For the first time in history, one actor is walking out with two leading Emmys in a single night.
That actor is Matthew Rhys. The writing was on the wall early in the night, when he picked up the statue for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for “The Beast in Me.” That category was thought to be a bit more up in the air, with the potential for an actor like Oscar Isaac (who led “Beef” Season 2 alongside Carey Mulligan) to walk away with the prize.
What was thought to be a bit more of a sure thing was Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, which went to Rhys for “Widow’s Bay.” This came after “Widow’s Bay” led Night 2 of the Creative Arts Emmys earlier in September and Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root had won their supporting categories earlier in the Monday night broadcast.
Rhys already drew attention with his double nomination earlier this season, as he was the first man to get two leading nods across Drama, Comedy and Limited or Anthology Series or Movie this century. The last person to pull this off was John Goodman in 1995, recognized for both “Roseanne” (Comedy) and “Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long” (Miniseries or Special).
A few women have pulled off the double feat in that gap. The most recent actress to do so was Elisabeth Moss, nominated in 2013 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (“Mad Men”) and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (“Top of the Lake”). Rhys’ “The Beast in Me” co-star Claire Danes coincidentally bested Moss in the Drama division for “Homeland.”
There are several other dual nominees scattered throughout Emmys history since the miniseries and TV movie awards were merged into shared acting categories in 1979. There’s Mary-Louise Parker (2007), Ted Danson (1984), Daniel J. Travanti (1984) and Mariette Hartley (1983).
What makes Rhys’ stat more impressive is that none of these double nominees has ever won either one of their awards. So not only is Rhys the first actor to pull off the double — he’s the first person to get two leading nominations in a single night and leave the building with even one statue.
