Keri Russell has no problem with Matthew Rhys leaving her out of his Emmy acceptance speeches. The actress said she even encouraged her longtime partner to do so. She wanted to take away some of the pressure he felt about speaking in front of a crowd. Russell also believes their private relationship does not need public recognition.
Keri Russell says she encouraged Matthew Rhys to leave her out of his speech
During an October 8 appearance on Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea podcast, Russell explained why she gave Rhys permission to skip thanking her. She recalled asking him what made him most nervous before the ceremony. “And he’s like, ‘Yeah, having to speak,’” she said. Russell then told him, “Take me off your plate. Like, you don’t have to thank me. I know you love me.”
Russell also addressed the criticism Rhys faced after he failed to mention her in his 2018 Emmy speech for The Americans. “It’s so crazy. People get nuts,” she said about the reaction. She also described the criticism as “stupid” and “lame.” Russell thinks winners should be able to do what they want with their limited time onstage.
“I don’t care if you want to thank the dog walker. You do whatever you want to do,” Russell said. She reminded listeners that an acceptance speech gives a winner only a brief moment to speak. Handler also noted that winners might want to acknowledge many people who helped make a production possible. Russell agreed that each winner should decide whom to recognize.
Russell explained that she and Rhys agreed to keep their relationship separate from award speeches. “We don’t have to thank each other. This is private,” she recalled them saying. She added that they could thank whoever they wanted to thank. Her comments made clear that she never expected Rhys to mention her publicly.
