The Diplomat star Keri Russell's life from film debut to famous partner and 'anxiety'

The Diplomat season two has made its debut on Netflix and fans are curious to know all there is about actress Keri Russell’s life.

It’s been more than a year since the political drama was last seen with series two picking up from that explosive season one cliffhanger which saw Hal Wyler’s (played by ) life hanging in the balance.

And with all six episodes dropping on the streamer on Friday, November 1, here’s everything there is to know about actress Keri Russell’s life.

Early career

Born in March 1976 in California, The Diplomat star’s parents, who is the middle child of three siblings, is daughter to Stephanie Stephens and Nissan Motors executive David Russell.

The actress’ first ever role was in the family blockbuster Honey, I Blew Up The Kid in 1992 when she portrayed the babysitter Mandy Park.

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After this, the 48-year-old went on to star in Emerald Cove, Daddy’s Girls, Married With Children, Malibu Shores, Roar and 7th Heaven.

She also featured in the 1994 Bon Jovi music video for the hit song Always.

Anxiety

Russell really shot to fame, however, when she starred in the WB drama Felicity as the titular character Felicity Porter.

The show ran for four years and won numerous awards but the actress didn’t initially take to life in front of the camera.

In fact, she took a break from acting altogether for two years so she could go back to living a “normal life”.

When Harper’s Bazaar asked how she navigated famed in a time before social media, she explained: “I honestly do not know how you guys all do it, because I’m a nervous, anxious person anyway.

“I remember what it was like moving to New York when I was young and having photographers wait on certain blocks in the West Village where I was living. You feel hunted.

“I was affected by my tiny version of that, and it made me really retreat and not want to be in crowds and not want to go to really fun things.

“Luckily, I think what saved me was, after Felicity, I had worked so hard for those years in my 20s that I didn’t really want to act anymore. I took a big long break for almost two years, maybe a year and a half, and I just lived in New York and saw my girlfriends.

“I think that helped me survive that transition, and it helped me stay in the business, actually, because I don’t think I would still be here if I burned myself out at that age.”

Famous partner

Russell was married to contractor Shane Deary who she met in 2006 and married a year later.

They had two children, River, who was born in 2007 and daughter Willa in 2012 but the couple split up in 2013.

The Diplomat star is now married to Welsh actor Matthew Rhys who she started dating after they played husband and wife Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings in the spy drama The Americans.

They had previously met back in 2002 but reconnected on the show’s set and welcomed their son Sam in 2016.

Apart from The Americans, Rhys has been in Perry Marson, The Edge Of Love and Brothers And Sisters, just to name a few.

While the couple have been together for a decade and reside in Brooklyn, they haven’t announced any plans to get married.

The Diplomat is available to watch on Netflix.