The Americans premiered last Wednesday night on FX to impressive ratings. The series follows Phillip (Brothers and Sisters alum Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Felicity's Keri Russel), two KGB operatives functioning under deep cover in the United States as typical married suburbanites with two children and one car in1981 Washington, D.C.
(Read Eric Goldman's interview with Russel here).
We find the Jennings' 16-years into their time in America, it is the height of the Cold War, and while she remains steadfast and committed to the Motherland, Phillip has reservations. He is beginning to see the appeal of defection, and wishes to be the cover they have created, in truth.
Rhys is Welsh, playing a Russian spy, playing an American, who then must play a variety of additional characters when on assignment. He brings a unique perspective to the production, because though the Cold War is typically depicted as a battle for dominance between the two iconic global giants of the time, the U.S.S.R. and the U.S., the rest of the world was of course, deeply impacted by the ideological battle of wills. We had the opportunity to speak with Rhys recently about growing up in that era and living out an actor's dream on this show.
IGN: The pilot opens with your character in the midst of an intense inner conflict, is that going to continue to evolve?
Matthew Rhys: Yeah, enormously, it's one of the reasons that I wanted to do it. I've never come across a dramatic concept that's so designed so well for conflict in every element. There's the heightened situation that they're in. In terms of a personal conflict, you put two people together, who've been forced together and they're finding real emotions for each other. But they have two very different political and familial ambitions. It makes for amazing conflict.
IGN: I feel like your character isn't really operating from a political space, though, she is.
Rhys: Absolutely. That's what I mean. His is the familial, hers is the political. Which is a massive thing really for a mother of two to put her political views first in a way. It's huge.
Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys in The Americans
IGN: It's interesting, there seems to be a renewed focus on, or interest in, the Cold War in recent years. Do you recall it having a big impact on your life?
Rhys: Enormously, because Margaret Thatcher was between those two. She was pawn, and advocate, and conspirator and a number of things. And the Cold War was a lot closer to our doorstep.
IGN: There is this perception, or common depiction, of the Cold War as playing out primarily between these two great powers. We don't often see what was going for everyone else, here.
Rhys: Of course, those were the two superpowers, and we were this strange little separate Isle in the middle that was torn between a number of things. I mean we had nuclear bases, campaigning mercenaries, green protests...We ere very aware of being this strange thing being pushed and pulled in the middle. I think the Cold War works as a great analogy or simile for different kinds of conflict. It's funny, when you look back at it, it's one of the last times that the boundaries were clear. Now as we see on Homeland - there are no clear boundaries and enemies. It was the last bastion of old fashioned "them and us." And with the distance that we now have on it, you can do a number of things with it.
IGN: One of the draws of this series must be the opportunity to play all these sub-characters when you're on an assignment, it gives the show a real sense of fun.
Rhys: Massively. You know there's a number of reasons to want to do this. Not the least of which is the inner ten-year-old boy who wants to run around with a gun. Then there's that sort of complex relationship, which is at its heart. On top of that, as an absolute bonus, he's playing these different characters every week, it's kind of heaven sent.
IGN: Which has been your favorite sub-character so far?
Rhys: At the moment, none have been repeated. But my favorite is from the pilot, which is guy who went to beat up the man who was hitting on his daughter at the mall.
IGN: I loved him.
Rhys: So did I. I want to see him again.
IGN: Even in that moment, he's a family man. How does the tension between what Phillip wants, to be a husband and father, and what Elizabeth wants, to be a good agent begin to resolve over time. Does either start to see the other's perspective?
Rhys:That's the roller coaster that we're on, as they figure out who they are and what they want. It makes for great television and is eading to a massive conflict at the end of the season.
The Americans airs at 10pm ET/PT on FX.
Roth Cornet is an Entertainment Editor for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @RothCornet and IGN at Roth-IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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