Matthew Rhys didn’t thank Keri Russell in either of his Emmy acceptance speeches at the 2026 ceremony — and she’s not just okay with it, she actively encouraged it. On the Dear Chelsea podcast Thursday, Russell, 50, revealed she gave Rhys explicit permission to leave her out of both wins, citing nerves and the sheer weight of the moment. The two met on the set of The Americans in 2012, a show that launched their careers and their relationship. Now, over a decade later, they’re raising a 10-year-old son, Sam, whom they welcomed in May 2016. Russell, who was nominated for lead actress in a drama series for The Diplomat and also earned a nod as an executive producer on the show, said the decision wasn’t about ego or exclusion. It was about space. ‘We’re both nervous people,’ she said. ‘We’re not in that world that much. We visit that world, and so we were both so nervous.’ She recalled asking Rhys, then, what he was most anxious about before the speeches. His answer? Speaking. That’s when she told him: ‘Take me off your plate. Like, you don’t have to thank me. I know you love me.’ She added that people still give Rhys grief for not thanking anyone in his 2018 Emmy win for The Americans, calling it ‘stupid’ and ‘lame.’ ‘It’s so crazy,’ she said. ‘People get nuts.’ Handler pointed out that there are dozens of crew members, writers, and producers who might deserve thanks before a partner, and Russell agreed. ‘I don’t care if you want to thank the dog walker,’ she said. ‘That’s your minute. That’s your 45 seconds.’ Rhys made history at the 2026 Emmys by winning in both limited series (The Beast in Me) and comedy (Widow’s Bay), which swept the night with 14 total awards. In his speech for The Beast in Me, he joked, ‘Oh, good grief. If you try and taunt me, I’ll stab you in the eyes with this,’ referring to his statuette, before thanking the writers and director. He singled out co-star Claire Danes, saying the cast was ‘certainly led ferociously, fiercely and fervently’ by her. ‘Thank you for letting me join the mystery machine and bringing out the beast,’ he added. ‘You are an intimidating scene partner, but I’m very grateful for all of this.’ After winning for Widow’s Bay, he waved off the standing ovation, then turned to family. Giving special shout-outs to his parents and sister. ‘They just kicked me onto a stage from a very early age,’ he said. ‘My sister, who’s here tonight… turns out she was the brains of the outfit all along. Thank you for all of the sage words and patient listening.’ Russell, who has two other children from a previous marriage, River, 19, and Willa, 13. Said the couple had long agreed that their personal lives stay personal, even under the spotlight. 'This is private,' she said. 'This is for the business people. Thank whoever you want to thank.'