Matthew Rhys says he will only put his Emmys on show when Keri Russell wins one as he pays tribute to his wife backstage after snubbing her in speech

3 weeks ago 26

He may have made history at the Emmy Awards on Monday night by scooping two leading actor gongs, but Matthew Rhys has no plans to display them at home. 

The actor, 51, instead revealed he will put them in the basement out of loyalty to his partner Keri Russell and won't have them on show until she wins one. 

Matthew was perhaps trying to cover his tracks after awkwardly snubbing Keri, 50, from his acceptance speeches. 

When asked in a backstage interview: 'Where are you going to put your two Emmys? Where are they going to go?'

Matthew explained the Emmy he won for The Americans is in the basement. 

He told Variety: 'It's a long story. It's in the basement because I kind of said when Keri wins one, I'll take mine out.' 

He may have made history at the Emmy Awards on Monday night by scooping two leading actor gongs, but Matthew Rhys has no plans to display them at home

The actor, 51, instead revealed he will put them in the basement out of loyalty to his partner Keri Russell, 50,  and won't have them on show until she wins one

The actor then admitted he knew it was 'stupid' while the interviewer said: 'Aww' to the thoughtful gesture. 

Keri lost out on the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for her role in The Diplomat. The award ultimately went to Rhea Seehorn for Pluribus.

Fans wrote in the comment section of the video: 'She should have won one multiple times already. Congrats, but also, she has deserved one on so many occasions'; 

'Can’t believe Keri hasn’t won - Felicity, Elizabeth, Kate - what more could she give? Seriously, as Elizabeth she should have won for every season. Nobody else could have delivered as she did.' 

'Well, he could have mentioned Keri in one of his speeches'. 

Viewers were surprised Matthew didn't pay tribute to Keri during his acceptance speeches. 

When he won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for The Beast in Me, the actor failed to mention Keri, whom he fell in love with while they were starring together on The Americans. 

The actor didn't even appear to glance at the actress in his shock as he got up to accept the award, but he did stop to hug an overjoyed Claire Danes, his costar in The Beast in Me.

Emmy Awards 2026 winners: AT A GLANCE

 Outstanding Comedy Series: Widow's Bay

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys - Widow's Bay

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys - The Beast in Me 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:  Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:  Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay (Katie Dippold for 'Welcome to Widow’s Bay') 

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Widow’s Bay (Hiro Murai for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”)

Matthew Rhys made history as he became the first actor to win two leading actor awards in one night

 Outstanding Drama Series: The Pitt

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle - The Pitt 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn - Pluribus

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart - Hacks 

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: DTF St. Louis 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:  Allison Janney - The Diplomat

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey - Task

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sally Field - Remarkably Bright Creatures

Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors 

Outstanding Variety Series: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 

Despite Rhys apparently snubbing his partner of 12 years, Russell suggested she was still fully supporting him when she was seen letting out a big cheer and applauding enthusiastically 

Matthew pictured as Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me 

Keri lost out on the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for her role in The Diplomat (pictured). The award ultimately went to Rhea Seehorn for Pluribus

'This is a real shock because, not least because the caliber and company of the actors in this category,' Rhys said, accepting his award. 

He thanked his collaborators, including 'the incredible' Claire.

'Thank you for letting me join the mystery machine and bringing out the beast,' he said.  

Matthew had the good fortune to score a rare opportunity to remedy the slight when he was called up to the stage later in the broadcast when he won his second award of the evening, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his Apple TV+ horror-comedy Widow's Bay.

But he again failed to mention Keri during his second acceptance speech.

Matthew made a joke about his second win by poking fun at the programme's creator Katie Dippold as he said: 'My apologies to the women who had to stand again. 

'Stephen Root is 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. It is also because of my hero, Hiro Murai, so beautifully, as did all of them.'

Set on a remote New England island, Widow's Bay follows Matthew's character Mayor Tom Loftis's attempt to revive the town by transforming it into a tourist destination, despite generations of local lore warning that the island is cursed. 

As increasingly bizarre and supernatural events begin piling up, Patricia emerges as one of Tom's closest allies in figuring out what is actually happening.

The series proved one of the year's biggest Emmy breakouts, earning 19 nominations in its first season, including outstanding comedy series and acting nods for Rhys, O'Flynn, Dickey and Stephen Root.

The actor had previously won an Emmy for The Americans in 2018, meaning he has now scooped lead acting trophies across the drama, comedy and limited series categories – another first. 

Emmy Awards 2026 winners

Outstanding Drama Series

The Diplomat

The Gilded Age

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Paradise

The Pitt - WINNER

Pluribus

Slow Horses

Your Friends and Neighbors

Noah Wyle led The Pitt to an Outstanding Drama Series honor

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

The Bear

Hacks

Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Nobody Wants This

Only Murders in the Building

Shrinking

Widow’s Bay - WINNER

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

All Her Fault

The Beast in Me

Beef

DTF St. Louis - WINNER

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age

Chase Infiniti, The Testaments

Keri Russell, The Diplomat

Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus - WINNER

Zendaya, Euphoria

Rhea Seehorrn was recognized for her work in Pluribus

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown, Paradise

Gary Oldman, Slow Horses

Mark Ruffalo, Task

Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat

Noah Wyle, The Pitt - WINNER

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Taylor Dearden, The Pitt

Fiona Dourif, The Pitt

Allison Janney, The Diplomat - WINNER

Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt

Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt

Julianne Nicholson, Paradise

Karolina Wydra, Pluribus

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Patrick Ball, The Pitt

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt

Gerran Howell, The Pitt

Jack Lowden, Slow Horses

Tom Pelphrey, Task - WINNER

Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary

Ayo Edebiri, The Bear

Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback

Jean Smart, Hacks - WINNER

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man

Steve Carell, Rooster

Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay - WINNER

Jason Segel, Shrinking

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Dale Dickey, Widow’s Bay 

Matthew Rhys became the first actor to win two leading actor awards in one night 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks

Janelle James, Abbott Elementary

Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay - WINNER

Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Megan Stalter, Hacks

Jessica Williams, Shrinking

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons

Paul W. Downs, Hacks

Harrison Ford, Shrinking

Nick Offerman, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay - WINNER

Michael Urie, Shrinking

Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Claire Danes, The Beast in Me

Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures - WINNER

Carey Mulligan, Beef

Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette

Sarah Snook, All Her Fault

Sally Field was a surprise winner for Remarkably Bright Creatures

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Riz Ahmed, Bait

Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit

Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Oscar Isaac, Beef

Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me - WINNER

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

Dancing With the Stars

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Survivor

Top Chef

The Traitors - WINNER

Outstanding Variety Series

The Daily Show

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert - WINNER

Saturday Night Live

Stephen Colbert earned an Emmy for his now cancelled talk show

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

The Diplomat (Peter Akerman and Debora Cahn for “Amagansett”)

The Pitt (Kirsten Pierre-Geyfman & R. Scott Gemmill for “1:00 PM”)

The Pitt (Valerie Chu for “12:00 PM”)

Mickey Down and Konrad Kay for “Dear Henry,” Industry

Pluribus (Vince Gilligan for “We Is Us”) - WINNER

Slow Horses (Will Smith for “Scars”)

Task (Brad Ingelsby for “A Still Small Voice”)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (Quinta Brunson for “Team Building”)

The Chair Company (Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin for “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does”)

The Comeback (Michael Patrick King and Lisa Kudrow for “Valerie Does It All”)

Hacks (Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for “Hacks”)

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat (Anthony King for “Mergers and Acquisitions”)

Widow’s Bay (Katie Dippold for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”) - WINNER

Katie Dippold had a massive night as she also earned an outstanding writing win

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

The Gilded Age (Salli Richardson-Whitfield for “My Mind Is Made Up”)

Paradise (Hanelle M. Culpepper for “Exodus”)

The Pitt (Noah Wyle for “12:00 PM”)

Pluribus (Vince Gilligan for “We Is Us”)

Slow Horses (Saul Metzstein for “Scars”) - WINNER

Task (Salli Richardson-Whitfield for “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river”)

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (Randall Einhorn for “Ballgame”)

The Bear (Christopher Storer for “Bears”)

The Chair Company (Andrew DeYoung for “Life goes by too f**king fast, it really does”)

Hacks (Lucia Aniello for “Hacks”)

The Ms. Pat Show (Mary Lou Belli for “Give It Arrest”)

Widow’s Bay (Hiro Murai for “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”) - WINNER

Widow's Bay's Hiro Murai earned Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

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