Matthew Rhys Wins ‘The Americans’ Its First Lead Acting Emmy After Six Seasons of Masterful TV Drama

“The Americans” signed off the air earlier this year after six seasons, and now it’s finally an Emmy winner for lead acting. Matthew Rhys brought home the honor by winning the 2018 Emmy award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series. Rhys beat out Jason Bateman (“Ozark”), Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld”), Ed Harris (“Westworld”), Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”), Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”) for the prize.

Rhys had previously been nominated for his role as Philip Jennings in 2016 and 2017. “The Americans” has struggled at the Emmys in the past, despite being hailed as one of the best drama series of the 21st century. Guest actress Margo Martindale won Emmys in 2015 and 2016, but no other actor had claimed a trophy until Rhys this year. Rhys’ co-star Keri Russell was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a drama series this year.

Now that “The Americans” is behind him, Rhys is taking to the big screen. The actor was a member of the ensemble cast of Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” last year and has Netflix’s “Mowgli” set for release in 2019. Rhys is currently filming the Fred Rogers drama “You Are My Friend,” directed by Marielle Heller and starring Tom Hanks.