Keri Russell Opens Up About Early Relationship with Matthew Rhys

Keri Russell recently shared some personal insights about her early romance with partner Matthew Rhys. In a recent episode of the “Dear Chelsea” podcast, the 50-year-old actress reflected on the whirlwind of emotions they experienced while filming the first seasons of “The Americans.”

“It was a time of falling in love, staying up late, and, well, you know, we were quite adventurous—wearing wigs, disguises, and all that,” she recalled, adding humorously, “I mean, who wears pearls while, you know, making out in trailers? It was crazy, fun, and so sneaky—it definitely had a sexy vibe.”

Although they had met briefly before, Russell and Rhys reconnected in 2012 during the show’s first season. Their relationship became public in April 2014 after those early dating rumors circulated in late 2013.

The couple shares a son, Sam, born in May 2016. Additionally, Russell has two children, River and Willa, from her previous marriage to Shane Deary.

Despite being together for over a decade, Russell mentioned during the podcast that she doesn’t feel the need to marry Rhys. “I’ve celebrated significant moments without needing the formalities of marriage,” she noted. “People used to think you needed to be married just for things like credit cards, but we can do that now without it. If you want to stick around, great; if not, that’s fine too.”

Russell believes that sharing a child binds them for life, which she perceives as more meaningful than the institution of marriage, labeling it somewhat “antiquated.”

Currently, Russell is promoting the fourth season of her popular Netflix series, “The Diplomat,” where she plays Kate Wyler, the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom entangled in international conflicts. She enjoys portraying a character who is intelligent and humorous but also occasionally makes poor decisions.

After Rhys’ recent Emmy Awards speech, where he forgot to mention Russell, host Chelsea Handler joked that when Russell wins an award, she should thank all her exes and leave Rhys out.

Russell responded to the concerns over Rhys’ omission by clarifying that she had actually encouraged him not to thank her, understanding that he felt pressure to deliver a good acceptance speech. “I told him to just focus on himself and that I knew he cared about me. He had too many people to recognize, and I didn’t want to add to his stress,” she explained. They both appreciated the understanding that they didn’t need to feel obligated to thank each other publicly.