Articles & Interviews – Page 24

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys offer hints about ‘The Americans’ third season

It may not be a traditional fit for Comic-Con, but that didn’t stop people from turning up for a panel on the FX series “The Americans” this afternoon. The panel wasn’t in one of the main halls, but it was a sizable room, mostly full, and there was a definite buzz.

Why wouldn’t there be, HitFix’s own Alan Sepinwall described the most recent season of the show, which aired this past winter as having taken a “major creative leap — the kind that can elevate a show from a strong example of its era to one that transcends eras.”

To set the scene, the panel was a discussion and Q&A, led by Andy Greenwald. Present for were creator Joseph Weisberg; executive producer Joel Fields; and stars Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich, and Annet Mahendru.

While it was, perhaps, intended to focus heavily on the upcoming third season, much of the 45 minute affair (including an eight-and-a-half minute series of clips to remind us how great season two was), focused on the show in general. As a series where so much is a surprise and which centers itself on secrets—state and otherwise—much of what will take place in season three is hush-hush. Continue reading Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys offer hints about ‘The Americans’ third season

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KERI RUSSELL SAYS SHE HAD NO STYLE WHEN SHE WAS ON ‘FELICITY’

The actress talks about her red carpet evolution, what she wears when she’s chilling on the couch, and the coolest thing she’s ever bought.

On the red carpet, Keri Russell is a stunner. Her infectious energy stands out among Hollywood’s straight-faced leading ladies, and her sexy style—low-cut tops, second-skin leather, and exquisite high heels—smacks of effortless glamour.

But off duty, the mother of two has a much different uniform. “You know what I’ve been wearing?” she says, with a laugh. “My gray ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ T-shirt and some baggy shorts.”

Russell, who chatted with ELLE.com at the Altuzarra for Target launch party last night, is quick to agree she suffers a bit from fashion world imposter syndrome:

“You know, there’s someone professional getting you ready. It’s a whole other thing,” she says. “This is work, you know what I mean? But there are aspects of this business that have taught me about enjoying part of it, like the makeup and wearing high heels, in a way that I never used to. And you learn to like it.” Continue reading KERI RUSSELL SAYS SHE HAD NO STYLE WHEN SHE WAS ON ‘FELICITY’

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An American Girl: Keri Russell

A FEW QUICK THINGS ABOUT KERI RUSSELL: she arrived perfectly on time for this profile’s photo shoot; her face was makeup-free, hair slightly damp, smile wide and open; she wore cut-off jean shorts and well-worn Toms; she was unfailingly polite and relatively quiet until her kids arrived on set, at which point she got down on the floor in full-on, silly mom-mode; she says Colorado with the flat “A” of someone who has lived in Colorado; her only specific request for the daytime shoot was beer; she eats anything and everything; she loves—LOVES—her bike; she has been listening to a lot of Tom Petty lately; like, a lot of Tom Petty. And so it probably wouldn’t be out of line to guess that she’s also crazy about Elvis, loves horses, and her boyfriend, too. All of which is to say: Keri Russell is normal. Well, but first, some thoughts on “normal,” at least as it pertains to celebrities. Probably the most tedious part of reading—or, for that matter, writing—celebrity profiles is when the journalist goes out of the way to make the celebrity seem “normal.” After all, isn’t the whole point of an actress being profiled that she isn’t normal? And yet, journalistic back-flips are performed in order to make a woman who is extraordinarily beautiful and charming and talented and wealthy seem completely relatable. Frequently this is done with the all-too-familiar celebrity profile trope of the eating scene, during which the subject over-enthusiastically orders a huge cheeseburger and french fries, only to eat nothing save a solitary fry. What makes these moments so cringe-inducing is how performative they are and how they wind up doing the exact opposite of what they’re intended to do; instead of making the celebrity relatable, they only serve to delineate the difference between her life and ours. After all, we might not be wealthy or famous, but at least we can eat a fucking cheeseburger. Continue reading An American Girl: Keri Russell

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Keri Russell goes ape over her role in ‘Dawn’

Keri Russell has been working most of her life, but she can’t remember a time when acting was more fun thanks to her work on the FX series “The Americans” and in the big summer blockbuster “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

“I am enjoying acting more now. I feel more comfortable now with acting than I ever have,” Russell says. “It’s really interesting. I love ‘The Americans,’ it’s so bizarre and weird. And, it was so special to get to work with (‘Apes’ director Matt Reeves) again. I just feel like things are getting better. I hope things keep getting better with age.”

Russell, who is 38, seems like she should be older because she started working when she 15 on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club.” She made a huge splash at age 21 as star of the college drama “Felicity,” which was co-created by Reeves and J.J. Abrams.

It wasn’t the special effects and big battles that attracted Russell to “Dawn.” She was more interested in the human drama that she knew Reeves would bring to the story, such as her character being a member of the medical community that couldn’t stop the epidemic that wiped out most of the world’s human population. Russell’s character also deals the death of her daughter and trying to connect with the son of the man she loves.

“That’s what I think is special about this movie. It’s the combination of Matt’s sensibility with an action movie like this,” Russell says. “Matt told me he wanted to make a movie about these people and intimate moments. There are heavy-duty action scenes but the film also has a lot to say about our own tendencies and capacities for empathy for communities that are not our own.”

Russell is always happy to find stories that deal with family relationships.

“The loudest and most profound relationship you are in is usually with your family — either your parents or your kids. Both the cable show and the film have these strong relationships,” Russell says.

Source: http://www.postbulletin.com

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Keri Russell Likes ‘The Americans’ Better Than ‘Felicity’

Keri Russell might have recently collaborated with one of the directors behind the show that launched her career, but that doesn’t mean that “Felicity” — or even “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” which was helmed by the show’s creator Matt Reeves — was her favorite work experience.

“[With] ‘Felicity’ I was the main person,” she told MTV News. “That was a real grind. I think because Matt and J.J. [Abrams] had never [produced a show] before, and we were creating a really cinematic show for the olden days… we worked a lot of hours.”

Instead, Russell says that it’s her current, critically acclaimed FX drama “The Americans” that’s fueling her creative fire — and giving her a chance to catch up on some family time.

“What I love about ‘The Americans’ is the 13 episodes, which means I can work really hard for four and a half months, and then be with my kids, or go do a movie, do a play,” she continued, adding that the material itself is also a reason to celebrate (we agree).

“Just the quality of working on cable right now is just the best place to work,” she said. “Especially being an actress — it’s tough right now in movies. There are a few, a handful, that I think are great movies. If you win the lottery and get to be the girl in that movie, you have maybe one good scene. You’re usually someone’s girlfriend, or a mom, worried. My show that I get to do is this really rich, in-depth character, and it’s fun. It’s weird, and all of these different things, not just the supporting girlfriend in one scene.”

Preach, sister.

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is in theaters nationwide. “The Americans” will return next year for its third season, and you can probably watch reruns of “Felicity” on Netflix or something.

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Keri Russell Smolders at Dawn of Planet of the Apes Screening: “I’m Doing Really Good”

Those apes have no chance! Keri Russell looked radiant at a special screening of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, hosted by the Cinema Society in Brooklyn, NY, on Tuesday, July 8, where she spoke to Us Weekly about her summer plans and more.

“I’m doing really good,” Russell, 38, told Us. “It’s been a great year.” The Americans standout looked lean and pretty in a head-to-toe black outfit, featuring a lace tank with a plunging neckline, pointed toe pumps, and leather parachute pants.

Russell expressed her appreciation for ’40s and ’50s era fashion, calling it, “something I love but I don’t necessarily wish would come back.” She explained, “You dressed to go to the grocery store, to run errands. Do I want to do it? No. But I love to look at it.”

Something else Russell enjoys? “I love summer,” said the star, while adding: “I’m not working this [season] other than doing this press, and it’s just really fun. I’m just spending time with my kids.” The mother of two—son River, 7, and daughter Willa, 2—said quality time with the little ones included swimming. “It’s just really good,” Russell told Us. (The actress confirmed in December that she and her husband of seven years, Shane Deary, had split last summer.)

As for her new action flick, the star explained that being a mom helped prepare her for the role. “I think once you have kids, you just experience a lot more of everything,” said Russell, “and that’s always good for any sort of acting or art.”
After the screening, Russell and the Apes crew celebrated their latest endeavor at Sheltering Sky at the McCarren Hotel.

Source: http://www.usmagazine.com

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Keri Russell had to catch up for ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’

There are times for Keri Russell when that famous line from “Planet of the Apes” runs through her mind: “Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape.”

Especially while fighting large furry creatures in the forests of Vancouver, where “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” was shot. “All of the action scenes were fun because I grew up as a dancer, so I’m very physical,” Russell says. “There’s still something about fighting apes where you want to say, ‘OK, paws off!’ It’s a primal reaction.”

In “Dawn” (opening Friday), the star of FX’s “The Americans” plays Ellie, the wife of Malcolm (Jason Clarke) and a survivor of the ALZ-113 virus. It’s a decade past the events in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011) and the apes of Earth believe the humans have been wiped out and the few humans who remain believe the apes no longer exist. When they encounter each other again, it’s species vs. species.

“It doesn’t exactly bode well for the humans,” hints Russell with a laugh.

Q. What was the biggest hardship filming “Dawn” in the woods?

a. It was great, except there was no cell service. You’d be walking around the woods during breaks and then someone would yell out, “Oh my God, I got cell service! I found a bar!” Between takes, if anyone on this set found any cell service in those trees, the entire cast started scrambling and yelling, “Where, where, where?”

Q. What was the draw of doing this movie?

a. Director Matt Reeves was key. We worked together on “Felicity.” I knew that he had sensitive taste and that he would create intimacy between the characters. I knew wanted to make this an intricate, character-driven piece and show the sensibility of both humans and apes. I also thought that this could be a fun, summer action film and an epic, 3-D summer movie.

Q. Were you surprised when you got the call?

a. I said, “Really? Me? In ‘Planet of the Apes?’ ” I never even saw the original movies as a kid. I had a sense of them. I saw photos of them. So, I had a bit of catching up to do.

Q. How do you describe the new “Apes” film?

a. It’s a survival story. You think that this virus has perhaps wiped out all humans and all that is left is apes. She was helping fight the virus for the humans. She’s incredibly resourceful, but damaged and living in a makeshift family. She’s just trying to rebuild and live. Most of all, she doesn’t want to lose the few people left that she loves. She doesn’t want to let them out of her sight.

Q. How did you prepare for the role?

a. I read about female war journalists who lost so many people they loved due to the war. The woman I play in this new film has also lost a lot of loved ones. Now, she’s just trying to keep alive, but she’s deeply wounded.

Q. “The Americans” is such a huge hit. What do you think is the appeal of playing this KGB spy?

a. It’s been such a great experience. Roles like this aren’t available on film, so I’m so thankful for this exciting job. I love the challenge of playing this woman who becomes so many characters within one show. Thank God, we have the best hair and makeup people because they do a lot of the work.

Q. Don’t you live in Brooklyn right by the set?

a. Yes, I can bike home for lunch, put my baby down for a nap, and go back to spy work. It’s perfect.

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/

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Keri Russell on Dawn of the Planet of Apes’ Unlikely Felicity Reunion

If, like me, you were a fan of the WB’s Felicity then it’s very amusing to ponder the fact that the co-creator of that series, Matt Reeves, and the show’s star, Keri Russell are teaming up again on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which Reeves directed. While Russell has worked with Felicity’s other creator — a guy named J.J. Abrams — since Felicity ended (in Mission: Impossible III), Apes marks her first time reuniting with Reeves.

As Russell remarked to me about the experience, “This is not the project I thought we’d be doing together, let’s be honest. He has this most beautiful film, this independent film, that he wrote that I would love to do, and we tried to get money for it a few years ago. It’s so good, and maybe, hopefully soon. But this is not that. [Laughs] This is so crazy and ambitious and epic. I had no idea what I was signing on for. He had a phone conversation with me and just said, ‘Please come do this.’ I said, ‘Matt, I’m finishing this show [The Americans], I’m so tired.’ He said, ‘Just come do this with me,’ and I’m so glad I did.” Continue reading Keri Russell on Dawn of the Planet of Apes’ Unlikely Felicity Reunion

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‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ Premiere: How Andy Serkis’ Caesar Found a Voice

Dawn opens ten years after the devastating Simian flu pandemic has decimated the human race, and the City by the Bay looks very different than moviegoers may remember from Rise. “I was very interested in telling the story from the apes’ point of view,” said Reeves, “To start the movie not in the post-apocalyptic world [of man], but instead in a world where it seemed it had been inherited by the new species of intelligent apes.” A rust-ravaged Golden Gate Bridge serves as a set of monkey bars for the apes to travel between their home in the Marin headlands to the now-desolate city of San Francisco. “The idea is that the earth would sort of start to reclaim this place,” said Reeves. “We tried to do it in as naturalistic a fashion as possible … what would happen here without humanity?”

Keri Russell, who plays the wife of Malcolm (Clarke) in the film, praised Serkis’ performance as Caesar, the genetically-enhanced ape. “Andy is just so good. That was really the treat of doing this movie. I really hope people start paying attention to him. He’s unbelievable.”

After the screening, the cast and crowd were ushered into the rotunda of the Palace of the Fine Arts, which had been transformed into a post-Simian Flu, apocalyptic afterparty. Dramatic up-lighting and overgrown branches shrouded the venue in deep shadows as floor-to-ceiling triptychs featuring Caesar’s iconic visage glowered over all. The dimly lit arena made distinguishing between guests almost impossible, keeping with the film’s message of the evening that, truly, we are all alike.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters July 11.

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

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The Offer To Play A Russian Spy Came In From The Cold For Keri Russell

Playing a Cold War-era Russian spy undercover in the United States on FX’s The Americans offers Keri Russell plenty of opportunities for hand-to-hand combat. But Russell says she doesn’t focus much on the spy stuff in building her character, Image (2) Awardsline-logo_use-this-one__140529211810-275×38.jpg for post 738599Elizabeth Jennings. She’s more interested in the show’s complicated relationships, particularly the marriage between Elizabeth and Phillip, played by Matthew Rhys. Russell, perhaps best known for her starring role on the WB’s Felicity in the late ’90s, next will star in Fox’s July release Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Here, she discusses those wacky ’80s wigs and why she turned down the role of Elizabeth three times.

AWARDSLINE: What made you want to come back to series TV?
KERI RUSSELL: As an actor, you’re at the mercy of what’s around, what comes your way, and I definitely have been taking some time out raising my family. Although I wasn’t looking for a TV job at all, this had a really great pilot. It sounded fresh. My image (after) reading (Elizabeth) the first time was Brigitte Nielsen in Rocky. I was like, “OK, she’s this kick-ass Russian—cold, beautiful, sexy. How did this make its way to me?” So I obviously said no about three times, and then (FX president) John Landgraf just sold me on it. He basically said, “No, that’s the whole point. We want someone who’s instantly relatable, and kind, and all those things that people project onto you.” And I’m so glad I said yes. It’s always a gamble—every job you take—but this one has been really interesting these last couple of seasons. Continue reading The Offer To Play A Russian Spy Came In From The Cold For Keri Russell