AppleTV
Matthew Rhys, star of the hit AppleTV series Widow’s Bay, knew he had to star in the project as soon as he read the script. Rhys described the series as being “special and unique.
Speaking to BroBible’s Post Credit Podcast prior to the premiere of Widow’s Bay — which has since exploded in popularity and is being hailed as one of the best shows of the year — Matthew Rhys detailed his initial reaction upon receiving the script for the idiosyncratic horror-comedy series.
Rhys stars in the series as Mayor Tom Loftis, the leader of the haunted island who’s “desperate to modernize it” despite still being “an outsider to the stubborn” native residents.
Emmy winning actor Matthew Rhys explains that he knew he had to star in Widow’s Bay after reading the “special and unique” script
Eric Italiano, BroBible: How did you first receive this script? Did you get it immediately, or did it take more talks with the crew to zone in on what you were going for?
Matthew Rhys: I believe — I hope — I got it immediately, because I was like, “Oh my god, this is so special and unique.” The world is built in such detail, the backstory is so detailed. Everyone comes with a very strong sense of previous circumstances and history that through great drama will clash with other characters. Especially when I was talking with Stephen and Kate — three people with similar painful backgrounds, all seemingly looking for their own community, all seemingly trying to help the community but going about it in three very different ways. Common goals that interact in a very conflicting way. That to me is where some of Katie Dippold’s writing is just magnificent.
BroBible: You’ve obviously done drama at a very high level, but horror-comedy is an entirely different part of the brain. Did you have a desire to do something like this, or were you just so taken by this one script?
Matthew Rhys: When I read the script I just knew I wanted to do it. I’d never read anything like it, I’d certainly never played anyone like Loftis, and I just knew I wanted to do it and I didn’t want anyone else to do it. It’s not that I was necessarily looking for comedy or horror — the great luxury is getting to try different genres, different mediums, different characters. For a project like this to come along that was so different to anything I’d done, it was a true luxury.
The first eight episodes of Widow’s Bay are now streaming on AppleTV. The ninth episode will release on June 10 prior to the season finale dropping on June 17. While the series has yet to be officially renewed for a second season, that seems like a foregone conclusion given its critical acclaim and viral popularity.