Matthew Rhys says Jaws is the blueprint for Widow’s Bay, hailing it as the perfect movie
Matthew Rhys says his hit series Widow's Bay owes its bite to Jaws, which he calls the perfect movie. The shark classic is the show's guiding influence, from tone to terror.
Apple TV+ has banged out some bangers lately, but 'Widow's Bay' might just be the best of the bunch to sneak onto screens this year. It didn't exactly arrive with a media blitz or an army of billboard campaigns, but that hasn't stopped it from picking up a proper following—including a few celeb fans, among them none other than Guillermo del Toro. And with the latest news out, it's got a second season locked in.
Right, quick rundown for anyone who isn't caught up: 'Widow's Bay' is a horror-drama with a sly sense of humour, and apparently, quite a bit of 'Jaws' in its DNA. The show stars Matthew Rhys as Tom Loftus, a mayor with 'bloke-you’d-have-a-pint-with' energy, and if you're getting Roy Scheider vibes, that's no accident. Stephen Root is in the mix too, playing Wyck, who—let's be honest—is basically Quint in all but name, reimagined for present day.
Some Proper Awards Buzz
With season two on the docket, here's the sort of thing you only see from a proper smash hit—Matthew Rhys is making his rounds during awards season. There’s a bit of chatter he could bag not one, but two Emmy nods this year: one for 'Widow's Bay', plus another for his turn in 'The Beast in Me'. Not bad work if you can get it.
'Jaws' All Over the Script
In a recent chat with Deadline, Rhys let everyone in on the not-so-secret secret: 'Jaws' is at the heart of 'Widow's Bay'. Series creator Katie Dippold apparently brought it up right at the start. Rhys puts it this way:
'It's the perfect horror film — the horror can't be seen. That is the greatest inducer of horror. It’s not physical, it’s not tangible, it’s not present.'
If you've watched the show, this will all make sense—the whole not-seeing-the-monster angle is straight from the Spielberg playbook. And yes, the character dynamics are pretty much mapped straight onto the 'Jaws' template. But here’s the fun bit: while Rhys plays the Brody type on screen, he says that deep down he’d rather have taken a swing at Quint. Turns out he’s a full-on 'Jaws' superfan who would have loved to try Robert Shaw’s legendary role himself.
Bit of Spielberg Name-Dropping
Rhys actually worked with Steven Spielberg a few years back on 'The Post', where he played Daniel Ellsberg. He couldn’t resist bringing up the subject of 'Jaws'—a lot.
'There was a moment on the set of The Post when I realized I had to stop talking about Jaws. I saw the look in his eyes, and I was like, "You know what? I’m going to stop asking you about Jaws."'
Main Cast Breakdown
- Matthew Rhys as Mayor Tom Loftus – the closest you'll get to Chief Brody this side of Amity Island
- Stephen Root as Wyck – full modern Quint energy, weathered wisdom and all
- Kate O'Flynn rounds out the central trio – sharp, sardonic, and stands her ground against the two mains
If you haven’t watched 'Widow's Bay' yet, it’s worth a go—especially if you like your TV with a bit of old-school horror DNA and a proper cast holding it together.