Matthew Rhys has built a career on disappearing into American roles, from his Emmy-winning turn in The Americans to HBO's Perry Mason and Netflix's upcoming The Beast in Me. But his latest transformation—as the frazzled Mayor Tom Loftis in Apple TV+'s hit Widow's Bay—has a surprising origin: a beloved ABC family drama from two decades ago.
In Widow's Bay, Rhys plays a single father and small-town mayor battling supernatural forces on a New England island. The horror-comedy, created by Parks and Recreation alum Katie Dippold, has already been renewed for a second season. While the role is a far cry from his earlier work, Rhys admits he tapped into a vocal style he perfected on Brothers & Sisters, where he played lawyer Kevin Walker for five seasons.
A Voice From the Past
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Rhys revealed that he deliberately used a higher vocal register for Loftis, mirroring the anxious, pleading tone of Kevin Walker. "Kevin was always slightly annoyed and pleading with people in the same way Tom is," he said. That connection isn't just vocal—both characters are high-strung, often overwhelmed by family and circumstance.
Interestingly, Rhys didn't give Loftis a thick Massachusetts accent. On the Daily Beast's Obsessed podcast, he explained that Loftis is an outsider on the island, so a more generic American accent helps set him apart from the locals. "I actually found Californian a little tricky because it's very subtle," he added, referencing Kevin's Pasadena roots.
Accents as a Tool
Rhys also shared that focusing on accent work can paradoxically relax him. "You're spending so much time thinking about the way you sound, it can relax you in a different way because you're not thinking about acting," he told the LA Times' Envelope podcast. That relaxation shows in Widow's Bay, where Loftis is perpetually on the edge of crisis—whether dealing with a haunted hotel, a sea hag, or a mushroom trip.
While Kevin Walker was more restrained, both characters share a core of earnest desperation. Rhys' ability to find that common thread is a testament to his craft. For fans who remember his Brothers & Sisters days, the echoes are clear—but the result feels fresh and perfectly suited to Widow's Bay's quirky, eerie world.
If you're hungry for more coastal horror before season two arrives, check out our list of coastal horror reads to get in the mood. And for more on Rhys' career, his Brothers & Sisters co-star Matthew Fox recently found new life on Netflix in Extinction.
