- The Diplomat is an upcoming Netflix series.
- Keri Russell stars in the show.
- The Diplomat premieres April 20, 2023.
After the success of The Night Agent, Netflix is releasing another action thriller series that is going to blow your minds. The Diplomat stars Keri Russell as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, who has to manage an international political crisis that is breaking out, all the while trying to keep her marriage alive. Keri’s character is at the center of chaos in the action-packed trailer for the series.
The Diplomat is Keri’s first lead television role since The Americans, in which she starred opposite her husband, Matthew Rhys. She also memorably starred in the ’90s drama series Felicity. But The Diplomat is going to be one of Keri’s biggest and boldest roles yet. Here’s what you need to know about the Netflix show.
The Diplomat Release Date
The Diplomat will arrive April 20 on Netflix. All 8 episodes will be available to stream that day. Each episode is expected to be around 50 minutes long.
The Diplomat Trailer
Netflix released the official trailer for The Diplomat on April 5. The trailer introduces Keri’s character Kate, who is sent to the U.K. to “stop a war before it starts.” She’s joined by her husband Hal Wyler, a fellow career diplomat. Kate has to deal with an international crisis and marital struggles simultaneously. Hal tells Kate that he’s “not the only problem” in their marriage.
The Diplomat Cast & Crew
Keri Russell is the lead star in The Diplomat. She was cast in the show in February 2022. She’s also an executive producer. Keri previously starred in the FX spy thriller series The Americans for six seasons (2013 to 2018). Keri told Vanity Fair that she had hesitations about returning to television for The Diplomat.
“I definitely wasn’t looking to do another series,” the Emmy nominated actress said. “[But] I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I was like, ‘This is impossible — and I’m going to do it.’ ”
Rufus Sewell plays Hal Wyler in The Diplomat. Hal is Kate’s husband and diplomat partner. Rufus has appeared in the shows The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, and Kaleidoscope.
Ali Ahn, David Gyasi, Rory Kinnear, Ato Essandoh, Celia Imrie, Michael McKean, Nana Mensah, T’Nia Miller, and Miguel Sandoval also star in The Diplomat.
Deborah Cahn is the creator and show runner of the series. She’s previously worked on Homeland and Grey’s Anatomy. Deborah currently has a multi-year deal with Netflix. She’s executive producing The Diplomat with Keri Russell and Janice Williams.
What Is The Diplomat About?
Netflix’s official description for The Diplomat reads, “In the midst of an international crisis, a career diplomat lands in a high-profile job she’s unsuited for, with tectonic implications for her marriage and her political future.”
Creator Deborah Cahn came up with the idea for the series when she was working on Homeland. She shared her inspiration for the show in an interview with Vanity Fair. “The world might end on Tuesday because of a decision that they do or don’t make, but that doesn’t mean they remember the name of the person they’re talking to, and that doesn’t mean that they didn’t forget to take the tag off of their pants,” she said. “They’re quiet and unassuming. Like, this woman who looks like my Aunt Ruthie—she was in the middle of a crisis involving nuclear waste and a truck driving off an icy Siberian road and bombs dropping. Nobody knows what these people do. It’s such front-lines-y kind of activity, and nobody ever knows about it.”
Keri told Vanity Fair she had a blast filming The Diplomat and would love to do more with the show. “It’s a really fun world to live in. I would love to do it again,” she said.