“The fact that ‘Widow’s Bay’ has gotten so much attention from the Academy and all these people is just really heartwarming,” Root tells PEOPLE
NEED TO KNOW
- Widow’s Bay star Stephen Root won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2026 Emmy Awards
- After his win, he tells PEOPLE it “felt like a mistake” when he heard his name called for the category
- Root also teases what he’s hoping for in season 2 of the Apple TV horror-comedy
Stephen Root is in awe of his win at the 2026 Emmy Awards.
The Widow’s Bay star won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series on Monday, Sept. 14, for his role as Wyck Crawford in the hit Apple TV series. He says it felt “like a mistake” when he heard his name called.
“The fact that Widow’s Bay has gotten so much attention from the Academy and all these people is just really heartwarming,” Root, 74, tells PEOPLE.
Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty
Despite his shock at the win, he already knows where his trophy is going to go. “I’m gonna put it with my wife’s dad’s Golden Globe, up in our office, put it right next to it,” he says. Root has been married to actress Romy Rosemont since 2008.
Looking ahead to season two of Widow’s Bay, Root says that he’s looking forward to learning more about the boat captain, a major proponent of the island’s mystical curse.
“At the end of the season, we were actually very close together, working for the same thing, different directions, but I’m hoping that they’ll be collaborative in the second season,” he says of his hopes for his dynamic with Matthew Rhys’ mayor Tom Loftis in future episodes.
“I’m hoping we’ll get to see more backstory in the second season — of everybody in the show,” Root adds. “‘Cause I think that’s what people love, is they get to love these characters, they want to know more about them.”
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The 2026 Emmys were a big night for Widow’s Bay, as Rhys made history as a two-time winner, both for his leading role in that series and for The Beast in Me.
Credit: Apple TV
Prior to the ceremony, Rhys, 51, told PEOPLE of the nominations: “It’s everything you dream for. And then when it happens, you still can’t quite believe it.”
He shared that he was planning to think ahead a little bit about what he’d say, should his name be called. “I was very fortunate enough to win an Emmy before, and I missed out on some people I didn’t thank,” he recalled. “So if — the very big if — I win, I will hopefully remedy that.”
The 78th Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, are broadcasting live on Sept. 14, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
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