Keri Russell has revealed that she gave her partner Matthew Rhys permission to leave her out of his Emmy Awards acceptance speeches, stating that the pressure of public speaking was a significant concern for him.
Rhys, who had a notable evening at the September 14 ceremony, won two awards: 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, speaking on the podcast "Dear Chelsea" on Thursday, explained that she clarified with Rhys beforehand that he did not need to thank her.
"We're both nervous people... we were both so nervous," Russell said. "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 noted that Rhys still receives criticism from peers after not including them in his speech when he won for "The Americans" in 2018. "It's so crazy. People get nuts. It's stupid, and it's also lame," she commented on the past backlash.
During his acceptance speeches, Rhys thanked his "The Beast in Me" co-star Claire Danes, acknowledging her strong presence in the crime drama. He also expressed gratitude to his parents and sister for their support.
Rhys, who met Russell while filming "The Americans" in 2012, did not mention Russell in his two speeches, which some social media users observed. Russell herself was nominated for multiple awards for her role in "The Diplomat," including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series as an executive producer.
