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It may not seem like your typical rom-com duo: Keri Russell, known as a clandestine Russian spy in FX’s retro thriller “The Americans,” and Bret McKenzie of New Zealand’s comic-music duo, “Flight of the Conchords.” Put them both in regency costumes in a faux British amusement park devoted to Jane Austen fanatics, and things are bound to get a little freaky.

That’s the premise of the new film “Austenland,” directed by Jerusha Hess, the co-screenwriter of “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Gentlemen Broncos.” Based on the book by Shannon Hale, Russell plays a plain Jane unable to sustain a relationship while absorbed in her time-warp fantasies of romance and ruffles in Jane Austen books.

Her home is a shrine to Colin Firth’s portrayal of the dashing Mr. Darcy from the BBC production of “Pride and Prejudice,” complete with life-size cut-outs of the actor in costume and pillows and throws emblazoned with “I (heart) Darcy” symbols. She blows her life savings on a full-emersion experience at a British resort devoted to role-playing Austen where male actors are hired to fulfill guests’ romantic fantasies.

“It started with a lot of giggling about British men in britches,” says Hess, who co-wrote the screenplay with Hale and makes her directing debut. “I wanted to do something different and this is unashamedly a girl’s movie.” Continue reading ‘Austenland’ features unlikely pair, unlikely film

Keri Russell loved her experience shooting “Austenland,” a comedy about a group of modern-day Jane Austen fans who travel to what is essentially a theme park filled with characters from the novelist’s books.

She loved the script, her cast mates, working with a new director — loved it all. Except for one thing: the dresses.

“I definitely am one of those actors who likes the least amount of time in hair and makeup as possible,” said Russell, who entered the cultural zeitgeist with the WB show “Felicity” in the late 1990s and scored an indie hit as the lead in 2007’s “Waitress.”

“If I can do it in 20 minutes, I will. The idea of then adding an extra 20 minutes just to put on the clothes — I’m like, ‘No! That’s crazy.’ I dare you to put on a corset that you have to lace up every single day, and the bloomers and the lace-up boots and the tights, and then the underdress and the petticoat, and then the dress, which has to be laced and buttoned. It’s un-be-lieve-able.”

And try it when you’re six months’ pregnant, as Russell was at the beginning of the shoot.

“Certainly the chest region grew over the shooting,” Russell said, her laughter booming.

“Austenland” stars Russell as Jane Hayes, a mopey single woman in her 30s who can’t find a man — or when she does find one, she drives him away with her obsession with Austen.

She decides to spend her life savings on a Jane Austen experience, traveling to an English manor that has been decked out in 18th-century accoutrements and stocked with actors who dress and speak as Austen characters.

Jane Seymour has a delicious role as the micromanaging woman who runs the whole show.

The film is the first directing effort by Jerusha Hess, the Salt Lake City writer and filmmaker who, with her husband, Jared Hess, created a string of oddball comedies, including “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre.”

“I did it because of her,” Russell said. “Jerusha is young and smart and definitely has her own voice, which I appreciate. She has a real sense of style, and is great to work with. I’m really curious to see what she does next.”

Source: http://www.goerie.com/

For Austenland star Keri Russell, an afternoon glass of wine is totally fine. Bad music? Not so much.

The Golden Rule

“Always order something you don’t normally cook yourself. That’s what the late Jill Clayburgh told me once. She ordered sweetbreads. It sounded so exotic to me. But even if it’s something I can cook, they’re going to cook it better than I could.”

Music Makes the Meal

“I like music in restaurants—when it’s used well. I’ve spent a lot of kitchen time dancing to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ ‘Man on Fire.’”

Embrace Happy Hour

“It’s always okay to have an afternoon glass of wine. I’m a mother of two. Isn’t it in the rule book?”

Don’t Obsess Over Price

“It doesn’t always reflect a restaurant’s quality. If a place is cozy and delicious, it’s so much better than having eight courses and being uptight.”

Go Early

“I eat alone a lot, so I love finding a tucked-away-in-the-corner spot with my book, just when they open.”

Define Your Night

“Maybe I’m old, but to me, ‘going out’ means going out to dinner. It’s about the conversation: someone recognizing your intellect, the charm of flirting, and really speaking to somebody.”

MY TOP NOLA SPOTS

“When I’m in a city for a few months, I get a bunch of favorites and create a routine.” Here’s where Russell ate in New Orleans this summer while shooting Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Boucherie “They make this insane appetizer: shredded-pork carnitas rolled up with peach inside.”

Patois “I love the olive oil cake.”

Velvet Espresso Bar “A sweet little coffee shop.”

Lilette “Every single one of the desserts was incredible.”

Sylvain “I stumbled into this magic dark alley and had a glass of rosé with good food in a hidden courtyard.”

Source: http://www.bonappetit.com

Underneath her good-girl cloak, Keri Russell is bursting with mischief — and searching for imperfection.

It’s not that Keri Russell is tired of being adorable on-screen. She’s made a nifty career of it, from her debut at age 15 on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club,” through her coming-of-age years on the college drama “Felicity” (J.J. Abrams’ first TV series), and on into films including the new rom-com “Austenland,” in which she plays a wallflower who visits a Jane Austen theme park in search of her own Mr. Darcy. Being delightful off-screen isn’t hard for Russell, either — in a recent phone interview, she was sunny and playful, with a mischievous sense of humor.

But to be honest, she’s having a total gas playing the moody and secretive Elizabeth Jennings, a 1980s-era Soviet spy posing as a Washington, DC, housewife, on the FX series “The Americans.”

“I’m really enjoying not having to be charming at every turn,” Russell says. “It’s sort of relaxing. And I get to wear thick, cat-eye eyeliner, and chains and silk blouses and long hair. I feel glamorous and cold. I like it.” She lets loose a peal of laughter. Continue reading Keri Russell goes under cover