Keri Russell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keri Russell
Russell in 2016
Born	Keri Lynn Russell (1976-03-23) March 23, 1976 (age 49) Fountain Valley, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Shane Deary ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2014)​ Matthew Rhys ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	3

Keri Lynn Russell (born March 23, 1976) is a famous American actress. She is well-known for her roles in popular TV shows and movies.

One of her most famous roles was as the main character in the drama series Felicity (1998–2002). This role helped her win a Golden Globe Award. Later, she played Elizabeth Jennings in the spy thriller series The Americans (2013–2018). For this role, she was nominated for several big awards like the Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

More recently, she starred in the political drama series The Diplomat (2023–present), where she also received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Keri Russell has also been nominated many times for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.

She started her career early, appearing on The All New Mickey Mouse Club when she was just 15 years old. She was a regular on the show from 1991 to 1994. Her first movie role was in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992). Keri Russell has also appeared in other movies like We Were Soldiers (2002), Waitress (2007), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). She has also acted in plays on stage, including her first Broadway show, Burn This (2019).

Keri Russell's Early Life

Keri Lynn Russell was born on March 23, 1976, in Fountain Valley, California. Her mother, Stephanie Stephens, was a homemaker, and her father, David Russell, worked for Nissan Motors. She has an older brother named Todd and a younger sister named Julie.

Her family moved often because of her father's job. They lived in different places like Coppell, Texas; Mesa, Arizona; and Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Keri was a talented dancer, and her dancing skills helped her get a spot on The Mickey Mouse Club.

Keri Russell's Acting Career

Starting Out: Mickey Mouse Club and Early Roles

Keri Russell's dancing talent helped her become a cast member of The All New Mickey Mouse Club TV show on the Disney Channel. She was on the show from 1991 to 1994.

In 1992, she appeared in the movie Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. The next year, in 1993, she had a role on the TV show Boy Meets World. She also appeared in an episode of Married... with Children in 1995. That same year, she had a role in the short-lived TV show Malibu Shores.

In 1994, Keri Russell was featured in the music video for Bon Jovi's song "Always." In 1997, she appeared in two episodes of the TV series Roar.

Becoming a Star with Felicity

From 1998 to 2002, Keri Russell played the main character in the very popular WB Network series Felicity. In 1999, she won a Golden Globe Award for her amazing performance in this role.

While Felicity was still on TV, Russell also appeared in a few movies. These included Eight Days a Week, The Curve, and Mad About Mambo. Her next big movie role was in We Were Soldiers (2002). In this film, she played the wife of a U.S. soldier during the Vietnam War.

New York and Film Roles

When Felicity finished, Keri Russell moved to New York City. In 2004, she made her first appearance on stage in an off-Broadway play called Fat Pig. In 2005, she returned to TV and movies. She appeared in the TV movie The Magic of Ordinary Days and the film The Upside of Anger. She was also in the TV miniseries Into the West.

In 2005, director J. J. Abrams asked Keri Russell to join the cast of Mission: Impossible III, and she agreed. She also tried out for the role of Lois Lane in Superman Returns but the part went to another actress.

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

In 2006, Russell became a spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics. In 2007, she starred in The Keri Kronicles, a short reality show about her life. Also in 2007, she played Melody on the TV show Scrubs.

Russell then starred in the movie Waitress. Critics really liked her performance in this film. She also completed roles in Grimm Love and The Girl in the Park in 2007.

Keri Russell appeared in August Rush, released in November 2007. She later starred in Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler. In 2009, she voiced Wonder Woman in an direct-to-video animated movie.

In 2010, Russell starred in the film Extraordinary Measures. She played Aileen Crowley, a mother trying to create a normal life for her sick children. Russell also starred in the Fox TV series Running Wilde from 2010 to 2011.

The Americans and The Diplomat

Russell at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con

From 2013 to 2018, Keri Russell starred in the FX drama series The Americans. She played Elizabeth Jennings, a Russian KGB spy secretly living as an American in the 1980s during the Cold War. She acted alongside Matthew Rhys, who played her character's husband and spy partner. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys also became partners in real life during this time. The series ran for six seasons. For her role, she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series awards and two Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama awards.

In 2013, Russell also starred in the science-fiction horror film Dark Skies and the romantic comedy Austenland. In 2014, she appeared in the science fiction action film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. She played Serena Knight in the 2016 historical war film Free State of Jones. In 2017, she received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In July 2018, it was announced that Russell would join the cast of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which came out in December 2019. This movie brought her back together with J.J. Abrams, who she had worked with on Felicity and Mission: Impossible III.

In March 2019, she starred in the first Broadway revival of Lanford Wilson's play Burn This at the Hudson Theatre.

In 2023, Keri Russell began starring in The Diplomat, a political series on Netflix. She is also an executive producer for the show.

Keri Russell's Personal Life

In 2006, Keri Russell got engaged to Shane Deary, a contractor she met through friends. They got married in New York on February 14, 2007. They have two children together: a son born in 2007 and a daughter born in 2011. Russell and Deary separated in early 2013 and divorced in mid-2014.

Since 2014, she has been in a relationship with Welsh actor Matthew Rhys. He was her co-star in The Americans. They have a son, who was born in 2016. In interviews from 2021, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys referred to each other as husband and wife.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

Keri Russell has won and been nominated for many awards throughout her career. Here are some of the awards she has received or been nominated for:

See also

In Spanish: Keri Russell para niños