Keri Russell appeared to give her longtime partner Matthew Rhys a playful reprimand in behind-the-scenes footage after he failed to acknowledge her during either of his Emmy Awards acceptance speeches.
The couple, with Rhys aged 51 and Russell 50, shared an awkward-looking moment after the Welsh actor collected his second prize on Monday. His double victory made him the first performer to win two lead acting awards at the same ceremony.
Viewers were surprised when Rhys did not thank or mention Russell during either speech at the Los Angeles event, despite the pair having been together for 12 years.
In footage shared by Yahoo News reporter Taryn Ryder, Russell appeared to swat Rhys’s hand away as he wrapped her up for a picture with a photographer.
Russell later drew him toward her and kissed him on the cheek as photographers captured the moment. Once they sat down, she appeared to speak to him while resting a hand on his shoulder.
It is not known what Russell said, but fans speculated that her apparent hand-swat may have been linked to Rhys overlooking her in both of his Emmy speeches.
Keri Russell appeared to chide her partner Matthew Rhys in behind-the-scenes footage after he failed to mention her in either of his Emmy speeches, swatting his hand away when he tried to put an arm around her for a photographer
Widow’s Bay dominated Monday’s Emmy Awards, while Matthew Rhys made history by becoming the first star to win two lead acting honors in separate categories on the same night
When Rhys was announced as the first winner, his co-star Claire Danes immediately stood up in shock. She opened her arms for a hug, and the pair briefly embraced as she touched his face
“Why did she push his hand away?” one viewer asked on X. Another added, “I hope they don’t break up.”
After the apparent snubs attracted attention, Rhys seemed to soften the situation by saying he would keep his Emmy trophies stored away until Russell won one of her own.
During a backstage interview, he was asked: “Where are you going to put your two Emmys? Where are they going to go?”
Rhys replied that the Emmy he received for The Americans is currently kept in the basement.
“It’s a long story,” he told Variety. “It’s in the basement because I kind of said when Keri wins one, I’ll take mine out.”
Speaking with reporters after his two victories, Rhys also revealed that members of his family had been wagering on whether he or Russell would take home the honors that night.
“It’s not playful, it’s all serious,” he joked. “I put a lot of money on myself… It’s going to be a rough week for her.”
Rhys then praised his partner as ‘always a class act’, and said Russell ‘is always really the winner, and I think next year she might get one.’
During his first acceptance speech of the night for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, which he won for The Beast in Me, Rhys failed to utter the name of the 50-year-old actress, whom he fell in love with while they were starring together on The Americans.
In his shock, Rhys didn’t even appear to glance at Russell as he got up to accept the award, but he did stop to hug an overjoyed Claire Danes, his co-star in The Beast in Me.
Rhys had the good fortune to score a rare opportunity to remedy the slight when he was called up to the stage later in the broadcast when he won his second award of the evening, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his Apple TV+ horror–comedy Widow’s Bay.
But Rhys again failed to mention Russell during his second acceptance speech.
Rhys and his longtime partner, Keri Russell, at Monday night’s Emmys in Los Angeles
Despite Rhys apparently snubbing his partner of 12 years, Russell suggested she was still fully supporting him when she was seen letting out a big cheer and applauding enthusiastically from their table when Rhys won his second award of the night
Rhys again didn’t mention Russell during his second win, yet he managed to thank his parents and sister, who was at the ceremony
After his name was called the first time, Danes jumped to her feet and looked shocked as her mouth hung open.
She stretched her arms out for a hug, and she and Rhys briefly rocked back and forth while she touched his face, before he marched up to the stage.
‘Matthew Rhys doesn’t even look at Keri Russell next to him, and doesn’t thank her,’ one user on X wrote as they posted a video of the NBC broadcast that they shot on their phone from their TV of the enthusiastic hug.
Rhys took a confrontational stance with his first win when he began his speech by warning, ‘If you try to turn me off, I’ll stab you in the eyes with this [award].’
‘This is a real shock, not least because of the caliber and company of the actors in this program,’ he said as he thanked Danes.
‘Thank you for letting me join the mystery machine. Intimidating scene partner, but I’m very grateful for all this,’ he gushed before heading off stage.
After he broke the record and returned for his second acceptance speech for Widow’s Bay, Rhys joked, ‘My apologies to the women who had to stand.’
In the audience, Martin Short was seen on the broadcast comically tearing up his acceptance speech after losing out on the award.
‘This is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of [Widow’s Bay creator] Katie [Dippold], and her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain,’ Rhys said.
Toward the end of his speech, Rhys made sure to thank multiple family members, including his parents and his sister, whom he mentioned was in the audience.
‘She was the brains of the outfit all along,’ he joked, adding, ‘Thank you for all the sage words and patient listening.’
‘Matthew Rhys doesn’t even look at Keri Russell next to him, and doesn’t thank her,’ one user on X wrote as they posted a video of the NBC broadcast that they shot on their phone from their TV of the enthusiastic hug
Rhys skipped the hug for his second win, though Danes still jumped to her feet to applaud the special moment
Despite Rhys apparently snubbing his partner of 12 years, Russell suggested she was still fully supporting him when she was seen letting out a big cheer and applauding enthusiastically from their table when Rhys won his second award of the night.
‘THE CHEER FROM HER…… all that matters all that matters,’ wrote one user on X who posted a video of the moment.
In a video posted to X, Yahoo Entertainment reporter Taryn Ryder shared video taken from inside the theater showing Rhys returning with one of his Emmys to embrace Russell and pose with her for a photographer.
After the photographer had enough snaps, the two actors leaned in for a kiss to cement the honor.
It was a night of disappointment for Russell, who lost out on her single nomination. She had been put forward for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Diplomat but was beaten by Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn.
