Matthew Rhys, the 43-year-old actor scooped the prize for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Russian spy Philip Jennings in ‘The Americans’ at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday (17.09.18) and he’s still in shock that the statuette is his.
He told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “It still doesn’t feel like it’s mine. I genuinely feel like someone’s going to me like, ‘We need it back now.’
‘Thanks, it was nice to hold it for a moment, thanks for the loan.’ ” While Matthew was triumphant at the ceremony, his on-screen wife and real-life partner Keri Russell was beaten to the Lead Actress prize by ‘The Crown’s Claire Foy but he doesn’t think there’ll be any bitterness at home.
He laughed: “I think it’s gonna be fine because it will be right next to her Golden Globe.”
Though the Welsh actor will miss his alter ego, he thinks it was a “wise” decision for the programme to end after season six this year.
He said: “I think wisely so, six seasons, before they wring the towel dry, it’s a great luxury for a writer to know the arc hey can write to but I miss it enormously, the depth of these characters are rare.”
The show has drawn parallels with the current political climate, something Matthew admitted had taken him by surprise.
He said: “Season one, a journalist said to me ‘Do you think Russian interest in America is still relevant?’ and I was like, ‘Oh I dunno, maybe it’s just a show about relationships.’ Season two and three, we were like ‘Yes, yes it is.’ “