Matthew Rhys Dives Into Dark Comedy With Prosthetic Role in Widow’s Bay
Key Points
- Rhys stars as frantic Mayor Tom Loftis, blending horror and broad comedy on a spooky New England island.
- Series from Hiro Murai and Katie Dippold mixes Schitt’s Creek charm with Stephen King–style horror.
- Rhys calls it a "big-swing" role, pushing him out of his comfort zone into riskier comedy.
MATTHEW Rhys is taking a daring turn in his acting career with his lead role in the new Apple TV horror-comedy Widow’s Bay.
The Welsh actor, best known for his Emmy-winning role as a Soviet spy in The Americans, now plays Tom Loftis, a frantic mayor desperate to boost tourism on a spooky New England island.
Widow’s Bay blends laughs and chills, with Rhys embracing a rare all-out comedic role that pushes him far beyond his usual dramatic territory.
Directed by Hiro Murai and created by Katie Dippold, the series mixes the quirky charm of Schitt’s Creek with Stephen King-esque horror.
Speaking to The Guardian, Rhys described the project as a “big-swing” moment, admitting it’s “out of my comfort zone – it’s a bit ‘death or glory’ at times – but I loved every second of it.”
The show features moments of sharp humour, including a standout scene where Rhys’s character loses his cool over a glowing review from a New York Times journalist.
This role continues Rhys’s streak of playing outsiders, a theme that has defined much of his career and reflects his own experience as a Welshman living in the US for two decades.
Despite his earlier doubts about longevity—as he once considered quitting acting to join the army—Rhys’s career is thriving with diverse roles, including recent work on Presumed Innocent and The Beast in Me.
Widow’s Bay marks another impressive chapter in Rhys’s varied career, proving he’s not afraid to take risks and show a different side of his talent.
