Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell attend Netflix's "The Diplomat" New York premiere after party at Park Lane Hotel on April 18, 2023 in New York City© Roy Rochlin/GA

Inside Keri Russell's private home life with 'incredible partner' Matthew Rhys and three children

The Diplomat star has been with her actor Matthew for ten years

TV and film writer
October 31, 2024

Keri Russell is back on our screens in the highly-anticipated second season of Netflix's hit show, The Diplomat. The actress, known for her roles in The Americans and Felicity, stars as no-nonsense ambassador Kate Wyler as she juggles her rocky marriage with her stressful job as the US ambassador to the UK amid an international crisis. 

While viewers know the ins and outs of Kate's home life in the show, what about her off-screen counterpart? Find out about Keri's relationship with her famous partner and their home life in Brooklyn, New York. 

WATCH: Keri Russell reprises her role in The Diplomat season 2
© Rex

Keri's relationship history with Matthew Rhys

For the last decade, Keri, 48, has been in a relationship with Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, whom she started dating after the pair played husband and wife, Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings, in the spy drama, The Americans. While they first met back in 2002, they reconnected on the set of the espionage series, which ran from 2013 to 2018.

Like Keri, Matthew, 49, boasts an impressive list of film and TV credits but is perhaps best known for his roles in Perry Mason, The Edge of Love and, of course, The Americans, for which he earned an Emmy Award in 2018. 

Keri and Matthew's romance was confirmed in 2014 after they were spotted on a date at The Public Theater in New York City. Two years later, in May 2016, they welcomed their son, Sam. 

© Getty

Keri and Matthew's "incredible" partnership

Keri and Matthew make a great team both on and off-screen, with the California-born actress praising her other half as "an incredible partner" in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal.

When asked how the pair divide their household chores, the Felicity actress said: "Matthew is an incredible partner in that regard. His mom and dad were both teachers. They both had big, everyday jobs and so they shared tasks really well, and they taught him that. And he is an incredible dad and helper in the way that most moms are. 

"We have a very good natural unspoken thing. He usually does trash. I usually do dinner, and sometimes he'll do the cleanup," she added. 

© CBS Photo Archive

The secret to Keri and Matthew's decade-long romance

When asked for the secret to a good relationship, Keri said to "give people a break", adding it's important to acknowledge that everyone have "bad days". "There are bad years where you kind of miss each other," said the actress. "I just try to pay attention when I can. And getting away from kids occasionally is really important, and we try to do that," she added.

Matthew also opened up about the key to their relationship during an interview with People in 2017, when he and Keri were co-starring in The Americans, admitting that the pair "absolutely" needed alone time after spending most of their days working together.

Praising Keri, he continued: "She has the patience of a saint, so that helps. That is basically it," before joking: "And alcohol. The great leveler, the great equalizer. Everything is so much better after a good, solid half-bottle of red wine!"

© Paul Morigi

Keri's three children

Keri and Matthew welcomed their son Sam in May 2016, revealing his name and sex two months later. 

Matthew has previously spoken about his desire for his son to learn the Welsh language. He previously told Deadline: "I only speak to him in Welsh, and he understands everything I say. He'll always answer me in English. He’ll pepper a few words sometimes in Welsh, I think just to please me." 

Keri is also a mom to two older children from her previous marriage to Shane Deary. Her eldest son, River, was born in 2007, and her daughter Willa arrived in 2012. 

Opening up about motherhood, Keri previously spoke to People about personalising her parenting to each of her kids. "I think it's just different [based on] the kid. You never know,” she said in 2017. "You get what you get, and they're all so different and wild and weird and good in their own way."

© Rich Fury

Keri's home life in Brooklyn

When she's not busy filming her latest TV show, Keri lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. 

During her interview with the Wall Street Journal, Keri revealed that she likes to start her day by "bouncing" up and down outside. "You kind of shake, you bounce up and down, and I just do it for like five minutes," she said, before revealing that she follows that with a 15-minute workout and making celery juice for her and Matthew.

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