Matthew Rhys' Sister Shares Pride in Historic Emmy Wins
The sister of actor Matthew Rhys recounts the emotional and surreal experience of watching him make Emmy history with two lead acting wins in a single night.
Matthew Rhys' sister, Rachel Evans, described the family's disbelief and pride following his historic achievement at the Emmy Awards, where he became the first person to win two lead acting Emmy prizes in one night.
Rhys secured wins for best lead actor in a limited series for "The Beast In Me" and best lead actor in a comedy for his role in "Widow's Bay." Evans, who accompanied Rhys to the Los Angeles ceremony, shared that she and her brother called their parents, who were watching from home. "I think we just all giggled for a long time," Evans said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Evans called the experience "insane" and "surreal." She recalled advising Rhys beforehand to be prepared for potential wins, stating, "If you win, you cannot wing it." She expressed immense pride in her brother, adding, "We're so proud of him."
During one of his acceptance speeches, Rhys thanked Evans, referring to her as "the brains of the outfit," an emotional moment for her that made the achievement truly sink in.
Evans also recounted being starstruck by other Hollywood figures, including Harrison Ford, and described her partner Keri Russell's enthusiastic reaction to Rhys' wins. Despite attending multiple after-parties, Rhys and Evans made sure to video call their parents to share the momentous occasion. "They were so far away, but they were so proud of him, as we all are... and they were pleased that I was there with him really," Evans said.
The response from their home country of Wales was, according to Evans, "overwhelming." Rhys, in his acceptance speech, acknowledged the support from Wales, calling its people "the great and good people of Wales, who were as much a nurturer as anyone else." He concluded his speech with "diolch yn fawr iawn," meaning "thank you very much" in Welsh.
Evans noted that despite living abroad for 25 years, Wales remains central to Rhys' identity. "Wales had been so supportive of his career all along and had really cheered him on," she added.