Keri Russell teases a reunion with her The Americans co-star Matthew Rhys in The Diplomat season 2. Consisting of eight episodes, The Diplomat recently debuted on Netflix. The political drama follows Kate Wyler (Russell), the new U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Though she is a pro at handling crisis situations, she's less at ease with her new, more public-facing job. That discomfort is also increased by her complicated marriage to Hal (Rufus Sewell).
The Diplomat season 2 hasn't been confirmed by Netflix, but in a recent interview with The AVClub, Russell was asked if Rhys could show up in a second installment of the drama. The two actors, who are married in real life, both appeared in Cocaine Bear and the Apple TV+ anthology Extrapolations, though they don't share any scenes together. When it comes to The Diplomat, however, Russell teases that Rhys could possibly the cast in the future. Read her full response is below:
"Oh yeah, absolutely. He’s so good, right? He’s so fun to work with. I would love to. If The Diplomat gets a second season, maybe we can lure him our way. In fact, when we were filming last summer, I asked him, “Don’t you want [series creator] Debora [Cahn] to write something for you? What would you do?” Matthew likes tough guys because I think, you know, he’s an actor and wears makeup for a living, so when I said, “What do you want to play?” He said some kind of army or military soldier. So you never know."
Matthew Rhys Would Be Perfect For The Diplomat Season 2
The Diplomat has an impressive cast, including Ali Ahn, David Gyasi, Rory Kinnear, and Ato Essandoh. Other notable actors, like Better Call Saul alum Michael McKean, appear in recurring roles that could expand if the show is renewed. Part of the charm is that the series also plays as a political dramedy, never forgetting the lighthearted side of that equation, even as the plot moves in the direction of a cliffhanger.
Even looking beyond Russell's past history with Rhys on The Americans, the Netflix series compliments them both. Russell demonstrated her top-notch dramedy skills in Felicity, winning a Golden Globe for her lead performance on the WB hit. Rhys is currently walking between comedy and drama in Perry Mason season 2, commanding the screen with the help of a talented ensemble. It would be nice for the two to collaborate on a project that would be significantly lighter than The Americans, which often went to dark places.
Debora Cahn, the creator of The Diplomat, has addressed the possibility of Kate's story continuing. Cahn noted that she has hopes and ideas for the show's future. If the circumstances line up and the right role could be figured out, Rhys could pop up in a clever guest role, and Russell seems to think it's possible.
Source: The AVClub