Keri Russell once expressed, “The win is getting to go to the award show, but not winning, so you never have to speak. That’s the secret.” Is that the actress’s secret to maintaining a career in the spotlight?
Born on March 23, 1976, Keri Russell rose to fame on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, where a group of “Mouseketeers” performed sketch comedy and dance routines every weekday. Russell appeared on the series from 1991 to 1993, exiting after reaching the show’s age limit of 17. The cast also included Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. (The casting director better be a billionaire for discovering the five).
Despite Russell’s success, the actress had remained modest about her role on Disney. “I’m not kidding. When I look at those kids, I’m like, why in the world did they pick me?” she once remarked.
Russell defined ’90s pop culture in Felicity with her voluminous corkscrew curls that rivaled Jennifer Aniston’s “The Rachel.” The drama followed Felicity Porter (Russell), who impulsively followed her high school crush, Ben Covington (Scott Speedman), to the University of New York. Viewers gravitated not only toward the plot, but also to Russell’s aesthetic and oversized knit sweaters.
Russell won Best Actress in a Television Series: Drama at the 1999 Golden Globes for her portrayal of Porter.
However, in the Season 2 premiere, Russell’s hair was cut into a pixie, igniting widespread “hysteria” (#hairgate). Felicity’s ratings fell by more than 2 million by the season’s conclusion.
Co-creator J.J. Abrams reflected on the decline in The New York Times, stating, “People revolted against the look and the show… She’s so gorgeous, we thought, ‘Who cares how long her hair is?’ The answer came back pretty quickly.” Fans sent violent letters to Warner Bros. and confronted Russell in public to tell her she “used to be prettier.”
Ultimately, as Felicity ended in 2002, Russell moved to New York City for a two-year hiatus from Hollywood. The actress spoke to New York Magazine about her downtime, stating: “I took my money, rented an apartment in the West Village, brought two boxes of books and a suitcase, and had my mattress on the floor.” Russell rotated between “reading, sleeping in, staying out late, [and] going dancing with friends.”
Most celebrities, after starring in a popular series, would have booked a new project, bought a multi-million-dollar mansion, and bought a new wardrobe. Russell, instead, focused her energy on slowly re-energizing, a tactic the actress has used to maintain her career.
In 2007, Russel starred in Waitress as Jenna Hunterson, a trapped pregnant baker in an abusive marriage. The film was later adapted into a Tony-nominated Broadway musical by Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson. During the same time, Russell continued to prioritize her personal life, marrying Shane Deary in 2007 and welcoming two kids. Following the couple’s separation in 2013, Russell began starring in FX’s The Americans alongside her now-partner Matthew Rhys.
Today, the actress leads Netflix’s political drama The Diplomat which premiered its fourth season on October 15. Russell has earned over 60 award nominations and 13 wins, solidifying herself as one of television’s most versatile leading women, solidifying herself as one of television’s most versatile leading women.
But what makes Russel so iconic is her reliability. The actress doesn’t care about Hollywood’s glamour or whether her hair is barely brushed in The Diplomat.
Quite frankly, she “hates being watched,” and at award shows all she wants is “water and to pee and like a giant cheeseburger.” Doesn’t everyone? Russell spends her weekend riding her bike around Brooklyn, reading, and hanging with her family. Her career longevity comes from a grounded, normal, personal life, which is what every celebrity needs.