Keri Russell Explains Her Absence from Matthew Rhys's Emmy Speeches

Keri Russell has shared that she prompted her partner, Matthew Rhys, to exclude her from his acceptance speeches at the recent Emmy Awards, stating it was her idea to alleviate his pressure.

Rhys, 51, won two awards at the ceremony: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for "Widow's Bay" and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for "The Beast in Me." Russell, 50, appeared on the podcast "Dear Chelsea" and explained that she noticed Rhys was particularly nervous about public speaking.

"We are both nervous people – we are not in that world that much, we visit that world, and so we were both so nervous," Russell told host Chelsea Handler. "I looked at him a few days before and I said, 'OK, well, can you articulate what you're most nervous about?' And he's like, 'Yeah, having to speak.' And I said, 'Totally.' And I said, 'Take me off your plate. Like, you don't have to thank me. I know you love me.'"

Russell added that she and Rhys had a mutual understanding that their relationship was private and distinct from their professional lives, and that he was free to thank whomever he wished.

This is not the first time Rhys has faced scrutiny over his acceptance speeches. Russell recalled that he received significant criticism from peers after not thanking her in his 2018 Emmy speech for "The Americans." She described the backlash as "so crazy" and "stupid."

During his acceptance speeches, Rhys thanked his "The Beast in Me" co-star Claire Danes, his parents, and his sister, as well as the show's creator Katie Dippold. He did not mention Russell in either speech, which some social media users noted.

Russell herself was also nominated for awards at the Emmys for her work on "The Diplomat," including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series as an executive producer. She was seen applauding Rhys after one of his wins during the ceremony.