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Keri Russell
Russell looking towards a camera
Russell in 2016
Born
Keri Lynn Russell

(1976-03-23) March 23, 1976 (age 47)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1991–present
Spouse(s)
Shane Deary
(m. 2007; div. 2014)
Children 3

Keri Lynn Russell (born March 23, 1976) is an American actress. She has 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.

..... In 2023, she began starring in the political drama series The Diplomat.

Early life

Keri Lynn Russell was born on March 23, 1976, in Fountain Valley, California, the daughter of Stephanie Stephens, a homemaker, and David Russell, a Nissan Motors executive. She has an older brother, Todd, and a younger sister, Julie. The family lived in Coppell, Texas; Mesa, Arizona; and Highlands Ranch, Colorado, moving frequently due to her father's work. Russell's dancing earned her a spot on The Mickey Mouse Club.

Career

1990s

Russell first appeared on television at age 15 as a cast member of the All-New Mickey Mouse Club variety show on the Disney Channel. She was on the show from 1991 to 1994, encompassing seasons four to six.

In 1992, Russell appeared in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid and in 1993, she had a role on the sitcom Boy Meets World as character Mr. Feeny's niece. Russell appeared on Married... with Children in a 1995 episode ("Radio Free Trumaine", production 9.24). ..... That year she also had a role on the short-lived soap opera series Malibu Shores.

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

From 1998 to 2002, Russell starred as the title character on the successful WB Network series Felicity. In 1999, she won a Golden Globe for the role. Russell's long, curly hair was one of her character's defining characteristics and her hairstyle change at the beginning of the show's second season was speculated by some to have caused a significant drop in the show's ratings.

2000s

KeriRussell09TIFF
Russell at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

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), 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.

When Felicity ended, Russell moved to New York City and made her off-Broadway stage debut in 2004 in Neil LaBute's Fat Pig. 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, theatrical film The Upside of Anger and the television miniseries Into the West. Directing Mission: Impossible III in 2005, J. J. Abrams asked Russell to join the cast and she accepted. She was screen tested for the role of Lois Lane in Superman Returns, but lost the role to Kate Bosworth.

In mid-2006, Russell was chosen to be a celebrity spokeswoman for CoverGirl cosmetics. 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. 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. Her performance was positively received by critics, with Michael Sragow of The Baltimore Sun writing that Russell's performance had "aesthetic character" and "wields tenderness and fierceness with quiet heat". In 2007, Russell also completed roles in Grimm Love (titled Rohtenburg for its German release), in which she played Katie Armstrong, a graduate student who writes her thesis on an infamous cannibal murder case and the thriller The Girl in the Park.

Russell next appeared in August Rush, released in November 2007. She also appeared on the cover of the New York Post's Page Six magazine on November 11, 2007. Russell later appeared in Bedtime Stories. 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.

2010s

Keri Russell 2010 2
Russell at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, 2010

Russell starred in the Tom Vaughan-helmed Extraordinary Measures 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. 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.

Russell starred in the Fox series Running Wilde from 2010 to 2011.

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.

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

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. In August 2018, Russell was announced to star as Anna in the first Broadway revival of Lanford Wilson's play Burn This. Performances began in March 2019 at the Hudson Theatre.

2020s

On March 16, 2023, Netflix announced that Russell will star in The Diplomat, a political series from The West Wing writer and producer Debora Cahn. The series premiered on April 20, 2023.

Personal life

In 2006, Russell became engaged to Shane Deary, a Brooklyn-based contractor she met through mutual friends. They married in New York on February 14, 2007. They have two children: 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, her co-star in The Americans. They have a son, born in 2016. In interviews conducted in 2021, Russell and Rhys referred to each other as husband and wife.

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
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 ... 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 ... 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"
The Diplomat Kate Wyler Main role; also executive producer

Music videos

Year Song Artist
1994 "Always" Bon Jovi

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
TBA 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 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 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
2024 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Diplomat Pending

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Keri Russell para niños

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