Seaside Town Horror Comedy Widow’s Bay Nominated for 19 Emmys, Matthew Rhys and Kate O’Flynn Up for Acting Awards
The acclaimed Apple TV series is up for several big accolades in the Comedy Series categories
by Alex Kaan 8 July 2026
Apple TV
Widow’s Bay has earned 19 Emmy nominations, the best tally for a new series. Since premiering this April, the hit Apple TV show has drawn acclaim from critics and audiences alike for its atmospheric small-town storytelling and effective blend of horror and comedy. The series has already been renewed for a second season.
Matthew Rhys has earned a nomination for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series with his role as Tom Loftis, the anxious mayor who hopes to turn his comically cursed town into a tourist hotspot. Rhys was also nominated for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his performance in psychological thriller The Beast in Me.
Kate O’Flynn has been nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Patricia, the eccentric assistant to Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) who has become a resounding fan-favourite. O’Flynn’s co-star Dale Dickey has been nominated in the same category, while Stephen Root has nabbed a Supporting Actor nomination.
Apple TV
Meanwhile, for their performances in the flashback episode, Betty Gilpin and Hamish Linklater have been nominated in the Comedy Guest Actress and Actor categories, respectively.
Creator and showrunner Katie Dippold was recognised in the Writing for a Comedy Series category, while Hiro Murai, who helmed half of the episodes, has nabbed a Best Directing nomination.
The other nominations include:
Production Design for Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
Casting for Comedy Series
Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)
Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series - Isaac Hagy
Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series - Kyle Reiter
Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series - Jen Bryson
Music Composition for a Series
Music Supervision
Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour)