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SPY

baby

The Americans might be wrapping up, but life

for its two stars remains forever intertwined

THE AMERICANS (s6)

Wednesdays from April 18 at 8.30pm on

showcase [114] available in the DRAMA pack

“What [Philip and Elizabeth] do for a living

feeds that relationship or curtails it or pushes it

or limits it, and that’s what people respond to.”

When Foxtel magazine catches up with

Rhys and Russell they banter afectionately

while talking about the elaborate disguises

their characters have donned undercover.

“I like where Matthew has big beards and

moustaches and looks manly,” Russell teases,

laughing. Rhys responds, quick to announce

that his least favourite for Russell resembled

John Denver. “I just enjoyed ribbing her that

she looked like a small boy and I definitely

wanted that character to stay at work!”

With the final credits about to roll, the cast

is keeping quiet on if the Jennings family will

make it out alive. But they all agree viewers

will be enthralled until the very end.

“I’ve always felt that there’s a real ticking

bomb element to the series,” hints Rhys.

“It’s a satisfying ending.”

K

eri Russell and Matthew Rhys got

a lot more than they bargained

for when they signed on to play

Russian spies in The Americans.

So much has happened in the six years

since the Hollywood actors began filming

the Cold War drama as the married Elizabeth

and Philip Jennings. Not only were they both

thrown into the world of espionage, but the

pair also found love on set, welcoming their

first son together, Sam, in May 2016. Russell

has two children from a previous relationship.

For first-time dad Rhys he’s still surprised

by how much his life has changed.

“I reflect on that every morning when [Sam]

wakes us up at 5am and I say, ‘How did you

happen?’” he laughs.

The Welsh-born star recalls first meeting

Russell – then the Golden Globe-winning

headliner of television’s Felicity – in a parking

lot 18 years ago after he had appeared in his

first major film, Titus.

“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t believe that’s

her own hair’ because I thought that Felicity

wore a wig. So I congratulated her on her

hair and she drove of, which I thought was

rude,” he says with a grin.

Rhys didn’t meet the actress again until

the mandatory ‘chemistry test’ they endured

for executives who were considering casting

them as husband and wife in The Americans.

“We both remembered that time we met

and I like to think a small seed was planted

then with my enormous charm,” he jokes.

When The Americans returns for its sixth

and final outing this month, the action makes

a three-year jump to late 1987, and much has

changed for the Jennings family. While son

Henry (Keidrich Sellati) is thriving in boarding

school, still oblivious to the nature of the

family business, daughter Paige (Holly Taylor)

is now a college student working alongside

her mother as a spy while a burnt-out Philip

has stepped away from the chaos, choosing

to run the travel agency alone.

According to series co-creator Joel Fields,

pushing the period forward allowed them

to include the three-day nuclear arms treaty

summit between Russia and the US that

took place in Washington, DC in 1987.

“It all worked for us because last season

ended with Philip and Elizabeth facing big

decisions about marriage and family,” he

explains. “We wanted to explore how changes

over time impact a marriage, and we knew

(Ronald) Reagan and (Mikhail) Gorbachev

coming together would also trigger so much

for all the characters.”

Plus, in the wings, Paige is learning tricks

of the trade from her well-versed mother.

Taylor says she was excited to become part

of the central intrigue.

“I always hoped Paige would eventually

follow in their footsteps, so for that to be

finally happening is crazy to me,” she says

gratefully. “I studied the Cold War in school

but it was with Russia as the opposing side.

With our show, you see what motivated

them. It gives you this whole paradigm shift,

knowing that everyone on

both sides thought they

were doing what was best

for their country.”

As Russell reflects on the

Emmy-winning program’s

evolution, she believes it’s

that unique combination

of personal and political

focal points that makes the

production so successful.

“I know we’re set in this

1980s spy world, but it’s

truly one of my favourite

marriage stories and our

show is more about this

relationship,” she explains.

WORDS: JENNY COONEY CARRILLO. PHOTOS: 2018 FOX

An older Paige

(Holly Taylor)

joins her mother

in espionage

Foxtel APRIL 19