Keri Russell

Not to be confused with Kerry Rossall.

Keri Lynn Russell (born March 23, 1976)^[1] is an American actress. She played the title role in the drama series Felicity (1998–2002), which won her a Golden Globe Award, and later portrayed Elizabeth Jennings in the spy thriller series The Americans (2013–2018), which earned her nominations for several Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. For playing the title role in the political drama series The Diplomat (2023–present), she received further Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She has also received a record six nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.

Keri Russell
Russell in 2016
Born	Keri Lynn Russell (1976-03-23) March 23, 1976 (age 48) Fountain Valley, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouses	Shane Deary ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2014)​ Matthew Rhys ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	3

First appearing in 1991, while a teen, as a regular on The All New Mickey Mouse Club, and making her first film appearance a few months later in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992), Russell's other film appearances include We Were Soldiers (2002), Waitress (2007), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Early life

Russell was born on March 23, 1976, in Fountain Valley, California, to Stephanie Stephens, a housewife, and David Russell, a Nissan Motors executive.^[2] She has an older brother and a younger sister. The family lived in Coppell, Texas; Mesa, Arizona; and Highlands Ranch, Colorado, moving frequently due to her father's work.

Career

1990s

Russell's dancing earned her a spot on television at age 15 as a cast member of the All-New Mickey Mouse Club variety show on the Disney Channel.^[3][4] She was on the show from 1991 to 1994, encompassing seasons four to six.

In 1992, she appeared in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid and in 1993, had a role on the sitcom Boy Meets World as Mr. Feeny's niece. She appeared on Married... with Children in a 1995 episode ("Radio Free Trumaine", production 9.24). She subsequently starred in several film and television roles, including the 1996 made-for-television film The Babysitter's Seduction.^[3] That year she also had a role on the short-lived soap opera series Malibu Shores.^[3]

In 1994, Russell appeared as the "other woman" in Bon Jovi's music video "Always".^[5] In 1997, she appeared in two episodes of Roar.^[3]

From 1998 to 2002, Russell starred as the title character on the successful WB Network series Felicity, and in 1999 won a Golden Globe for the role.

During the show's run, Russell appeared in the films Eight Days a Week, The Curve and Mad About Mambo, all of which received only limited releases in North America. Her next role was in the film We Were Soldiers (2002),^[3] playing the wife of a United States serviceman during the Vietnam War. The film was released two months before the end of Felicity's run.

2000s

Russell at the British premiere of Mission: Impossible III, 2006

When Felicity ended, Russell moved to New York City and made her off-Broadway stage debut in 2004 in Neil LaBute's Fat Pig.^[6] In 2005, she returned to television and film, beginning with an appearance in the Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie The Magic of Ordinary Days, the theatrical film The Upside of Anger, and the television miniseries Into the West. In 2005, director J. J. Abrams asked Russell to join the cast of Mission: Impossible III, and she accepted. She was screen tested for the role of Lois Lane in Superman Returns but lost the part to Kate Bosworth.^[7]

In mid-2006, Russell was chosen to be a celebrity spokeswoman for CoverGirl cosmetics.^[8] In the summer of 2007, Russell appeared in The Keri Kronicles, a reality show sitcom sponsored by CoverGirl and airing on MySpace; the show was filmed at Russell's home in Manhattan and spotlighted her life.^[9] Also in 2007, she played Melody on the NBC show Scrubs.

Russell next starred in the film Waitress, which marked the fourth time she played a pregnant woman.^[10] Her performance was positively received by critics,^[9] with Michael Sragow of The Baltimore Sun writing that Russell's performance had "aesthetic character" and "wields tenderness and fierceness with quiet heat".^[11] In 2007, Russell also completed roles in Grimm Love and The Girl in the Park.

Russell next appeared in August Rush, released in November 2007. Russell later appeared in Bedtime Stories.^[12] In an appearance on The View on December 15, 2008, Russell said she got the part because Adam Sandler's wife Jackie had seen her in Waitress and suggested her for the movie. Russell voiced Wonder Woman in a direct-to-video animated feature released on March 3, 2009.^[13]

2010s

Russell at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con

Russell starred in the Tom Vaughan-helmed Extraordinary Measures^[14][15] for CBS Films. The drama, which started filming on April 6, 2009, and was released on January 22, 2010, was the first film to go into production for the new company.^[3][16] Russell played Aileen Crowley, a mother who tries to build a normal home life for her sick children while her husband and an unconventional scientist race against time to find a cure.^[17]

Russell starred in the Fox series Running Wilde from 2010 to 2011.^[18]

From 2013 to 2018, she starred in the FX drama series The Americans, playing Elizabeth Jennings, a deep-undercover Russian KGB spy living as an American in the 1980s Cold War era. She appeared opposite Matthew Rhys, who portrays her character's husband and spy partner. Russell and Rhys became partners in real life during this time. The series ended after six seasons.^[19]

In 2013, Russell starred in the science-fiction horror film Dark Skies and the romantic comedy film Austenland. In 2014, she starred in the science fiction action film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, a sequel to 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes.^[20] She starred as Serena Knight in the 2016 historical war film Free State of Jones.

In 2017, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[21] In July 2018, Russell was announced to have joined the cast of the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which was released on December 20, 2019. The film reunited her with J.J. Abrams, with whom she had worked on Felicity and Mission: Impossible III.^[22] In August 2018, she was announced to star as Anna in the first Broadway revival of Lanford Wilson's play Burn This, which opened in March 2019 at the Hudson Theatre.^[23]

2020s

In 2023, Russell began starring in The Diplomat, a political series on Netflix from writer and producer Debora Cahn.^[24]

Personal life

In 2006, Russell became engaged to Shane Deary, a Brooklyn-based contractor she met through mutual friends.^[10] They married in New York on February 14, 2007.^[25] They have two children: a son born in 2007 and a daughter born in 2011.^[26][27] Russell and Deary separated in early 2013 and divorced in mid-2014.^[28][29] Since 2014, she has been in a relationship with Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, her co-star in The Americans.^[30] They have a son, born in 2016.^[31][32] In interviews conducted in 2021, Russell and Rhys referred to each other as husband and wife.^[33][34]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1992	Honey, I Blew Up the Kid	Mandy Park
1998	The Curve	Emma	Also known as Dead Man's Curve
1999	Eight Days a Week	Erica
2000	Mad About Mambo	Lucy McLoughlin
2002	We Were Soldiers	Barbara Geoghegan
2005	The Upside of Anger	Emily Wolfmeyer
2006	Grimm Love	Katie
	Mission: Impossible III	Lindsey Farris
2007	August Rush	Lyla Novacek
	The Girl in the Park	Celeste
	Waitress	Jenna Hunterson
2008	Bedtime Stories	Jill Hastings
2009	Leaves of Grass	Janet
	Wonder Woman	Diana Prince / Wonder Woman (voice)	Direct-to-video film
2010	Extraordinary Measures	Aileen Crowley
2012	Goats	Judy
2013	Austenland	Jane Hayes
	Dark Skies	Lacy Barrett
2014	Dawn of the Planet of the Apes	Ellie
2016	Free State of Jones	Serena Knight
2019	Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker	Zorii Bliss
2021	Antlers	Julia Meadows
2023	Cocaine Bear	Sari

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1991–1993	The All New Mickey Mouse Club	Herself	Main role
1993	Boy Meets World	Jessica	Episode: "Grandma Was a Rolling Stone"
1994	Daddy's Girls	Phoebe Walker	3 episodes
1995	Clerks	Sandra	Television pilot
	Married... with Children	April Adams	Episode: "Radio Free Trumaine"
1996	The Babysitter's Seduction	Michelle Winston	Television film
	The Lottery	Felice Dunbar	Television film
	Malibu Shores	Chloe Walker	Main role
1997	Roar	Claire	2 episodes
	7th Heaven	Camille	Episode: "Choices"
	When Innocence Is Lost	Erica French	Television film
1998–2002	Felicity	Felicity Porter	Main role
2000	CinderElmo	Princess	Television film
2005	Into the West	Naomi Wheeler	Episode: "Manifest Destiny"
	The Magic of Ordinary Days	Olivia "Livvy" Dunne	Television film
2007	Scrubs	Melody O'Harra	2 episodes
2010–2011	Running Wilde	Emmy Kadubic	Main role
2013	Arrested Development	Widow Carr (voice)	Episode: "Señoritis"
2013–2018	The Americans	Elizabeth Jennings	Main role
2017	Secret History of Comics	Narrator	Episode: "The Truth About Wonder Woman"
2018	Running Wild with Bear Grylls	Herself	Episode: "Canary Islands"
2021	Explained	Narrator	Episode: "Sugar"
2023	Extrapolations	Olivia Drew	Episode: "2059 Part II: Nightbirds"
2023–present	The Diplomat	Kate Wyler	Main role; also executive producer

Music videos

Year	Song	Artist
1994	"Always"	Bon Jovi

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2024	Open Roads	Opal Devine (voice)

Theatre

Year	Play	Role	Venue
2004–2005	Fat Pig	Jeannie	Lucille Lortel Theatre
2019	Burn This	Anna Mann	Hudson Theatre

Awards and nominations

Year[lower-alpha 1]	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
1993	Young Artist Awards	Best Young Actress Co-Starring in a Motion Picture	Honey, I Blew Up the Kid	Nominated
		Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Youth Series or Variety Show	The All New Mickey Mouse Club	Nominated
1999	Golden Globe Awards	Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series – Drama	Felicity	Won
1999	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Breakout TV Star	Felicity	Won
		Choice TV Actress	Felicity	Nominated
2000	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress	Felicity	Nominated
2001	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress	Felicity	Nominated
2002	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress Drama	Felicity	Nominated
2005	Satellite Awards	Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film	The Magic of Ordinary Days	Nominated
2006	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie Actress: Drama/Action Adventure	Mission: Impossible III	Nominated
2008	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie Actress: Drama	August Rush	Nominated
2013	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2013	Women's Image Network Awards	Outstanding Actress Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2014	Satellite Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Drama	The Americans	Nominated
2014	Saturn Awards	Best Actress on Television	The Americans	Nominated
2014	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2015	Satellite Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Drama	The Americans	Won
2015	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2016	Television Critics Association Awards	Individual Achievement in Drama	The Americans	Nominated
2016	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2016	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2017	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Drama	The Americans	Nominated
2017	People's Choice Awards	Favorite Cable TV Actress	The Americans	Nominated
2017	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2018	Television Critics Association Awards	Individual Achievement in Drama	The Americans	Won
2018	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2019	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Drama	The Americans	Nominated
2019	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Actress in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2019	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series	The Americans	Nominated
2019	Satellite Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Drama	The Americans	Nominated	[35]
2024	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Drama	The Diplomat	Nominated	[36]
2024	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Actress in a Drama Series	The Diplomat	Nominated	[37]
2024	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	The Diplomat	Nominated	[38]
2024	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series	The Diplomat	Nominated	[39]

Notes

1. Where available, the "Year" value is linked to the specific ceremony.

References

1. Keri Russell Biography Archived August 29, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. People. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
2. Myers, Chuck (August 16, 2000). "1st Person: Keri Russell". Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. Retrieved December 9, 2007.^{[dead link]}
3. "Keri Russell- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
4. "Six Massive Stars who Started out in the Mickey Mouse Club". DisneyFanClub.org. June 11, 2009. Archived from the original on July 21, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
5. "Keri Russell:Five Fun Facts". People. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
6. King, Susan (May 9, 2007). "Life follows fiction for Keri Russell". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
7. "Keri Russell: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
8. "Keri Russell takes a turn as Cover Girl". USA Today. July 11, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
9. Gould Keil, Jennifer (May 13, 2007). "Covergirl Keri Russell Shoots Web". New York Post. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
10. Bonnelli, Winnie (May 16, 2007). "Waitress Serves Up Keri Russell". IndyEastend.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
11. Sragow, Michael (May 25, 2007). "Keri Russell is a delight in scrumptious Waitress". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
12. "Keri Russell helps tell Bedtime Stories". TotalFilm.com. November 29, 2007. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
13. Ryan, Joal (December 5, 2013). "Meet the 9 Wonder Women of Yore". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
14. "Extraordinary Measures (2010)". IMDb. Archived from the original on January 27, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
15. "News and Culture: Brenden Fraser's Untitled Crowley Project Now Has (Another) Terrible Title". Willamette Week. September 24, 2009. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
16. "Keri Russell's "Extraordinary" Role". CBS. June 18, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
17. Siegel, Tatiana (February 12, 2009). "Keri Russell nurses CBS film role". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
18. Running Wilde Races for an Audience
19. Rose, Lacey (March 7, 2012). "Keri Russell to Star in FX's The Americans". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
20. Lombardi, Ken (July 10, 2014). "Keri Russell, Andy Serkis talk "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"". CBS News. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
21. "Russell got her start on the Mickey Mouse Club". Agence France-Presse. May 31, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via CTV News.
22. Hipes, Patrick (July 27, 2018). "Keri Russell Is In Star Wars: Episode IX After All". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
23. Rubin, Rebecca (August 15, 2018). "Keri Russell to Join Adam Driver in Burn This on Broadway". Variety. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
24. "Keri Russell Is Swearing In as The Diplomat on April 20". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
25. Jordan, Julie (February 15, 2007). "Keri Russell Marries in New York". People. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
26. "Keri Russell Gives Birth to a Boy". People. June 18, 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
27. "Keri Russell Welcomes Daughter Willa Lou". People. January 5, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
28. Leonard, Elizabeth (December 5, 2013). "Keri Russell and Shane Deary Separate". People. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
29. "Keri Russell is 'doing really good' after divorce". The Arizona Republic. Bang Showbiz. July 9, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
30. Rubenstein, Janine Rayford (April 1, 2014). "Keri Russell Is Dating Matthew Rhys". People. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
31. "Keri Russell Gives Birth, Welcomes First Child With Americans Costar Matthew Rhys!". Us Weekly. May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
32. "Keri Russell Reveals Name and Sex of Her First Child with Matthew Rhys – and Says the Baby Is Doing 'So Good'". People. July 1, 2016. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
33. "Keri Russell's Kids Call Her Friend Group "Moms Gone Wild"". YouTube. November 4, 2021.
34. "Watch Matthew Rhys Set Sail with al Roker". YouTube. October 21, 2021.
35. "2018 Awards Nominees". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
36. Lang, Brent; Shanfeld, Ethan (December 11, 2023). "Golden Globes 2024: Full Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
37. Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (January 14, 2024). "Oppenheimer, Barbie, The Bear lead 2024 Critics Choice Awards: See the full winners list". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
38. Sherman, Rachel (July 12, 2023). "Emmy Nominees 2023: The Complete List". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
39. "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.

External links

• Keri Russell at IMDb
• Keri Russell at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Keri Russell at the Internet Broadway Database

Preceded by Lucy Lawless (2008)

Voice of Wonder Woman 2009

Succeeded by Vanessa Marshall