As the eponymous character on WB's Felicity, Keri Russell gained adoration for her quirky and sincere portrayal of a starry-eyed college student in New York City. Since this career-defining role, Russell has established herself as a master of character transformations; naive Felicity Porter is a far cry from Elizabeth Jennings, the Soviet spy whom Russell played for six seasons on The Americans.
Spy, waitress, poet, and superhero are just some of the hats Russell has donned during her illustrious career, and recently, she even appeared as Zorii Bliss in J.J. Abrams's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Although Star Wars didn't make the cut, here are Keri Russell's top ten roles, ranked according to the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer:
Leaves Of Grass (61%)
Russell adopts a Southern accent in this 2009 comedy about twin brothers Bill and Brady (Edward Norton), who clash over the latter's feud with a drug lord he wants to eliminate. Russell portrays the level-headed and charismatic Janet, with whom Bill is smitten while becoming reluctantly involved in his brother's scheme.
In one poetic moment (both literally and figuratively), Janet recites some of Walt Whitman's words to Bill: "The mockeries are not you. Underneath them, and within them, I see you lurk." Bill replies, "I don't think I ever imagined hearing him recited to me by a girl gutting a forty-pound catfish," to which Janet quips, "That's exactly how he should be recited." For a comedic romp about two identical twins and a drug feud, this intimate rumination on poetry is a delightful surprise.
We Were Soldiers (63%)
This 2002 war film features Russell as Barbara, who is pregnant and married to a young soldier away in the Vietnam War. Although her role may not seem terribly layered, Russell evocatively communicates the painful anxiety that accompanies her family's uncertain future. In a striking scene with Julie (Madeline Stowe), who is also married to a soldier, Barbara shakily discusses her husband's absence. She explains, "I love Jack so much, but he's supposed to be here with me" and then admits her rightful frustration at their separation.
Mission: Impossible III (71%)
The third installment of this action-packed franchise features Keri Russell as Lindsey Farris, an agent in the Impossible Mission Force whose kidnapping instigates the film's principal mission. With Tom Cruise reprising his starring role as Ethan Hunt, the impressive cast also boasts Philip Seymour Hoffman, Maggie Q, Michelle Monaghan, and even a pre-Breaking Bad Aaron Paul.
Several years before The Americans, Russell excelled in her portrayal of spy antics, and Mission: Impossible III's adept Lindsey could almost certainly hold her own against Elizabeth Jennings! After Ethan retrieves her from the factory where she is being held, an injured Lindsey proceeds to energetically fight off their foes ... Quite the impressive recovery!
The Girl In The Park (71%)
This psychological thriller stars Sigourney Weaver as grieving mother Julia, whose young daughter vanished from a park sixteen years ago but may have unexpectedly returned to her life. Russell plays Celeste, the fiancé of Julia's somewhat estranged son Chris.
Although Weaver's intense portrayal of motherly grief steals the show, Russell manages to make her supporting role memorable. After Chris ends up in the hospital, Julia asks to see him, and Celeste tenderly tells her, "He wants to talk to you, he does. It's just been hard, after everything, and then you didn't call, and... She's not your daughter. You know that, right?" Russell's delivery is sensitive yet frank, holding Julia accountable for her preoccupation with a mysterious woman named Louise (Kate Bosworth).
The Upside Of Anger (74%)
This romantic comedy follows the burgeoning romance of Denny (Kevin Costner) and Terry (Joan Allen), whose husband has purportedly fled her for a relationship with his secretary. Russell portrays Terry's college-age daughter Emily, whose other sisters are played by Evan Rachel Wood, Alicia Witt, and Erika Christensen.
Emily clashes with Terry over her plan to become a professional dancer, which is just one source of friction in this expansive family. Due to their disagreements and oppositional aspirations, the dynamic between Terry and her daughters is as central to the film as Terry's relationship with Denny.
Wonder Woman (82%)
Russell voices DC superhero Wonder Woman / Diana in this acclaimed animated film, which showcases the distinct (and heroic!) appeal of her voice. Co-starring Nathan Fillion as Wonder Woman's eventual ally Steve Trevor, the film depicts Diana's journey to America, where she and Steve foil the villainous plans of Greek god of war Ares. Events reach a striking crescendo in Washington, D.C., when Ares precipitates a nuclear attack by manipulating the U.S. president.
Scrubs (83%)
Russell played Melody for a brief period of this beloved sitcom, which aired for nine seasons and concluded its run in 2010. Melody appears in the sixth season episodes "My Turf War" and "My Cold Shower," where she contributes to some havoc for old sorority sister Elliot (Sarah Chalke). In "My Turf War," Turk (Donald Faison) provides a satirical "Booty Breakdown," in which Melody describes herself as "Melody O'Harra. Brown University" and later adds, "I'm single," in a satirically seductive voice.
Later, after lying to Melody about something Elliot said, J.D. (Zach Braff) is reprimanded with an icy stare from both of them and is so flustered that he pays $100 for his Appletini. The force of Russell's stare is no joke!
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (90%)
Russell plays Ellie in this 2014 installment of the Planet of the Apes franchise, in which the apes and humans attempt to forge a partnership to prevent more bloodshed by human antagonists. Indeed, much of the film's conflict arises between humans themselves, some of whom oppose peace with the apes. Ellie, however, takes an empathetic position and declares, "It was a virus created by scientists in a lab. You can't blame the apes."
Waitress (90%)
As a pie-obsessed waitress named Jenna, Russell is as saccharine as her clever desserts in this 2007 dramedy. Married to an abusive husband when she becomes pregnant, the film tracks Jenna's road to freedom in her personal and professional lives ... a journey which involves baking copious amounts of pie, of course! During the course of the film, a romance also flourishes with Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion, who co-starred in the animated Wonder Woman). However, Waitress is ultimately more concerned with Jenna's individual journey, as well as her creation of inventive dessert names like the piquant "I Hate My Husband" pie.
The Americans (96%)
Russell received three Emmy, two Golden Globe, and four Critics' Choice Award nominations for her morally dubious role in this superb spy drama. The series focuses on Elizabeth (Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), a pair of Soviet spies who feign American identity and run a travel agency in Washington, D.C., during the 1980s. Elizabeth and Philip are deeply loyal to their country, but personal and professional issues clash when they attempt to execute missions while maintaining the illusion of "normalcy."
Matters are further complicated by the presence of Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), an FBI agent who lives right next door and becomes close friends with Philip. Unlike the earnest Felicity Porter, Elizabeth Jennings manipulates, schemes, and kills regularly, and Russell excels in portraying the riveting internal conflict that Elizabeth experiences (or sometimes fails to experience) throughout the course of the series.