Keri Russell explains why she doesn't want to marry Matthew Rhys after 13 years

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Keri Russell explains why she doesn't want to marry Matthew Rhys after 13 years.

After nearly 13 years together, a shared son, and an on-set romance that began on the set of "The Americans," Keri Russell (50) and Matthew Rhys (51) have no wedding plans. The actress explained on Chelsea Handler's podcast "Dear Chelsea" on Thursday (October 8) why she personally rejects the institution of marriage – and what matters to her instead.

"We have kids, so that's forever," Russell said in the conversation – a clear statement that also answers why the couple doesn't need a ring despite having a family and a long relationship. For Russell, the shared child is the bond that cannot be broken.

We have kids, so that's forever

Why Russell calls marriage "antiquated"

When asked why she and Rhys don't want to marry after more than a decade, Russell's answer was clear: she considers marriage "antiquated." E! News picks up on the word in its description of the interview – it is the core of Russell's view on the topic. The 50-year-old did not develop this stance spontaneously, but through life experience that, by Hollywood standards, she speaks about unusually openly.

antiquated

For fans of the two, this is no surprise: anyone who follows Russell and Rhys knows that the actress has a clear opinion about marriage – and isn't swayed by public expectations. She now answers the question of whether a wedding is still coming herself: Probably not.

From "The Americans" to their shared son

The fact that Russell and Rhys became a couple at all is a story of its own. The two met on the set of the spy series "The Americans," in which they played a Cold War couple. What began as acting became private reality. The series ended in 2018 after six seasons; their relationship continued.

In 2016, their shared son Sam was born. He is Russell's second child – from her first marriage to carpenter Shane Deary, which was entered into in 2007 and lasted until their separation in 2013. Anyone who has already experienced a marriage and seen how it ends often approaches the institution with different eyes – and says so as openly as Russell just has.

What Rhys says – and why the statement still carries weight

Rhys himself has not publicly addressed the wedding plans so far. That the relationship works even without a marriage certificate is evident from their joint red carpet appearances. For the actress, it is clear by her own account that togetherness does not have to be tied to a document.

The statement comes at a time when Hollywood couples are increasingly speaking openly about their relationship models – without bitterness, without defensiveness. Russell does it her way: matter-of-fact, direct, with a clear sentence that is both answer and statement.

What this means for you as a fan

If you've been following Russell and Rhys since "The Americans," you know: the couple consistently keeps their private life out of the public eye. A statement this open about marriage is therefore rare. It comes without resentment, without pathos – and it answers a question fans have been asking for years.

What remains is a couple that shows: a relationship can last a decade and more without a marriage certificate. For Russell, the shared child is the proof that it is "forever" – not the paper.