Keri Russell Faces International and Marital Crisis in Trailer for Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’

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Keri Russell has stepped into her next leading TV role.

Netflix has dropped the trailer for The Diplomat, the upcoming political drama that places the Americans star firmly inside the U.S. government. Russell, who is also an executive producer, stars as Kate Wyler, the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom who must prevent a war amid brewing crisis in her marriage.

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The hourlong drama releases all eight episodes April 20.

From showrunner Debora Cahn (The West Wing, Homeland), The Diplomat is a high-stakes, contemporary political drama about the transcendence and torture of long-term relationships, between countries and people.

(L to R) Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler in The Diplomat.
Keri Russell as Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler in The Diplomat.

The trailer (below) flips between comedy and political thriller as it shows Kate’s struggles when she steps into a role formerly held by her husband (Rufus Sewell), who shares his many opinions about her job whether or not she likes it.

Russell, who earned three Emmys nominations for her portrayal as Soviet spy Elizabeth Jennings on the acclaimed FX series The Americans, has most recently appeared on an episode of Apple’s Extrapolations and on the big screen in Cocaine Bear. The Diplomat marks her series regular return to TV.

The official logline reads: Kate Wyler (Russell) is the new U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. She was supposed to go to Afghanistan. She’s great in a crisis zone. In a historic home … less so. War is brewing on one continent and boiling over on another. Kate will have to diffuse international crises, forge strategic alliances in London and adjust to her new place in the spotlight — all while trying to survive her marriage to fellow career diplomat and political star Hal Wyler (Sewell).

David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and Ato Essandoh round out the cast. Cahn, Janice Williams and Russell are executive producers.

Updated April 6 to correct FX series to The Americans.

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