Hiro Murai has made Emmys history, becoming the first Asian director to win the Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series award for Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay.
The win came at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on September 14, marking Murai’s first Emmy victory for directing after 10 career nominations.
Created by Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay is a horror-comedy series set on a small New England island that may be cursed. Matthew Rhys stars as Mayor Tom Loftis, who is determined to turn the isolated community into a tourist destination despite warnings from locals about its dark history and supernatural forces.
The series blends small-town comedy with increasingly strange and sinister events as Loftis attempts to revive the island’s fortunes. Murai directed five episodes of the first season, including the first three episodes and the final two.
Murai is also the third Asian director to win an Emmy in any category, following Lee Sung Jin, who won for the first season of Beef, and Hwang Dong-hyuk, who won for the first season of Squid Game.
Murai beat out Randall Einhorn (Abbott Elementary), Christopher Storer (The Bear), Andrew DeYoung (The Chair Company), Lucia Aniello (Hacks) and Mary Lou Belli (The Ms. Pat Show) to take home the directing prize.
The historic victory adds another major achievement to Murai’s career, which has included directing acclaimed series including Atlanta and Station Eleven. He has received 10 Emmy nominations over the course of his career.
Murai had previously won an Emmy as an executive producer on the first season of The Bear, but the Widow’s Bay victory marks his first Emmy win for directing.
The win was part of a major night for Widow’s Bay, which collected 14 Emmys from 19 nominations. The series also won Outstanding Comedy Series, while Matthew Rhys took home Outstanding Lead Actor, Kate O’Flynn won Outstanding Supporting Actress, Stephen Root won Outstanding Supporting Actor and Betty Gilpin received Outstanding Guest Actress.
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During his acceptance speech, Murai thanked Widow’s Bay creator Katie Dippold, as well as his family and partner Emma.
“Katie Dippold, thank you for being brilliant and letting me ride shotgun,” Murai said in his acceptance speech. “I’m so proud of everything we did. And most of all, I just want to thank my family and my partner Emma. I love you. Thank you.”
Murai’s win marks a significant moment for Asian representation behind the camera at the Emmys, placing him alongside Lee Sung Jin and Hwang Dong-hyuk as the only Asian directors to have won Emmy awards to date.
