Arabic version: ماثيو ريس يصنع تاريخ جوائز إيمي بفوز مزدوج

According to BBC News, Welsh actor Matthew Rhys became the first person to win two lead acting prizes in one night at the Emmy Awards. He was named best lead actor in a limited series for psychological thriller The Beast In Me and best lead actor in a comedy for supernatural comedy Widow’s Bay.

Accepting his second award, Rhys dedicated it to “the great and good people of Wales, who were as much a nurture as anyone else”. He called Wales “a small but mighty nation” and said “Diolch yn fawr iawn”. Backstage, he said he was glad his country had moments to “put our flag on the map” and show that “we punch higher than our weight sometimes”.

The Beast In Me follows a grieving author, played by Claire Danes, who becomes obsessed with a mysterious neighbour suspected of murder. Rhys said his limited-series win was a “real shock”. Later, after winning for playing the mayor in Widow’s Bay, he thanked the family, friends and colleagues who had supported his career, including his parents.

Rhys’s Widow’s Bay co-star Kate O’Flynn also won, taking best supporting comedy actress for her role as Patricia. Jean Smart won best comedy actress for the fifth and final series of Hacks, while Allison Janney won best supporting actress in a drama series for The Diplomat. Their eighth Emmy wins apiece equalled the record for the most acting wins.

Elsewhere, The Pitt won best drama and its star Noah Wyle received best lead actor in a drama series for the second consecutive year. Michael J Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his Parkinson’s disease advocacy, while Stephen Colbert won best variety series after the final episode of The Late Show aired in May.