Television’s biggest night of the year belonged to Apple TV. At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, held on 14 September at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and hosted by Mariska Hargitay, the streamer won 29 awards, its best-ever total and more than any other network this year, Apple said in a statement. The ceremony was broadcast in the United States by NBC and Peacock.
- 29Emmys for Apple TV, its best year
- 14Emmys for Widow’s Bay, per Apple
- 2Lead-acting Emmys for Matthew Rhys in one night
- 6Emmys for Pluribus
Widow’s Bay sweeps comedy
The night’s biggest winner was Widow’s Bay, which took Outstanding Comedy Series. According to Apple, the show won 14 Emmys, including the most awards ever for a comedy series in a single season, the most performance wins of any series this year, and the title of most-awarded freshman comedy in Emmy history. Its wins included lead actor for Matthew Rhys, supporting actress for Kate O’Flynn, supporting actor for Stephen Root, writing for Katie Dippold and directing for Hiro Murai. Apple said Murai is the first Asian director to win in the comedy directing category.
The victory also extends a run for Apple TV in comedy. It says it is the first and only streaming service to win Outstanding Comedy Series in back-to-back years, following last year’s win for The Studio, and that it has now taken the award in four of the last six years with Ted Lasso, The Studio and Widow’s Bay.
Matthew Rhys makes history
Rhys, a 51-year-old from Cardiff, became the first person to win two lead-acting Emmys in the same night. He was named best lead actor in a comedy for Widow’s Bay and best lead actor in a limited series for the psychological thriller The Beast in Me. He told BBC Wales the double honour was a “complete out of the body experience” and said he had felt “abject terror” when called to collect the awards in a room full of heroes such as Gary Oldman.
In his acceptance speech he paid tribute to the “great and good people of Wales” and finished in Welsh. His sister Rachel Evans, who went with him to the ceremony, told BBC Radio Wales the reaction back home had been overwhelming. In a light aside, Rhys said he was too intimidated by Harrison Ford to tell him that he will voice Ford’s Han Solo character when Star Wars is dubbed into Welsh for the first time.
Other wins
Pluribus, which Apple calls a global phenomenon, won six Emmys. They included lead actress in a drama for Rhea Seehorn and writing for a drama for its creator Vince Gilligan. Slow Horses won directing for a drama series for Saul Metzstein. Apple’s wins, in all, spanned series including Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, Slow Horses, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Palm Royale and Mr. Scorsese.
The Creative Arts Emmys, which cover many craft categories, were presented on 5 and 6 September, and several of Apple’s awards, such as those for casting, cinematography and sound, were announced then.
Where to see the full list
This article covers the results we could confirm from Apple’s announcement, BBC reporting and the ceremony details. The complete list of nominees and winners in every category is published by the Television Academy at emmys.com.
