Matthew Rhys Says Partner Keri Russell Is ‘a Very Shy Person’ — to the Extent That Even the Doorbell Wigs Her Out
Keri Russell may be a well-known actress, but her partner Matthew Rhys explains that she is “naturally a very shy person. ”
Rhys, 49, who met Russell while costarring in FX’s The Americans from 2013 to 2018, shared in a Variety profile about the actress that being in front of the camera is one of her least favorite things.
“It’s rare that she’s enthusiastic about acting. I mean, there’s a genuine — it’s not so much a ‘dislike’; that’s too strong a word — it’s a discomfort, I think,” he told the outlet in an interview published on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Gary Gershoff/Getty
“She is naturally a very shy person, and to expose herself in that way day after day, I think she finds both taxing and challenging. But she is a mind, and she loves being challenged, and she loves words — books are her biggest passion,” continued Rhys. “Words and narrative are her great love.”
The actor told the publication that Russell, who now stars in the hit Netflix political thriller The Diplomat, is so shy that she won’t answer the doorbell and will get stressed about Zoom calls — something she doesn’t deny.
Christopher Polk/FilmMagic for HBO/HBO Max
“I hate being watched. Oh my God, it’s the worst. I had to do two photo shoots last week, so I had to drink a beer,” Russell, 48, told Variety. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, they’re gonna be watching me.’ It’s my nightmare.”
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
The actress credited this as a reason she doesn’t automatically say yes to acting projects.
Frazer Harrison/Getty
“I never want to work. So it takes me a lot to get to the point of saying yes,” she told the outlet. “And what usually is the unshakable thing that moves me out of the comfort zone is that it’s just a story I can’t stop thinking about.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Season 2 of The Diplomat arrives on Netflix on Thursday, Oct. 31.
