The Americans won big in its final outing at the Primetime Emmy Awards, earning Best Drama. The series had been critically acclaimed but overlooked by Emmy voters.
Matthew Rhys was a surprise winner in the competitive lead drama actor. Executive producers Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields took the trophy for drama series writing for the series finale episode, “START.”
Rhys told reporters that he has been spoiled by the complexity of the covert Soviet spy character, Philip Jennings, that he played for six seasons on the FX series.
Looking for prospective projects, he realizes just how special “the depth and complexity of these characters” proved to be.
Rhys also recalled reading the pilot script in a dressing room with fellow actor Adam Driver, who was reading the pilot for the HBO series “Girls” at the same time.
Keri Russell, Rhys’ co-star on the show (and in real life) was also nominated for the third straight year but lost out on her last try to Claire Foy of Netflix’s The Crown. Keri Russell is the type of actor for whom the work is the true reward.
“If you know Keri, this is not the kind of thing that is going to phase her one way or another,” exec-producer Weisberg said. “She did the work of a career on this show, and she’s so proud of that work, and we’re so proud of that work. That’s what we want for all of us.”