FROM jumping off an exploding building strapped to Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible to going into battle in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – actress Keri Russell has had some extraordinary roles.
But the 48-year-old star reveals playing an American ambassador in hit Netflix series The Diplomat has proved one of the most challenging and enjoyable experiences of her career.
Keri, who is returning to our screens for a second season as diplomat Kate Wyler, admits it took a while to get her head round the political jargon and reveals she spent time with a real-life ambassador while preparing for the role.
The mum-of-three, who is married to Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, said: “I have been very lucky to have been involved with some amazing projects and then this one came right out of the blue, when I was least expecting it.
“I remember reading the script for the first time and I knew it was special and that I had to somehow do it. I’m so glad I did as it’s so well written and the people I get to work with are just so talented and so brilliant.
“I knew nothing of the world of diplomats and ambassadors before this show because it’s not a world we are supposed to know much about.
“I have learned that to be an ambassador is to give up any kind of normal life. These highly intelligent and brilliant people have to be able to work anywhere at any time. They speak multiple languages and have to be able to deal with all kinds of difficult and challenging situations.”
She added: “The political jargon was also hard to master. It’s a lot of words and diplomatic speech but the language is a huge part of the show and the character.
“There are so many facts and figures, acronyms, complicated names and everything else. It’s a challenge to get it all out to make it sound like you know what you’re talking about. It’s also a challenge not to just break and start laughing. That happens a lot!”
Keri, whose character has to juggle her job as ambassador to the UK and her turbulent marriage to political star Hal, said: “I learned a lot from Jane Hartley who is a real American ambassador working in London. I got to hang out with her and to see how brilliant she is and how people in her position really have to be so perfect at everything they do.
“It’s like everything is easy for them – the way they dress, the way they remember everyone’s names, how they know exactly what to say and what not to about whatever world issue is raised. Kate is a version of that but of course it is behind the scenes that all the chaos and the drama takes place, for Kate especially.”
Keri, who met her husband on the set of drama series The Americans, is a big fan of both the show and her chaotic and feisty character. She said: “It’s a really fun, exciting, smart and fascinating show set around the US State Department and the life of these diplomats and ambassadors that live all over the world that we know so little about.
“It’s a show about people in very powerful positions with important jobs but they’re doing them really clumsily and doing really embarrassing things. It’s got great humour, great drama and such great writing from Debora Cahn.”
Keri, who started her career at 15 as a Mickey Mouse Club cast member on the Disney Channel, added: “I just love how human my character is, despite the world she finds herself in. Kate is a problem-solver. She’s ruthless at what she does but she’s also clumsy and uncomfortable in her surroundings.
“She’s a fish-out-of-water. She makes mistakes, she says or does the wrong thing and that often causes problems for the people around her, which is part of the reason she has never been the boss. She’s a fascinating character to play.”
“I’m so excited the series is back for a second season. First of all, it means we must have been doing something right and that people want to see more. Secondly, it means we have done our job in setting up this world no one is supposed to know about and the characters within it. This season is six episodes whereas last season was eight so the pace has picked up. It’s more dynamic. There is so much going on.”
The troubled relationship between Kate and her husband Hal – played by Rufus Sewell – is a major part of the show and this season tensions continue to rise.
Keri, who was born in Fountain Valley, California, said: “There is still a lot of that, which I love. At the end of Season 1, Kate was maybe weighing up her options and deciding which way to go next but because of what happens to Hal, she has had no choice but to go home and to carry on. She is the one making sure everyone is safe. Hal needs her because he know he can trust her, in the same way Kate needs Hal, despite all their issues as a couple.”
The Honey I Blew up the Kid star added: “Rufus is an absolute joy to work with. He is so talented, so generous and so much fun. He’s perfect as Hal and any scene I get to do with Rufus is always just the best.”
The Diplomat is shot in various locations across the UK including Inveraray and Keri admits it was hard to be so far away from her children.
She said: “It’s a long way to come for someone who has three kids who are still at school. It’s a long time away but I love it. We all love it. My husband is Welsh so it’s great family time for us. We get to visit a lot of his family there.”
It’s almost 20 years since Keri starred in iconic action film Mission: Impossible and she has some very fond memories. She said: “I just remember how much fun it was. My first day shooting was me jumping off an exploding building strapped to Tom Cruise. It was so weird. I was looking at director JJ Abrams and he was laughing so hard. But of course Tom does all his own stunts, which meant I had to too. It was terrifying but fun.
“I got to reunite with JJ on Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. I love JJ and would do anything with him. He always calls in for a favour and no matter how hard I try to hide from him.
“I was so happy to be a part of Star Wars and I would love to do something else with him one day. I’m hoping he’ll do a romantic comedy next.”
Despite starring in a host of blockbuster movies and TV shows Keri admits she has rarely seen any of her performances. She said: “I don’t like seeing myself on screen, not one bit. I don’t watch myself…ever… unless I absolutely have to.”
The Diplomat is on Netflix now
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