Wonder Woman of the Week: Keri Russell

Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot have both now brought the character of Wonder Woman to life in theater and television. But they are far from the only actresses to succeed in creating a version of the Amazon to film. One American actress not only voiced Wonder Woman is a hugely successful animated film, but also gained fame for her works in both film and television depicting strong women aimed at inspiring young girls. The Wonder Woman of the Week is Keri Russell.

Keri Russell was born in 1976 in California. Starting with dance, Russell began performing at a young age and it brought her to her first major success. In 1991, Russell joined with fellow future stars Brittney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Gosling in The Mickey Mouse Club- a children’s variety show. The following year, Russell appeared in her first film Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. Early attempts at a career in television failed, but that hardly held her back. [1]

Finally in 1998, Keri Russell was cast in a new coming-of-age television show created by JJ Abrams. (Yes, that JJ Abrams) Felicity would go on to be an unbelievable success. Early reviewers stated Russell brought beauty, grace, and emotion to the title character and was the anchor of the television show’s success. More importantly, the show was aimed at inspiring girls to want to be smart and confident. At 22 years old, Keri Russell won the Golden Globe Award for best actress. [2]

After leaving Felicity, actress Keri Russell bounced around different performance scenes including film, television, and theatre. Eventually, in 2007, Russell appeared in an independent film The Waitress. Before the film’s release at Sundance, the writer/director was murdered. Russell remarked after the film’s success wishing her long-time friend and the film’s writer/director had lived to see the film’s powerful reviews. [2]

In 2009, Keri Russell became the voice of Wonder Woman in a film starring former costar Nathan Fillion. The film – directed by Lauren Montgomery- features a story centered on Wonder Woman’s maiden voyage to man’s world. Receiving an 86% rating on online film critic site Rotten Tomatoes, Russell helped Wonder Woman become an underground success in the DC Comics world. [3]

After playing a badass superhero in an animated film, Keri Russell went live-action as a complex character in the FX show The Americans. The show depicts two Russian spies living deep undercover in the United States during the 1980’s. The show received an overall rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes [4] and won several awards including a Peabody. Russell herself received seven nominations for best actress. [5]

Keri Russell is not just the Wonder Woman of the Week- she’s one of only a few people to bring the character of Wonder Woman to life- and that’s what she’s least remembered for. From her early successes on Felicity to her most recent with The Americans, Russell is a strong actress who has an eye for roles that can inspire generations of girls. For all her work in film, and for her underappreciated success with Wonder Woman and The Waitress, Keri Russell has earned her title of Wonder Woman of the Week.

“Keri Russell Biography.” 2016. Biography.com Accessed 13 April 2016. http://www.biography.com/people/keri-russell-299938

Wang, Julia. “Keri Russell.” 2016. People Magazine. Accessed 13 April 2016. http://www.people.com/people/keri_russell/biography/0,,20160446_10,00.html

“Wonder Woman.” 2016. Rotten Tomatoes. Accessed 13 April 2016. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1206448-wonder_woman/

“The Americans.” 2016. Rotten Tomatoes. Accessed 13 April 2016. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-americans/

“The Americans (2013- ) Awards.” 2016. IMDb.com. Accessed 13 April 2016. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2149175/awards