Keri Russell appeared to have a pointed reaction toward longtime partner Matthew Rhys in behind-the-scenes Emmys footage, after he failed to acknowledge her during either of his acceptance speeches.
The couple, who have been together for 12 years, were captured sharing what looked like a slightly tense exchange after Rhys, 51, collected his second award on Monday. His double win made Emmys history, as he became the first performer to receive two lead actor honors in a single night.
The Welsh actor raised eyebrows at the Los Angeles ceremony when Russell, 50, was not thanked or mentioned in either speech.
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 then drew Rhys closer and kissed him on the cheek as photographers snapped away. Once they returned to their seats, she appeared to speak to him while giving his shoulder a pat.
What Russell said was not audible, though social media users speculated that her apparent hand-swat came in response to Rhys leaving out his partner of more than a decade from both of his Emmys speeches.
Keri Russell appeared to chide her partner Matthew Rhys in behind-the-scenes footage after he snubbed her twice in his Emmys victory speeches, as she swatted his hand away when he tried to wrap her up for a picture with a photographer
Widow’s Bay emerged as Monday’s biggest Emmys winner, while Rhys made history by becoming the first star to win two leading acting awards across separate categories in one evening.
When Rhys was announced as a winner for the first time, his co-star Claire Danes sprang up in surprise. She opened her arms for an embrace, and the pair briefly swayed together as she touched his face.
‘Why did she push his hand away?’ one viewer asked on X. ‘I hope they don’t break up.’
After the apparent omissions, Rhys seemed to make amends by saying he would not put his Emmys on display at home until Russell had won one herself.
When asked in a backstage interview: ‘Where are you going to put your two Emmys? Where are they going to go?’
Matthew explained the Emmy he won for The Americans is in the basement.
He told Variety: ‘It’s a long story. It’s in the basement because I kind of said when Keri wins one, I’ll take mine out.’
Speaking to the press after his two wins, Rhys also joked that his family had been taking bets on whether he or Russell would scoop the awards on Monday night.
‘Its not playful, its all serious,’ he quipped. ‘I put a lot of money on myself… It’s gonna 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
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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.