Who is Matthew Rhys? Emmy history maker’s partner, what has he been in

MATTHEW Rhys pulled off an unprecedented double victory at the 2026 Emmy Awards.

He won leading acting prizes for both Widow’s Bay and The Beast in Me. Here’s everything you need to know about the star.

The remarkable double made him the first person to win two Emmys for leading performances in the same year.

And, combined with his 2018 victory for The Americans, he’s now the first person to win the top acting Emmy across the drama, comedy, and limited series or movie categories.

Where is Matthew Rhys from?

Matthew Rhys Evans was born in Cardiff, Wales, on November 8, 1974.

Welsh is his first language and he grew up in a Welsh-speaking household with parents who both worked as teachers.

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In 2014, he told the Guardian: “To me the most important thing is the survival of my language.

“However, there’s no doubt it has enormously enriched my skill set as an actor.

“It gives another perspective on language as a whole and I enjoy the detective work of etymology when you see the crossovers in other languages.”

What has Matthew Rhys been in?

Matthew rose to prominence as lawyer Kevin Walker in ABC family drama Brothers & Sisters, which ran from 2006 to 2011.

His biggest breakthrough came opposite Keri Russell in Cold War spy drama The Americans for all six seasons between 2013 and 2018, winning his first Emmy for the part in 2018.

He later took the title role in HBO drama Perry Mason, earning another Emmy nomination for his performance.

His film credits include The Post (2017), A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) and Cocaine Bear (2023).

Is Matthew Rhys married to Keri Russell?

Matthew is not married, but has been in a long-term relationship with American actress Keri for more than a decade.

The pair starred as married Russian spies Philip and Elizabeth Jennings in The Americans and began a relationship while working on the show.

They have a son together named Sam, who was born in May 2016.

Keri also has two older children, River and Willa, from her previous marriage to Shane Deary.

The couple attended the 2026 Emmys together, where Keri was also nominated for her role in The Diplomat.

During his acceptance speech, Matthew thanked his family for their “sage words and patient, patient listening”.