Is 'The American's in keeping with a true story? Yes and no! Read on for everything we know about the Russian sleeper spies who impressed the FX sequence.
Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings and Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings in 'The Americans'
The FX original undercover agent drama The Americans had the country in a chokehold for five years until it ultimately went off-air. Set in the early Eighties, the sequence stars Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings — KGB brokers from Russia operating deep undercover in Washington, D.C. as a seemingly standard, suburban couple.
2023 marked ten years since the collection made its tv debut, and boy, will we feel old.
Looking back on the critically acclaimed collection, many enthusiasts wonder — is The Americans in response to a true story? Yes and no … Read on to be told more!
Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings and Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings in 'The Americans'
Is ‘The Americans’ based on a true story? Yes and no …
You can’t believe the entirety that you just see on TV, however in relation to FX’s The Americans, artwork undoubtedly imitates existence. Although The Americans isn’t completely in keeping with a true story, it is inspired by one.
History buffs might realize that Elizabeth and Philip’s story sounds eerily very similar to that of Tracey Lee Ann Foley and Donald Howard Heathfield (born Elena Vavilova and Andrey Bezrukov), Russian spies who were arrested in conjunction with eight other sleeper brokers by the FBI in 2010.
Who are Elena Vavilova and Andrey Bezrukov? Meet the couple who impressed ‘The Americans’ …
Both well-traveled and well-educated, Elena and Andrey were both born and raised in Russia and met in school whilst enrolled at Tomsk State University. Later, the two relocated to Moscow, the place they started their secret agent training and later assumed their undercover identities as Canadian citizens Tracee and Donald Heathfield.
Keidrich Sellati as Henry Jennings, Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings, Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings, and Holly Taylor as Paige Jennings in 'The Americans'
They stayed hidden in plain sight for more than twenty years sooner than they have been arrested at their home in Massachusetts. The couple used to be in the end deported to Europe as part of a prisoner change agreement between the U.S. and Russia.
Much like Elizabeth and Philip, Tracey and Donald shared two children. But as an alternative of a daughter and son named Henry (Keidrich Sellati) and Paige (Holly Taylor), Tracey and Donald had sons: Canadian-born Alexander and Timothy Vavilov.
In 2017, federal courts dominated that the brothers weren't guilty in their folks’ crimes and in turn, granted Canadian citizenship.
At a press convention, Alexander shared that both he and his parents have been enthusiasts of the FX adaptation in their lives. "My parents said they enjoyed watching it because it at least portrayed the sense of patriotism and the sense of connection. It’s a good show,” he shared (per the Associated Press.)
You can movement all six seasons of The Americans now on Hulu!
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