We’ve all seen shows where the leads are supposed to be "madly in love," but they have the chemistry of two wet paper bags. Then you watch The Americans, and suddenly, the air feels heavy. Every time Philip and Elizabeth Jennings look at each other, there is a weird, electric friction that most spy thrillers just can't fake.
Honestly, it makes sense now.
You probably know the "secret" by now—Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys didn't just play a married couple for six seasons; they actually became one. But focusing only on the off-screen romance does a massive disservice to the rest of the cast of The Americans. This wasn't just a two-person show. It was a masterclass in supporting performances that often felt more "American" than the Americans themselves.
The Heart of the Operation: Philip and Elizabeth
Keri Russell was already a household name because of Felicity, but Elizabeth Jennings was a total pivot. She was cold. She was a true believer. There’s a scene early in the series where she basically tells Philip that their marriage is just a job. It's brutal. Russell played that rigidity with a terrifying precision, yet she’d let these tiny cracks of humanity show when it came to her kids.
Matthew Rhys, on the other hand, was the "soft" one. Philip Jennings liked the mall. He liked his Camaro. He liked the idea that maybe, just maybe, they didn't have to kill people for a living anymore.
Fun fact: Rhys is Welsh. If you’ve ever heard him speak in his natural accent, it is jarring. He sounds nothing like the travel agent from Northern Virginia. He actually almost blew his audition because he tried to do a different American accent that didn't quite land, but the chemistry with Russell was so undeniable that the producers couldn't look away. During their screen test, director Gavin O'Connor told Russell to actually slap him during a scene. She did. Hard.
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Rhys didn't flinch. He just stayed in character. That was the moment they knew.
The Neighbors and the "Other" Family
You can't talk about the cast of The Americans without mentioning Noah Emmerich. As Stan Beeman, the FBI agent living right across the street, he had the hardest job on the show. He had to be a brilliant counterintelligence officer while being completely oblivious to the fact that his best friend was a KGB illegal.
In the hands of a lesser actor, Stan would have looked like an idiot.
Emmerich played Stan with this deep, soulful loneliness. He was a guy who was good at his job but terrible at his life. His friendship with Philip was the second-best "romance" on the show. When they finally have their big confrontation in the series finale—no spoilers here, but wow—it’s the years of genuine, lived-in camaraderie that makes it hurt so much.
Then there’s the kids.
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- Holly Taylor (Paige): Most "teenager" roles in prestige dramas are annoying. Paige was different. You watched her slowly realize her parents weren't just weird; they were dangerous. Taylor’s evolution from a confused kid to a burgeoning operative was one of the most consistent arcs in TV history.
- Keidrich Sellati (Henry): Poor Henry. He was basically raised by Stan and video games while his parents were off strangling people in park basements. Sellati played the "forgotten" child with a perfect level of 1980s suburban innocence.
The Guest Stars Who Stole the Show
Some of the best work in the series came from the "illegals" and handlers. Margo Martindale as Claudia is a legend for a reason. She won two Emmys for this role, and she earned every bit of them. She could go from baking a pie to threatening to ruin your life in a single sentence.
And we have to talk about Martha.
Alison Wright gave one of the most heartbreaking performances ever aired on television. As Martha Hanson, the lonely FBI secretary Philip (disguised as "Clark") manipulates into marriage, she was the show's moral compass. When she finally realizes the truth, the look on her face isn't just anger—it’s total, soul-crushing devastation. Wright is actually British, too, which just proves this show was basically a secret invasion of UK actors.
Costa Ronin as Oleg Burov also turned what could have been a "villain" role into a fan favorite. He started as a spoiled rich kid at the Soviet embassy and ended as one of the most honorable characters in the entire universe of the show.
Why the Casting Worked
The casting directors, Cami Patton and Christal Karge, didn't just look for famous faces. They looked for people who could play "ordinary."
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The whole point of the show was that these spies were invisible. They looked like your neighbors. They looked like people you’d see at a PTA meeting. If they had cast people who looked like runway models, the tension would have evaporated. Instead, they got actors like Brandon J. Dirden (Dennis Aderholt) and Richard Thomas (Frank Gaad)—people who felt like they actually belonged in a 1982 office building.
Where Are They Now?
Since the show wrapped in 2018, the cast hasn't slowed down.
Keri Russell jumped into the Star Wars universe and then took lead in The Diplomat on Netflix, which honestly feels like a spiritual cousin to her work as Elizabeth. Matthew Rhys won an Emmy for his role as Philip and then went on to play the title character in Perry Mason.
Interestingly, they’ve even worked together again, appearing in the movie Cocaine Bear (2023). It’s a bit different than the high-stakes espionage of the Cold War, but hey, you take the roles that look fun.
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the cast of The Americans, here is how to get the most out of your next rewatch or deep dive:
- Watch the Accents: Keep an eye on Matthew Rhys and Alison Wright. Knowing they are both British makes their "plain" American accents even more impressive. Look for the tiny moments where they have to slip into a third accent for a disguise.
- Focus on the Background: The show is famous for its "Mail Robot," but look at the recurring characters in the Rezidentura. Actors like Lev Gorn (Arkady) and Annet Mahendru (Nina) bring a level of tragedy to the Soviet side that keeps the show from feeling like "USA good, Russia bad."
- Listen to the Slate Spoiler Specials: If you can find the old podcast archives, the showrunners and cast often went into detail about how specific scenes were cast and shot. It’s a goldmine for behind-the-scenes nerds.
- Follow the "Keri and Matthew" Rule: Their chemistry is the anchor. On your next watch, pay attention to their physical proximity. Even when they are arguing, they occupy each other's space in a way that only a real-life couple (or very, very talented actors) can pull off.
The legacy of the show isn't just the wigs or the 80s soundtrack. It’s the fact that we actually cared about people who were, by all accounts, the "bad guys." That only happens when the casting is perfect.
To see the cast in action today, check out The Diplomat (Netflix) for Russell or the Perry Mason revival (HBO/Max) for Rhys. If you want to see their more "intense" chemistry in its early stages, go back and watch the Season 1 finale, "The Colonel"—it remains one of the best hours of television ever produced.