Photo: DreamWorks/Amblin/FX/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
Matthew Rhyswas quite the jokester on the set ofThe Americans.
During the show’s 10th anniversary reunion held at New York City’s Paley Center for Media on Wednesday, producers and cast members got candid about behind-the-scenes shenanigans, specifically a time when several cast photos were “defaced” — including photos of Rhys and his costar wifeKeri Russell.
Producer Joel Fields recalled during the panel discussion: “Joe [Weisberg] and I walked in [the writer’s room] one day and someone had on Matthew and Keri’s [cast] pictures – they’d been defaced. There’s a devil on Matthew and a funny mustache on Keri.”
Fields continued, “And we called the assistants in and we called the staff in and we go, ‘Guys, it’s all good to have fun it’s fine, but this is a professional and respectful place to work and we really need to know who did this?’ And one of the assistants finally goes, ‘It’s Matthew.'”
Rhys chimed in to explain, saying, “We had a boozy lunch, and I was like, ‘New disguise options!'”
“So they stayed up,” Fields quipped.
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The show followed the lives of two married Russian spies posing as an American family in 1980s Washington, D.C. During its six-season run on FX, the show became affectionately infamous for its leads’ disguises, including various wigs and mustaches.
At Wednesday’s event, when Rhys was asked about which of those costumes he recalls, he joked with PEOPLE: “Well, I’m sporting Fernando’s [mustache] tonight. I’m hoping it’ll make it the night. I’ve glued it quite heavily.”
He continued, “There was one character called Fernando that I enjoyed, just because of … his Spanish disposition. Just because his wig, mustache, goatee, beard, Spanish accent.”
Russell added, “Long, black hair. I think we all enjoyed [it].”
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DuringThe Americans’ run from 2013 to 2018, the onscreen chemistry between its leads developed into an off-screen romance as well.
Rhys, 48, revealed onWatch What Happens Livewith Andy Cohenlast month that hesecretly datedRussell, 47, for “a solid year” before anyone on set found out.
“She gave it to me, but this is where it all falls apart,” Rhys teased. “I have no memory of this because I was very inebriated, but I left a very inebriated message on her answering machine, as people had in those days.”
“Which she didn’t find charming,” replied Cohen, 54, to which Rhys said, “Not in the slightest!”
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The Americanscan be streamed in full on Hulu.
source: people.com
