If you’re planning to visit Widow’s Bay, you might want to double-check your life insurance. Ahead of its April 29 premiere on Apple TV+, I sat down with stars Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, and Stephen Root, along with creator Katie Dippold (Ghostbusters, The Heat), to discuss why this quaint New England island is the last place you’d want to spend a summer vacation.
Between the lack of Wi-Fi and the abundance of ancient curses, there is plenty to talk about. Here is the lowdown on the series and what the team had to say about bringing this horror-comedy hybrid to life.
Welcome to the Island
Set 40 miles off the coast of New England, Widow’s Bay follows Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), a man who is desperately trying to save his dying town by turning it into a premier tourist destination. The problem? The locals are notoriously superstitious, the cell reception is nonexistent, and everyone thinks Tom is a bit of a coward. (To be fair, he is.) Just as Tom’s marketing plan finally starts to work and tourists begin to arrive, it turns out that those “ridiculous” local legends about a lurking evil were actually 100% accurate.
Horror, Humor, and Island Charm
In our conversation, the group emphasized the “genre-bending” nature of the show. Katie Dippold noted that while the horror is genuine, the humor comes from the very human, very awkward ways the characters handle being hunted by the supernatural.
Matthew Rhys joked about playing a mayor who is essentially in over his head. At the same time, Stephen Root and Kate O’Flynn hinted at the quirky, isolation-driven personalities of the island’s permanent residents—the kind of people who have lived with a curse for so long that they find it more of an annoyance than a tragedy.
Key Details
The Cast, led by Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, and Stephen Root, with supporting turns from Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, and Jeff Hiller. Created by Katie Dippold and directed by Hiro Murai (Atlanta, Mr. & Mrs. Smith), the story is equally quirky, charming, and downright scary.
The 10-episode season kicks off Wednesday, April 29, with a two-episode premiere. New episodes follow every Wednesday through June 17. If the lack of Wi-Fi doesn’t kill you, the local folklore definitely will. Catch Widow’s Bay on Apple TV+ starting next week.
