Keri Russell, 50, and Matthew Rhys have been together since late 2013 but are not married despite having a child together. During an interview on a podcast, Russell explained that they avoid marriage because it's less about practical benefits like credit cards now and more about personal choice. She also addressed why Rhys did not mention her in his recent Emmy acceptance speeches, attributing the omission to both of them being nervous public speakers rather than any lack of appreciation for each other.
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Story summary
Keri Russell, 50, an actress in the Netflix show Stranger Things, has expressed her views on marriage during a podcast appearance, stating that people used to marry for practical reasons like shared finances and names, which are no longer necessary. She has been with Matthew Rhys since late 2013 and they have a son named Sam, born in 2016. Russell was previously married to Shane Deary from 2007 to 2014 and shares two children with him: River, 19, and Willa Lou, 13. During the podcast, she addressed why Rhys left her out of his 2026 Emmy acceptance speech, saying he was extremely nervous about speaking in front of a large audience, as both are generally anxious people not used to such high-pressure situations.
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“I’ve had a big party, you know.
asserted
you → have → party
I get to dress up all the time, and I know for a lot of people, marriage is something different,” Russell, 50, said.
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Russell → get → people
“…People used to be married to have a credit card.
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People → use → card
We can have credit cards now.
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We → have → cards
I don’t need my last name to go away,” she continued.
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she → need → ?
Russell has been in a relationship with Rhys since late 2013, and the two share son Sam, 10, whom they welcomed in 2016.
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they → share → 2016
The actress was previously married to contractor Shane Deary from 2007 to 2014.
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actress → marry → 2014
She shares two children with Deary, son River, 19, and daughter Willa Lou, 13.
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She → share → River
During Russell’s appearance on the podcast, she also spoke about why Rhys left her out of his 2026 Emmys acceptance speech.
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Rhys → speak → speech
I mean, we were all nervous.
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we → mean → ?
But, you know, it’s a lot.
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it → know → ?
It’s a lot of pressure,” Russell told Handler.
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Russell → ’ → Handler
“We’re both nervous people.
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We → ’re → ?
We’re not in that world that much.
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We → ’re → world
We visit that world, and so we were both so nervous.”
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we → visit → world
“I looked at him a few days before and I said, ‘OK, well, can you articulate what you’re most nervous about?’” she continued.
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she → look → what
“And he’s like, ‘Yeah, having to speak.’
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he → have → ?
And I said, ‘Totally.’
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I → say → ?
And I said, ‘Take me off your plate.
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I → say → plate
Like, you don’t have to thank me.
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you → have → me
I know you love me.’”
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you → know → me
Rhys was awarded two Emmys this year, winning the award for lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie for “The Beast in Me,” as well as lead actor in a comedy series for “Widow’s Bay.”
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Rhys → award → Bay
Russell was also nominated for an Emmy for lead actress in a drama series for her role in Netflix’s thriller series “The Diplomat.”
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Russell → nominate → series
The couple has mostly kept their relationship out of the public eye.
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couple → keep → eye
However, Rhys did joke during his 2018 Emmys acceptance speech that Russell would have “punched him” if he had proposed during the awards ceremony.
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he → joke → ceremony
“And finally, to the woman who truly got me this award, who just stands in front of me every day and just puts up with me,” the actor said in his speech for winning best lead actor in a drama series.
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actor → get → series
“She said, ‘If you propose to me, I’ll punch you clean in the mouth.’
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I → say → mouth
I don’t have the words, or the time, neither which would do you justice, Keri Lynn, except thank you.”
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which → have → you
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