The Americans writer Joel Fields has told the story of how one of the stars of the series once pranked the show's writers, leading to a staff meeting being called. The spy drama follows the story of KGB intelligence officers Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings who assume their identities as a married couple to spy on the US during the Cold War. The show has been praised by critics, earning two Peabody Awards throughout its run.
Now, Entertainment Weekly reports that, while celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Americans in New York's Paley Center, Fields recalled how one of the stars pranked the writers by defacing images of the leading co-stars. He explained that a staff meeting was called because of the prank, where one of the assistants revealed Matthew Rhys was the culprit. Check out Fields' full story below:
Joe [Weisberg] and I walked in [the writers' room] one day and someone had on Matthew and Keri's pictures – they'd been defaced. There's a devil on Matthew and a funny mustache on Keri. And we called the assistants in and we called the staff in and we go, 'Guys, it's all good to have fun it's fine, but this is a professional and respectful place to work and we really need to know who did this?' And one of the assistants finally goes, 'It's Matthew.'
Why The Americans Is A Well-ed Series
Rhys spoke up after Fields told the story, explaining he'd been inebriated while playing the prank, which was supposed to play on the number of disguises he and co-star Keri Russell donned throughout the series. As spies, the pair continually wore disguises throughout the series during their missions. Rhys' prank was a reflection of this while also being a generally goofy act to confuse the writer's room.
Unlike his prank, though, The Americans is a dark series focusing on the espionage elements of Cold War spies in America. The show also deals with political ideology, with Russell's Elizabeth having a stronger allegiance to the Soviet Union and communism than Rhys' Phillip. Due to how well-loved the series was, Rhys has expressed interest in reviving The Americans, citing an ending that could leave the series open for more episodes.
Even though the series tackled dark pockets of politics and espionage, it's nice to know that Rhys' prank brought some levity to the ultimately serious show. The fact that the series is still celebrated 10 years later is a testament to how enjoyed the series was when it was first airing. Fields' story ultimately proves that The Americans was brought to life by ionate people like Rhys, who also wasn't afraid to joke around about the show.
Source: EW