Welsh actor Matthew Rhys made Emmy history on Monday night by becoming the first performer to win two lead acting Emmys in a single ceremony. The 51-year-old claimed the lead actor award for a limited series with Netflix’s psychological thriller *The Beast in Me* before securing the lead comedy actor prize for Apple TV’s *Widow’s Bay*, a comedy series set on a New England island grappling with a centuries-old curse.

With these wins, Rhys has now become the first male actor to have won lead acting awards across the three major television categories of drama, comedy, and limited series. He previously won the lead drama actor Emmy in 2018 for his role as Philip Jennings in *The Americans*. This achievement places him alongside Barbara Stanwyck, the only other performer who has completed the trio of lead acting categories, albeit under different Emmy category structures.

Rhys’s first win of the night, for *The Beast in Me*, was seen as somewhat unexpected given the strong competition, which included Oscar Isaac and Riz Ahmed. He later triumphed at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles by overcoming contenders such as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Steve Carell in the comedy category. Besides his acting accolades, Rhys also received recognition as an executive producer for both series.

In his acceptance speech, Rhys expressed gratitude to his family and notably paid tribute to the people of Wales, describing his homeland as “a small but mighty nation” that had nurtured him throughout his career. His success was celebrated alongside other British talent, including Kate O’Flynn, who won best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role in *Widow’s Bay*. The show itself set a record in the comedy category by taking home 14 awards, including best comedy series.

The drama category saw Noah Wyle win the lead actor Emmy for his role in *The Pitt*, a medical series set in a Pittsburgh emergency department that won best drama for the second consecutive year. Wyle paid a heartfelt tribute to fellow nominee Sir Gary Oldman, who has been nominated three times for his portrayal of MI5 agent Jackson Lamb in *Slow Horses* but did not win.

Jean Smart also made history by winning her fifth best actress Emmy for a comedy series for her performance in the final season of *Hacks*, marking an unprecedented streak for an actor in a series lasting more than three seasons.

The ceremony highlighted a wide range of talent across genres, with Rhys’s rare double victory underscoring his versatility and marking a significant milestone in Emmy history.