional awards went to director Hiro Murai (Directing) and series creator Katie Dippold (Writing). You can find all the other winners and nominees of the 2026 Emmy Awards here.
Matthew Rhys Makes Emmy History
For Rhys, the evening was also extremely successful beyond "Widow's Bay." The actor also took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries, Anthology Series, or TV Movie. He was nominated for the Netflix thriller "The Beast in Me." In 2018, Rhys had already won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the spy series "The Americans." No other male actor has ever won an Emmy in all three lead acting categories (Drama Series, Comedy Series, and Miniseries).
Is there going to be a Season 2 of Widow's Bay?
Fans of the horror-comedy can rest easy. "Widow's Bay" has already been renewed for a second season. Apple TV announced the good news as recently as June 2026. If you haven't seen the award-winning series yet, you can, of course, catch up on Apple TV. Here's the trailer to give you a first impression:
Here's what Widow's Bay is about
The official plot description of the series reads as follows: Widow's Bay is a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England. But something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community. There's no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception and he must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed.
He wants these people to respect him. They don't. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination. Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true, start happening again.
Rhys also wins for The Beast in Me
Another Emmy rarity is the double triumph in a single evening. According to Variety, only two actors have ever won trophies in two acting categories on the same night. Rhys's Emmy win for "The Beast in Me" came as something of a surprise to industry observers. Oscar Isaac ("Beef") had been considered the favorite leading up to the ceremony.
In addition to Rhys's Emmy win, "The Beast in Me" was also nominated for Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series but lost out to "DTF St. Louis." Lead actress Claire Danes also received a nomination. Here you can read the official synopsis of the Netflix thriller:
Here's what The Beast in Me is about
In "The Beast in Me", acclaimed author Aggie Wiggs (Danes) has receded from public life since the tragic death of her young son, unable to write, a ghost of her former self. But she finds an unlikely subject for a new book when the house next door is bought by Nile Jarvis (Rhys), a famed and formidable real estate mogul who was once the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance. At once horrified and fascinated by this man, Aggie finds herself compulsively hunting for the truth — chasing his demons while fleeing her own — in a game of cat and mouse that might turn deadly.
Among those behind "The Beast in Me" is showrunner Howard Gordon. The TV veteran is best known for the spy thriller "Homeland," where he previously collaborated with Emmy Award winner Claire Danes. Gordon was also part of the Writer's Room for the action series "24," which he served as showrunner for from seasons 5 through 8. So Gordon certainly knows his way around thriller material. If you haven't seen "The Beast in Me" yet, you can catch up on the series on Netflix. You can also watch the trailer here:
