Russell: I’m embarrassed to get the mail or to answer the phone — I’m still embarrassed every day.
Speedman: I had dinner with J.J. Abrams that night.
We’re good.” Speedman: I remember meeting you at the read-through a couple of days later.
Russell: “Felicity” was such a sweet little something.
Speedman: You met J.J. through the audition process?
Keri Russell and Scott Speedman, who are friends and, of course, co-stars of the 1990s primetime drama “Felicity,” are three years away from celebrating their 30th anniversary. “The J,”. J. . The four seasons of Abrams’s shows, which ran from 1998 to 2002, would go on to define The WB, the now-defunct network that produced the defining young adult shows of the time, such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “7th Heaven.”.
Additionally, it launched Speedman and Russell into instant fame, bringing their two careers together once more as she runs a made-up American embassy in the U.S. K. . He mends bones and breaks hearts on the venerable “Grey’s Anatomy” and on Netflix’s “The Diplomat.”. However, not all has changed. Russell’s on-screen hairstyle continues to spark discussion.
Keri Russell: When we see each other, we argue about this, but when did we first meet?
Scott Speedman: You had been twenty-two.
I was 21 years old, Russell.
Speedman: Our age was 22. What day is your birthday?
Russell: March 23.
Speedman: All right. The pilot for “Felicity” was shot in April 1998.
Okay, Russell. Our ages were identical. You were always the type to complete your assignments. I believe it is as a result of your swimming performance training. Did you not participate in the Olympic swimming trials? I’m not sure if everyone is aware of this.
Speedman: Sure, I did.
Russell: Your work ethic is really strong. You were the one who knew your lines even as children. That’s still how you are. I would like to start by asking you this: How does your work get informed by your athletic training? It’s different, but I believe that [actors] train similarly.
Speedman: It aided me in my youth. Then there’s this strange thing where you have to let go of everything. Being overprepared caused me to struggle for a long time. I thought, “Whoa,” when they handed me the questions for [this interview]. I have ten questions to learn about Russia, geopolitics, and other topics for your show, The Diplomat. “.”.
Russell: Although I don’t watch your work, I was attempting to write questions. We’re acquainted, and I don’t watch any of my friends’ work. In my experience, acting makes you seem much looser, even though sports training requires a lot of energy and everything is very muscular. Have you had any trouble with that?
Speedman: Absolutely. getting inside my head. Do you recall the times we did “Felicity” and I had to run around?
Russell: Naturally. The soundstages would be run prior to a scene. You felt as though you were relinquishing something.
But it’s not as if you didn’t know your lines and arrived late to the set, Speedman said.
Russell: No. Not every night was I up doing cocaine. I wish I had been. Fuck you. We each had our own definition of fun, so sometimes I ask myself, “Why didn’t I have more fun?”.
Speedman: Yes, we did. As I watch this new show, I no longer see anyone who is anxious. I now see this daring performer. I have a gaping gap in my mouth. Self-consciousness does not exist.
Not a sorry word.
Russell: Even today, I still feel embarrassed when I answer the phone or get the mail. That picture shoot we just finished? You and I both passed away very quickly. It’s still very difficult. Drinking beer is what I’m doing. I believe that Debora Cahn’s writing in “The Diplomat” is so excellent that it is safe. Even though that show has its ups and downs, I adore it.
Speedman: How did the cast react to Allison Janney’s arrival?
Russell: The night before she arrived, I thought, “Oh God, a real actor is coming on now,” and “She’s going to be smart, and everyone’s going to know I’m not smart, and everyone’s going to know I’m not as good, and I’m not going to be able to do it.” We had been performing the show for a few years. I worked myself to the bone before meeting her that morning in the trailer. She was being her quietest, tiniest self, hunching over in her chair, and totally normal.
Speedman: Her anxiety was high.
Keri Russell said she felt anxious. At the time, I thought she was great and said, “Everyone is nervous.”. I love her so much. Together, we also have a ton of fucking fun.
Speedman: You obviously adore this.
Russell: Indeed, I do. This show’s themes have married in our nation right now, and my character is a combination of many different personalities. For example, USAID’s Samantha Power and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Now that I’m truly in tune with it, I’m honored to bring attention to these individuals. It feels less trivial now that I’m a part of the world.
Speedman: I believe that you experienced something truly remarkable when you relocated to New York years ago.
Russell: I always assumed you would return to New York, which is funny. You became fixated on Big Sur, and I relocated to New York, so we kind of switched places. We switched places. . In New York, you can hide out. I can ride my bike everywhere and take the subway. People aren’t all that concerned.
Speedman: Especially at this moment, having children alters my perspective on [Los Angeles]. It has lost some of its luster and now appears even stranger than before. I really do not want my children to be enmeshed in the private school Hollywood cult.
Russell: I need to ask you a question. How do you commit the jargon on “Grey’s Anatomy” to memory? I have to do it for the political stuff, and you have to do it for the medical stuff.
Speedman: I really enjoy the medical jargon. It is truly enjoyable. But in order to do it, I had to give up coffee.
Russell: Did you say, “Stop drinking coffee?”.
Speedman: I find it more difficult to enter a conversation when I’m overly energized. Coordination of dialogue with props is what I discovered on [“Grey’s”]. The surgery is extremely important to them. Linda, a dedicated nurse who has been there for ages and manages everything, is someone I adore. She will reprimand you in the most polite manner possible. I adore it. Acting is definitely more fun for me now than it was before.
“The Diplomat” has you as an executive producer. Does that change anything for you? Do you use that power?
Russell: I say, “Get this away from me,” or “Bring me a fucking snack.”. There is a great deal of that.
Speedman: But do you participate in that aspect of it?
Russell: In the event of an emergency, I feel more accountable to the team. Or I become a little more aware when something is amiss. Being a part of something that allows you to express your ideas and makes them matter is also fantastic.
Speedman: Regarding a scene from [the previous season], I must ask you something. Allison Janney gives you a hard time over the appearance of your character. “Your hair looks like shit,” she remarks. I’m getting headlights here; you might want to switch up your bra. She then spots a safety pin that keeps your pants up. That scene must have been a lot of fun for you.
Russell: It’s hilarious.
Speedman: It seems like your hair is discussed a lot in this show as well. Are you and your hair bound by a contract?
Russell: Why don’t you get more inquiries about your hair?
Speedman: I am questioned about my hair.
Russell: Your hair looks nice, let’s face it.
Speedman: In “The Diplomat,” your hair looked fucking amazing, in my opinion.
Russell: I and Debora have heard a lot of comments about the show, particularly from women. She would never style her hair that way. Your character would do her hair. “.”.
Did we read “Felicity” together?
No, Speedman.
Russell: Since you arrived at the last minute.
Speedman: In Toronto, I was residing on my mother’s couch in her apartment. A few days after sending a tape, I received a call. They needed to figure out a legal way to bring me into the country. It took me three days to reach the U.S. A. [—.
Russell: Donning your girlfriend’s coat.
Speedman: Most likely. .
The peacoat of your girlfriend, Russell.
Speedman: J and I had dinner together. J. Abrams on that particular evening.
Russell: He said, “Cha-ching! We’re all right.”. “”.
Speedman: A few days later, I recall seeing you at the read-through. It seemed obvious to me that you were miscast. I assumed this nerd was the intended target. Then I thought, “Is the girl from Malibu Shores playing Felicity?
Russell: The performance was amazing.
Speedman: The show was excellent.
“Felicity” was such a charming little thing, Russell said. It was an incredibly unique moment. We all went through all of that together as we grew up.
Speedman: You got to know J. J. through the process of audition?
Russell: He forced me to try out. Along with a million other girls, I think I read five times. During the auditions, he was really kind to me.
Alright. It is unlikely that we will ever cross paths again.
Speedman: It’s right here.
Francisco Vargas was the production designer; BAUIE+RAD was the producer.
