Sam Brigger

She got her start on television as a teenager on the all-new Mickey Mouse Club, with a cast that included Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. I spoke with Keri Russell in 2023 when The Diplomat premiered. Keri Russell, welcome to Fresh Air.

It's an honor to be here. Well, it's great to have you here. I just wanted to ask you first how you were pitched the show The Diplomat and the character Kate Wyler.

It's an honor to be here. Well, it's great to have you here. I just wanted to ask you first how you were pitched the show The Diplomat and the character Kate Wyler.

It's an honor to be here. Well, it's great to have you here. I just wanted to ask you first how you were pitched the show The Diplomat and the character Kate Wyler.

So the show's creators called your character itchy. What does that mean to you?

So the show's creators called your character itchy. What does that mean to you?

So the show's creators called your character itchy. What does that mean to you?

Yeah, she's much more comfortable behind the scenes, right?

Yeah, she's much more comfortable behind the scenes, right?

Yeah, she's much more comfortable behind the scenes, right?

So, as you said earlier, the job of the American ambassador to the UK has a lot of ceremonial aspects to it. And you said that the job is often a reward to like a big political donor or bundler and Kate's supposed to attend all these parties and teas. She's supposed to wear dresses and do photo shoots. And she really bristles against that. Like she just wants to do the diplomacy.

So, as you said earlier, the job of the American ambassador to the UK has a lot of ceremonial aspects to it. And you said that the job is often a reward to like a big political donor or bundler and Kate's supposed to attend all these parties and teas. She's supposed to wear dresses and do photo shoots. And she really bristles against that. Like she just wants to do the diplomacy.

So, as you said earlier, the job of the American ambassador to the UK has a lot of ceremonial aspects to it. And you said that the job is often a reward to like a big political donor or bundler and Kate's supposed to attend all these parties and teas. She's supposed to wear dresses and do photo shoots. And she really bristles against that. Like she just wants to do the diplomacy.

And I was just wondering if that's something that you relate to as an actor. Like do you enjoy movie openings and galas or would you just prefer to do the work?

And I was just wondering if that's something that you relate to as an actor. Like do you enjoy movie openings and galas or would you just prefer to do the work?

And I was just wondering if that's something that you relate to as an actor. Like do you enjoy movie openings and galas or would you just prefer to do the work?

Right. Well, let's just take a short break here. Let's talk about your last TV show, The Americans. The show ran for six seasons on FX. It ended in 2018. It was critically acclaimed. The show won two Peabody's and you were highly praised for your performance and you were nominated for three Emmys. So for people who don't know the show, I guess there are some people out there.

Right. Well, let's just take a short break here. Let's talk about your last TV show, The Americans. The show ran for six seasons on FX. It ended in 2018. It was critically acclaimed. The show won two Peabody's and you were highly praised for your performance and you were nominated for three Emmys. So for people who don't know the show, I guess there are some people out there.

Right. Well, let's just take a short break here. Let's talk about your last TV show, The Americans. The show ran for six seasons on FX. It ended in 2018. It was critically acclaimed. The show won two Peabody's and you were highly praised for your performance and you were nominated for three Emmys. So for people who don't know the show, I guess there are some people out there.

The show takes place in the 80s during the Reagan administration and you play Elizabeth Jennings, a Soviet spy posing as an American. You're in a KGB arranged marriage to another spy played by Matthew Rhys. And when the show starts, you've been living in the United States for 15 years. You have two American-born kids, which was initially just like part of your disguise.