Keri Russell revealed on the Dear Chelsea podcast that she and her co-star Matthew Rhys maintained a passionate, secret romance while filming the FX spy drama series The Americans, utilizing their elaborate character disguises during their relationship.
The Bottom Line
- Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys engaged in a secret, off-screen relationship throughout the production of the FX series, using their character disguises during private moments.
- The relationship was inadvertently exposed to the production crew when police returned personal items recovered after a break-in at Russell’s apartment that actually belonged to Rhys.
- The couple, who portrayed married KGB spies Elizabeth and Philip Jennings across six seasons from 2013 to 2018, welcomed a son together in 2016 and have maintained a private family life ever since.
Playing KGB Spies While Falling in Love Off-Screen
During the six seasons of The Americans from 2013 to 2018, Russell and Rhys starred as Elizabeth and Philip Jennings. The fictional characters operated as deep-cover KGB agents residing in a Washington suburb during the 1980s. Their espionage assignments required constant wardrobe modifications, leading to an array of distinctive wigs and outfits.
Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell at the Emmys. pic.twitter.com/N6g2zYDdRz
According to Russell’s appearance on the podcast, those exact professional assets crossed over into their private dynamic. On était en train de amoureux l’un de l’autre à ce moment-là. On veillait toute la nuit et on faisait l’amour tout le temps, tout en portant nos déguisements de de la série… J’avais des perruques complètement dingues et des colliers de perles ! Quand est-ce que vous avez déjà porté des perles en faisant l’amour dans des loges ? Ou n’importe partout ailleurs en fait ? C’était de la folie. C’était tellement amusant, secret, sexy… et tellement bien,
Russell recounted regarding the clandestine early phase of their romance.
How a Burglary Forced the Romance Into the Open
While the actors attempted to keep their off-screen involvement shielded from the production crew, external circumstances ultimately forced the revelation. Matthew Rhys previously detailed how the relationship became common knowledge after a break-in occurred at Russell’s apartment.
The police recovered several items following the incident and returned them to the television set, assuming the belongings belonged to the actress. However, a production assistant recognized that the recovered items actually belonged to Rhys. That mix-up effectively confirmed their relationship to the rest of the crew, ending the secrecy on set.
| Production Detail | Series Information |
|---|---|
| Network | FX |
| Broadcast Window | 2013–2018 |
| Seasons | 6 |
| On-Screen Roles | Elizabeth and Philip Jennings |
A Quiet Domestic Life
Following the conclusion of the spy drama, the pair transitioned into one of the more discreet and solid partnerships in Hollywood. The couple welcomed a son together in 2016 and continue to preserve their private life.
By keeping their family life outside the public eye, Russell and Rhys have managed to preserve a boundary between their television careers and their personal routine in the years since trading in their fictional KGB identities.
