Credit: FX
After a six-season run, The Americans has officially come to an end with an explosive, dramatic series finale. Show Snob, along with other outlets, had the opportunity to speak with stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys about The Americans series finale and their journey as an on and off-screen couple.
The Americans made its mark as Russian spy thriller drama and fans became invested from day one in the Jennings family and the dark secrets that ruled their lives. We had to bid farewell to the series last night, and while it was soul-crushing and bittersweet, the series ended on an uncertain future–but one filled with hope.
We spoke to Keri and Matthew about the series, their favorite moments, working together, and what memories they will cherish from the six-season run.
When you first got the script for The Americans finale what elements surprised you or perhaps shocked you the most? Oh, and the look on your face was when you saw Paige leave the train that scene must have been pretty emotional.
"Keri Russell: God all of it surprised me. I had no idea that they would pick such an emotional route of devastation with the kids. I think the kids – I had – I did not see the Henry aspect coming at all and that was just devastating to me. It’s funny because you’re watching this couple go through the series and you’re rooting for them but you want them to pay in some way for what they’ve done and they chose the most painful way for them to pay. They like took their kids away and it’s something I could not have seen coming at all and I just think it was so – I mean it was – and what’s great about Paige is they’ve already lost Henry and you can’t imagine that they would take Paige too and she chooses to stay behind and you’re just like wow. As a parent as a mother it was just like too much too much."
Elizabeth had killed so many people, did you expect that she would survive by the end of the show?
"Keri: I have no idea– the thing that I have really enjoyed about this project, this series is I’ve been continually surprised in a good way. Like I’ve always been surprised with the turns and the twists and I’ve never been bored by them. So I had no idea what was in store and then the way the season was going by about the third or fourth episode, I thought oh well they’re setting her up to die because she’s so unlikable and she’ll never redeem herself. So I had no idea but I was like I was ready I was on board for whatever they wanted because I had liked it so far."
Credit: FX
How do you feel about Elizabeth’s story arc over the course of the series?
"Keri: I mean I love it. For me to get a chance to play what feels to me as a woman this true character and see out the full arc and the full story of it. When, you know, a lot of times the female part is like the doting wife or the comforting wife or so it feels incredibly satisfying to begin this process six years ago what we did and then to start to end here. I mean just I just relished it was a real treat to get to do this job."
What were you most excited for long-time fans to see in the series finale of The Americans?
"Keri: I just hope they like it. I really hope the people who have watched it feel the way I do as a reader and I read the scripts. I hope they get the same feeling I got which is of a flowing kind of emotional journey and then an ending. I hope they’re satisfied."
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Philip and Elizabeth’s marriage has always been pretty rough but it was particularly rough in this final season. What do you imagine for the future of their marriage?
"Keri: I mean it’s pretty devastating what the loss of children would do to a marriage. But interestingly Joe and Joel were talking about this scene and about those end moments. I think what they wanted to convey was hard at times, no matter what, we’re going to have each other. We’ve come this far together and we’re going to get each other through this. And I think that’s what they really wanted. And ultimately it was this story, of this marriage, of this relationship. So I think that this is their hope that they will pull each other through this moment."
Credit: FX
Can you talk about watching the young actors grow up around you over these six years and particularly watching how Holly developed as Paige throughout the seasons?
"Keri: It’s crazy, you know, they were like 10 when we started, and now they’re full fledge teenagers and Holly’s in college. I mean it’s wild it’s such a strange thing and they became a little bit more and more involved as the years went by. But it’s crazy I mean they become sort of like the little brother and sister of the set in a way and I mean I think they handled it really well. They’re both really good kids and Holly’s very graceful and I think this business is pretty creepy for kids to be totally honest. But I think they handled it very well and with grace–I think it was a cool job for them to be a part of."
Out of all the ways, it could have ended do you feel that the way it did end was fair to the characters after all that they’ve done over the years? Do you think they were punished enough or not enough?
"Keri: I do. I mean because I think the story they’re telling is an emotional story. I think they chose such an emotional way to make them pay. Yes, one of them could have died or one could have gone to prison or something but to take your kids away is pretty hardcore. You could argue a million things, like they didn’t take their kids but well they never paid attention to them anyway or, you know, whatever you want to say. But it doesn’t matter, you know, no one thinks you’re going to have your kids taken away and I think it was such an Americans appropriate heartbreaker."
You and Matthew Rhys are so great together! What is a favorite memory of working with him and what are you going to miss most about working with him on The Americans?
"Keri: Well, many things but I would definitely say just having a professional partner like that. He’s fun to work with because he’s so good. It’s sort of like playing tennis with someone you’re only as good as your partner, as your opponent. And, you know, he’s fun because he’s good. So I will definitely miss that. And, you know, just the intimacy you have with someone that you’re so familiar with. And it’s easy and hard, I guess in some ways too but I will miss that. And he’s so funny. We had a lot of fun together. So I think it’s time for it to end before we kill each other."
Credit: FX
One of the most pivotal scenes in the Americans finale is Stan finally confronting the Jennings, something we’ve been waiting years for. Can you talk about filming that scene and what you remember from that day– how it felt emotionally and how you feel personally about Stan not arresting the family?
"Keri: So we shot that all in one day. I want to say it took about nine hours and we shot in the same garage just standing there. And I have to say, you know, credit to Matthew and Noah because I can’t remember the page count on that but it had to be like a nine-page scene and just so many monologues. And I don’t care how much you love a show by year six you’re sort of lazy, it just happens. And they came in and just killed it. I mean they knew every word and they kind of just did it right there. And it was amazing to watch. And, you know, I actually don’t say much in it so I got to just kind of watch it unfold. I love that Stan doesn’t turn them in. I mean I think that’s the complication that Joe and Joel present so well, that there is no bad guy, there is no good guy. And I think Stan and Philip were friends they just had this whole other story going on privately but I think that’s what they told very well in this story. So I’m just glad Stan let them go."
What do you think pushed Paige to make the decision to get off the train when she did?
"Keri: In my mind, she’s already kind of implicated by her parents because she knows so much. Henry is kind of a little clearer because he’s still so clean and he’s really succeeding in his life. And to take him away from that would be cruel in some way. But I don’t know. Maybe she’s just had enough. But it’s such a painful choice. It’s hard to say, “No not me, I’m not you guys and the decisions made for me are over now-now I make my decisions.” Maybe you should ask Joe and Joel that question because I’d be really curious to hear their response."
Next: The Americans season 6, episode 10 recap: Start
What was the last scene you filmed and how did that finality feel?
"Keri: Well, the last big scene we all did was actually super late at night. We were doing a night shoot north of the city at some random payphone and it’s when we were calling Henry. And it started to snow and it wasn’t snowing in the other shots and we were freezing and it was probably about 3:30 in the morning. And we kind of had to go back and reshoot other people’s coverage because it didn’t quite match and it was so sad. And then, you know, really we wanted to be warm so we got through it and got in our cars and went away. But then the truth is there was one tiny little pickup scene we had to do on another day which was literally a quick shot of me noticing Philip taking the ax out of the ax case and going oh shit he’s going to chop her head off. And that was really the last scene of the whole series. So it was a pickup from another episode."
Credit: FX
What was it like filming that pivotal scene with Stan in the finale and were you shocked at his decision to let them go?
"Matthew: Yes I was. It’s strange. Those things are always kind of strange in that your expectations of the shooting will be far harder than it is. And that has always been the case with The Americans. The writing was so good that it kind of shot itself. You know it was a marathon because obviously, we shot a number of angles on it that we don’t usually for The Americans. We don’t usually spend that amount of time rehearsing it but we did get to on that one. The pieces fell into place much easier than usual. The other thing I think on scenes like that is actors tend to turn up, you know when there’s a kind of a bit of a mountain to climb they turn up with all their gear ready to go. So we all turned up, you know, ready to take a bite out of a steak that was that scene. And I haven’t seen it yet. Hopefully, it turned out okay."
What was your favorite scene from the finale or one that you enjoyed overall during your time on The Americans?
"Matthew: Maybe enjoy isn’t the right word for it but the scene would be Henry in the booth. I found it difficult to do just because the picture is always hard on the show. But the kind of way they pitched that scene was what I found difficult. I enjoy those scenes because it’s such an enormous challenge. So I enjoy the challenge. I didn’t necessarily enjoy the scene and ironically it was the last scene in the season we ever shot and it was in a snowstorm at 4:30 am."
Credit: FX
What have you enjoyed the most about your journey from Season 1 to Season 6?
"Matthew: I thought it was executing this writing, you know, I’ve never kind of encountered a show of this caliber where the kind of layering of the writing and where the character’s been so textured really. The challenges that came with this part and kind of landing in a real believable place has always been large and varied. So I’ll miss the day-to-day challenges of this part which were tenfold daily."
Let’s talk about the other surprise–Paige’s decision. She was the eager spy and then she left. Did that surprise you?
"Matthew: It did surprise me but I kind of loved it. You know I think what the boys do so well is kind of present these very open-ended questions to the audience. And I think that was one of them. And, you know, they led us down the path so far that Paige was going to come with us and on the train, I think it’s just such a U-turn, kind of a violent U-turn. But it’s not for the shock–it gives the audience I think enough to go well, you know, any number of things she can go in any number of directions now. She can, you know, continue her work, look after Henry. There’s so many variables kind of presented to you in that moment and in a very poignant way."
Next: The Americans season 6, episode 9 recap: Jennings, Elizabeth
What do you think is the state of the Elizabeth/Phillip relationship at the end of the show and how has having to flee to the Soviet Union affected the relationship?
"Matthew: It’s sort of interesting because what is left you don’t know really how it will work out. Ultimately they’re the only allies each other have– in that someone else who understands this incredible journey they’ve been on so they do need each other in that respect. You know I always harken back to the third episode of the first season when Phillip wanted to defect. And I think that was kind of brought back in those moments where I’m sure he could have gone, you know, what could be in a very cushy witness protection program at this moment where the kids are doing okay as opposed to this. So I think it’s a tragic ending, you know, for all intents and purposes because I think as I said earlier I think the cost of what they had to do with their children in order to get out alive I think is so taxing."
Credit: FX
What was more heartbreaking for you personally when you read the finale to when you were filming it. The Henry phone call, watching Paige get off the train or seeing the betrayal on Stan’s face in the garage?
"Matthew: I think it was the Henry phone call still. You know as a new father just, you know, it came very easily to kind of put yourself in that situation and go I can’t even fathom doing this to my own son. So I did and still just think about that as one of the most heart-breaking moments of our show. More from Show Snob The Santa Clauses season 2, episode 6 recap “Wanga Banga Langa!” Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 1, episode 7 preview: Non-spoiler thoughts for Part VII Goosebumps season 1, episode 6 recap: “Night of the Living Dummy” Beacon 23 season 1, episode 3 recap: “Why Can’t We Go on as Three?” Upload season 3, episode 2 recap: “Strawberry”"
Did you have any favorite memories of working with Keri and what are you going to miss most about working with her?
"Matthew: Oh God, I don’t know. I haven’t got the time to tell you what I’ll miss most about her because she is kind of everything you want in a co-star. I thought in Season 2 there were kind of these moments where it was a throwback to the audition where she had to slap me in the face and I didn’t react. So there were these very kind of inopportune moments she’d slap me in the face to see how I’d react. And perversely I kind of look back and go those were really great moments."
Credit: FX
This question is regarding Oleg and Costa Ronin since you two had never really acted together until the final season. And I really enjoyed those scenes together and considering that you got to go back to Russia and he’s stuck in prison what was it like working with him finally? And after three years, both of your characters were out of the business. I thought that was ironic that you were sucked into the same project. What was that experience like?
"Matthew: It was great. We never got to act with the Russians. We were kept apart. And then the irony is you had these two characters and, you know, they stayed in place in the same position with the same goals, the same fears, the same resistance. So it was great just to kind of step outside the box especially given Phillip’s trajectory of trying to make the travel agency work. All of a sudden you have this huge other thing in his life that he kind of circumnavigates with someone who has the same fears. So it was just great to kind of, you know, mix it up."
The Americans has been a whirlwind journey and following the Jennings family through it all was one of the best experiences fans had during its dramatic run. It will surely be missed and we are crossing our fingers for a spin-off in the future–because there’s always more story to tell, right?
Catch up on episodes of The Americans on FXNow!