Keri Russell Makes Steamy Confession About Matthew Rhys Relationship

Before she was the titular character The Diplomat, Keri Russell was playing a Russian spy in The Americans opposite her now-longtime partner, Matthew Rhys. Though the actors kept their relationship under wraps for a good portion of filming, they’ve been open about their romance ever since — Russell even shared a steamy tidbit about the early days of their relationship.

During the October 8 episode of the Dear Chelsea podcast, the 50-year-old actress revealed that she and her Widow’s Bay star partner were getting frisky on the set of The Americans. When host Chelsea Handler pointed out how fun filming The Americansmust have been, Russell instantly agreed. She said that the off-screen romance with Rhys, who played her on-screen spy husband, contributed to that.

“It was so fun,” Russell explained, “and also we were like, falling in love and staying up all night and like having sex all the time and just like, wearing disguises. I’m in f***ing crazy wigs and wearing pearls. When have you ever worn pearls? And like, f***ing in trailers and everywhere. I mean it was insanity. It was so fun and sneaky and sexy and so good.”

THE AMERICANS — “Glanders” (Airs, Wednesday, March 16, 10:00 pm/ep) — Pictured: (l-r) Matthew Rhys as Philip Jennings, Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings. CR: Eric Liebowitz/FX

Russell also revealed to Handler that she made first move on Rhys, though the the latter said during a 2017 Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen appearance that he asked Russell out after a kickball game in 2002. They didn’t reconnect until filming Season 1 of The Americansin 2012. The Hollywood power couple were confirmed to be dating in 2014, roughly one year after their show premiered on FX.

The actors actually started dating earlier than when outlets first reported on their relationship. Russell and Rhys kept their relationship a secret at work until, according to Rhys, a burglary outed them to their coworkers. Russell was sleeping over when someone broke into Rhys’ apartment. The NYPD returned their stolen items on The Americans set, Rhys recalled during a Late Night With Seth Meyers interview.

The same year Russell and Rhys’ relationship went public, Russell divorced her husband of seven years, Shane Deary. They welcomed two children during their marriage. In May 2016, Russell and Rhys’ son, Sam, was born. “Of all of our friends, he’s the most mom dad,” Russell said of her partner on Dear Chelsea. “It’s kind of this incredible thing because Sam, who’s our littlest person, is my third kid, and Sam is Matthew’s first kid. I mean, he’s a father to the big kids, too, very much so. But Sam is his first.”

Russell continued, “And Sam’s my third. So by the time the third rolls around, you’re like, ‘Oh, s**t, you have baseball. Okay, well, I don’t know. Grab your Crocs and let’s go.’ And Matthew’s like, pack the bag. He has snacks for the whole team. He has a first aid kit. And he shows up, like, seriously.”

Russell also shared that even though they’re in a “heavy relationship,” being apart often is key to its success. “He’s getting ready to go to the UK for five months. I mean, he comes back around occasionally. But like, you know, as hard as it is, the house is mine. The bed is mine. The rules are mine… You know, it’s probably more boring without him, but it’s my rules. And then he comes back and everyone’s so excited and we’re excited.”