A star of TV series The Diplomat wants to learn Welsh to speak to her son in the language. Keri Russell is in a long term relationship with Cardiff-born actor Matthew Rhys, who she met on the set of spy drama The Americans. The 48-year-old said she had picked up the basics from hearing her other half speak to his family and their son Sam.
The actress told Lucy Owen: “I know bore da, nos da, I know how to count, normal liveable things. But Math speaks to Sam almost exclusively in Welsh.”
Russell said she needed to visit Welsh learners’ centre Nant Gwytheyrn, in Llithfaen, Gwynedd, having become fascinated by the Welsh culture.
“Everything about the Welsh culture from the eisteddfod, everything is surrounded by poetry and dance and art in general,” she said.
“Meeting Math and learning about that, it’s just very much a part of who he is, and how cool that kids grow up performing in this ancient tradition of art and dance and singing.”
In The Diplomat Russell plays US ambassador to the UK Kate Wyler, who is being groomed for the vice presidency. Series two began on Netflix this week. With the fight for US presidency still ongoing Russell said any similarities with real life US politics were not planned. Writing and filming happened “so long ago” but was interrupted and delayed by writer and actor strikes.
“Although this is extremely topical, we had made our show well before all of this,” Russell said.
“Though I will say there is a lot of vice presidential talk. There’s one pretty spicy scene where my husband’s character says some pretty disparaging things to the vice president character, and that’s taken from real life.”
She said she was grateful to be playing a powerful and intelligent woman.
“There was a time for women in this industry where you’d be almost 50 and things were kind of ending,” said Russell.
“So to get the opportunity to do a project like this that is so smart and so funny, everything I want it to be, I’m beyond grateful.”
