Keri Russell raises the curtain on “The Diplomat”

Keri Russell, serving as the U.S. ambassador in every sense of the word, deftly balanced another diplomatic crisis in a rented mansion with prop champagne. And the plot, although plausible, was anchored in the script. Asked if it was overly glorified, Russell replied: “The world of diplomacy? Well, it's television! You have to glorify it excessively! Everything needs.” As long as!“

But “The Diplomat” moves. In the first season, Russell's character, Kate Wyler, was thrown into the role of U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom (no pesky Senate confirmation required) and literally feuds with her wayward former ambassador husband (played by Rufus Sewell). The plot parallels current events, including Iran and a resurgent Russia.

“It's just a world that we kind of don't know much about, which is really interesting,” Russell said. “I think the State Department generally does a good job when we not Hear from them. It's fun to look behind the scenes a little.

“Sunday Morning” was able to take a look behind the scenes of this hit Netflix show during the filming of Season 2, which is scheduled to be released later this month. In a large room, next to a table prepared for a banquet, was the temporary office of series creator Debora Cahn. As filming began, she constantly took notes. “I remember pursuing something that was planted here in future scripts,” she said.

The writer and producer has built a career making Washington's politics, dealings and diplomacy sexy for television audiences – in the CIA drama “Homeland” and before that in the White House with “The West Wing.”

“As a writer, I basically grew up on The West Wing,” Cahn said, “and I loved that it was a way to talk about things that are important in the world without it being preachy or explosive worked. I thought it was just an incredible magic trick and I really wanted to do the foreign policy version of it.

Doane asked, “Are you going to open the paper now and say, 'Ooh, that might be a good story for The Diplomat?”

“Every day,” Cahn replied.

When asked to respond to criticism that “The Diplomat” overly glorified the way the State Department operates, Cahn said: “I agree with that. They could use a little glorification! I mean, they work really hard and do good things – and absolutely no one has any idea what they do.

Russell became known to television audiences in the title role of “Felicity,” a drama about college life. She most recently played a Russian spy in the thriller “The Americans.” “'The Americans' was kind of stylized, or at least my character was,” she said. “It was all kind of a vibe and vibe. And this is a lot more 'Fraggle Rock' – I always pronounce it like that and say things at a million miles a minute and so on. It's like other gear, and it's so much fun to play that other gear.

“The pace is high. I think the diplomatic nature of the dialogue is powerful and quick and, you know, fun if you get it right!”

Jane Hartley, the real The US ambassador to the UK says Russell is “absolutely perfect” for the role.

“One of the things I love about the show is, firstly, it’s about a female ambassador to the UK, and I’m the second female ambassador to the UK – two in 200 years,” Hartley said.

Doane asked, “It must be interesting to see what you do in the spotlight?”

“You know, when I heard about it, I was worried at first,” Hartley said. “I wanted to make sure the substance was right, and I think they are.”

She admits she was a little involved: “They discussed things with me,” she said. “If you come into my office most days, it's pretty hectic. We're pretty busy. Phones are ringing, people are running, papers are being pushed back and forth. And when you see your show, it's the same thing. So, she.” Get the right intensity.

Asked what she learned from the real diplomats, Russell said: “They're kind of unflappable, and I think that's what you have to be. You have to be really good in crises and know how to deal with lots of different types of people. And I think Jane really does.

The ambassador gave “Sunday Morning” a tour of the real Winfield House (the U.S. ambassador's official residence in London's Regent's Park) and told us there's a problem: Some visitors to the residence who have seen the show are expecting something more familiar. “They'll come in and I can see them looking around and looking around and I can see them thinking: Well, it's not like that on this show!said Hartley.

Hartley says people in the Foreign Service are definitely watching, and she's not the only one wondering whether this TV show might pique the interest of the next generation of diplomats. “You never know what will affect people,” she said.

Russell added: “It's like a little insight and maybe, I don't know if the smart kids in school will go, Oh, I'd love to do that. I think this might be a little eye-opening. Just as “Felicity” recruited children to NYU, perhaps this will recruit diplomats to work at the State Department.”

To watch a trailer for season two of The Diplomat, click on the video player below:

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The story was produced by Erin Lyall. Editor: Brian Robbins.