![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dipomat-seaosn3.png\")
@Courtesy of Netflix<\/p>\n
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Press Conference With Actors Keri Russell, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford and Creator Debora Cahn<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Q: The first episode in the Season 3 features a major jaw-dropper with Hal being asked to step into the role of Vice President. Could you talk to us a little bit about this decision?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: It just seemed real. The decision was <\/span>actually made before it played out on national television. <\/span>But it felt like that’s kind of her worst fears coming <\/span>true. She’s always believed that she wasn’t ready <\/span>for more. And to have the confidence build over the course <\/span>of a season, and to get her to the place where she’s like: <\/span>“No, I think I can do this.” And then to have someone <\/span>objective say: “No. Thank you, though. Thank you for <\/span>stopping by.”<\/span><\/p>\n Q:\u00a0 Could you share the experience of bringing this season to life? Were there any memorable or challenging aspects of the creative or shooting process?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: It always feels like we barely survive. We always leave a season thinking, “Oh my god, the craziest thing happened.” And then you realize you say that about every season of television you do. It was gratifying to get these people together with Keri and Rufus. They had given so much to the show and to all of us with this relationship. There’s Allison Janney and her friend Brad Whitford. I love that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n Q: Keri, what was your reaction when you read it, and how happy are you with where Season 3 picked up after that shocking ending?<\/b><\/p>\n Keri Russell: Such a good ending. I love <\/span>that the ending involves Hal doing something equally and <\/span>fantastically stupid. He’s always involved in the mischief of it, which is part of the fun of the show. I love where it goes in season three. We pick up right where that left off. The first episode in particular, I like so many aspects of it. It hits all these points that I really endorse about our show. The explanation of these incremental government processes, I love learning about all of that. There’s so much that we don’t know about what they do, so I like shining a light on that. It is also very powerful to play the personal humiliation and devastation that happens at the end of that episode for Kate. Losing is just such a fun thing <\/span>to do as an actor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: The Diplomat has always thrived on tension, personal, political, and even comedic. In Season 3, how do the two of you play off of each other to keep that razor-sharp energy alive in a marriage?<\/b><\/p>\n Keri Russell: Me and Rufus? It’s such a fun relationship to play in. How smart they are, how equally petty they are with each other. It is so enjoyable. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had working. I get so excited to read the episodes. Rufus is just that good. He’s always there when you’re working with him. Even if I swing big, he’s there to catch me, and I will do the same for him. He’s a great scene partner, and these characters are so well-written.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q:: What’s it like continuing to write the tension between the two of them in different ways?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: The gift of long-form television is that you get <\/span>to go into a relationship with a couple years of having established these people in the minds of the audience. And then you can go in with the nuance that we experience in real life, not have to explain the backstory and not have to deal with <\/span>the exposition, but just come into it. To be able to dramatize that is really fun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: How does it feel to reunite together after working on The West Wing, and how has this shaped your collaboration with Debora Cahn?<\/b><\/p>\n Allison Janney: This is such a great homecoming for both of us. We’ve spent over 20 years arguing in fake government buildings together. We love each other, we’re family. We have a huge history together. So coming onto this particular show, I love the show so much. Having Bradley here and creating the relationship between Grace Penn and Todd is delicious for us because of all the history that’s baked into our relationship. Yes, we were C.J. and Josh, but this is so different. Once people see it, they won’t think about C.J. and Josh anymore. They’ll fall in love with Grace and Todd.<\/span><\/p>\n Bradley Whitford: I don’t have the words to express what <\/span>incredible privilege it is to look into Allison\u2019s eyes. The only problem is she’s doing a monologue and I’m lying on the bed or something. And I just get distracted, ’cause I can’t believe how lucky I am to be able to play with Allison again. She is one of my favorite people I have ever known. She happens to also be one of the greatest actresses on the planet. To be able to take this history we have and put this down this different road, it\u2019s a privilege. I’ve always been in love with Keri’s acting. She’s fresh, immediate and honest. Allison and I share the idea that you take the work very seriously, but you don’t take yourself seriously <\/span>doing the work. You can tell when a cast is firing on all cylinders. On The West Wing, sometimes the personal stuff resonates with the issues. And then the show would not become a note, it would become a chord. And that is in every frame of this show. It is about international diplomacy, and it’s about the power struggles within relationships. That’s a great idea for a show.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n Q: The role of the first husband is a fascinating twist on political power and proximity. What aspects of Todd Penn as a character intrigued you the most about joining the show?<\/b><\/p>\n Bradley Whitford: The joy of doing a television show is you really are discovering it as you go. There are these cross currents in this guy that I loved. It’s funny because people go: \u201cYou know, my kids are like what’s he like!\u201d And I’m like: \u201dHe’s a mess!\u201d Because I love the cross currents. I think of him as Doug Emhoff if he wasn’t happy about it. But he loves her and he’s protecting her. He wants to do the right thing and I love those contradictions.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Your writing has always blended sharp political dialogue with deeply personal relationships. How did you evolve that balance in Season 3, especially with the <\/b><\/p>\n Press Conference With Actors Keri Russell, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford and Creator Debora Chan<\/strong><\/p>\n Q: The first episode in the Season 3 features a major jaw-dropper with Hal being asked to step into the role of Vice President. Could you talk to us a little bit about this decision?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: It just seemed real. The decision was <\/span>actually made before it played out on national television. <\/span>But it felt like that’s kind of her worst fears coming <\/span>true. She’s always believed that she wasn’t ready <\/span>for more. And to have the confidence build over the course <\/span>of a season, and to get her to the place where she’s like: <\/span>“No, I think I can do this.” And then to have someone <\/span>objective say: “No. Thank you, though. Thank you for <\/span>stopping by.”<\/span><\/p>\n Q:\u00a0 Could you share the experience of bringing this season to life? Were there any memorable or challenging aspects of the creative or shooting process?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: It always feels like we barely survive. We always leave a season thinking, “Oh my god, the craziest thing happened.” And then you realize you say that about every season of television you do. It was gratifying to get these people together with Keri and Rufus. They had given so much to the show and to all of us with this relationship. There’s Allison Janney and her friend Brad Whitford. I love that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n Q: Keri, what was your reaction when you read it, and how happy are you with where Season 3 picked up after that shocking ending?<\/b><\/p>\n Keri Russell: Such a good ending. I love <\/span>that the ending involves Hal doing something equally and <\/span>fantastically stupid. He’s always involved in the mischief of it, which is part of the fun of the show. I love where it goes in season three. We pick up right where that left off. The first episode in particular, I like so many aspects of it. It hits all these points that I really endorse about our show. The explanation of these incremental government processes, I love learning about all of that. There’s so much that we don’t know about what they do, so I like shining a light on that. It is also very powerful to play the personal humiliation and devastation that happens at the end of that episode for Kate. Losing is just such a fun thing <\/span>to do as an actor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: The Diplomat has always thrived on tension, personal, political, and even comedic. In Season 3, how do the two of you play off of each other to keep that razor-sharp energy alive in a marriage?<\/b><\/p>\n Keri Russell: Me and Rufus? It’s such a fun relationship to play in. How smart they are, how equally petty they are with each other. It is so enjoyable. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had working. I get so excited to read the episodes. Rufus is just that good. He’s always there when you’re working with him. Even if I swing big, he’s there to catch me, and I will do the same for him. He’s a great scene partner, and these characters are so well-written.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q:: What’s it like continuing to write the tension between the two of them in different ways?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: The gift of long-form television is that you get <\/span>to go into a relationship with a couple years of having established these people in the minds of the audience. And then you can go in with the nuance that we experience in real life, not have to explain the backstory and not have to deal with <\/span>the exposition, but just come into it. To be able to dramatize that is really fun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: How does it feel to reunite together after working on The West Wing, and how has this shaped your collaboration with Debora Cahn?<\/b><\/p>\n Allison Janney: This is such a great homecoming for both of us. We’ve spent over 20 years arguing in fake government buildings together. We love each other, we’re family. We have a huge history together. So coming onto this particular show, I love the show so much. Having Bradley here and creating the relationship between Grace Penn and Todd is delicious for us because of all the history that’s baked into our relationship. Yes, we were C.J. and Josh, but this is so different. Once people see it, they won’t think about C.J. and Josh anymore. They’ll fall in love with Grace and Todd.<\/span><\/p>\n Bradley Whitford: I don’t have the words to express what <\/span>incredible privilege it is to look into Allison\u2019s eyes. The only problem is she’s doing a monologue and I’m lying on the bed or something. And I just get distracted, ’cause I can’t believe how lucky I am to be able to play with Allison again. She is one of my favorite people I have ever known. She happens to also be one of the greatest actresses on the planet. To be able to take this history we have and put this down this different road, it\u2019s a privilege. I’ve always been in love with Keri’s acting. She’s fresh, immediate and honest. Allison and I share the idea that you take the work very seriously, but you don’t take yourself seriously <\/span>doing the work. You can tell when a cast is firing on all cylinders. On The West Wing, sometimes the personal stuff resonates with the issues. And then the show would not become a note, it would become a chord. And that is in every frame of this show. It is about international diplomacy, and it’s about the power struggles within relationships. That’s a great idea for a show.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n Q: The role of the first husband is a fascinating twist on political power and proximity. What aspects of Todd Penn as a character intrigued you the most about joining the show?<\/b><\/p>\n Bradley Whitford: The joy of doing a television show is you really are discovering it as you go. There are these cross currents in this guy that I loved. It’s funny because people go: \u201cYou know, my kids are like what’s he like!\u201d And I’m like: \u201dHe’s a mess!\u201d Because I love the cross currents. I think of him as Doug Emhoff if he wasn’t happy about it. But he loves her and he’s protecting her. He wants to do the right thing and I love those contradictions.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Your writing has always blended sharp political dialogue with deeply personal relationships. How did you evolve that balance in Season 3, especially with the addition of the first <\/b>couple, Grace and Todd Penn, to the show?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: That’s something that I learned to do because I was writing for these people. That was sort of my understanding of the kind of trick that one could play with material. To bring these two in, it’s like you’ve got people who like sprinting along and they make it look effortless. Knowing the kind of skillsets they have and knowing the relationship that they already have, at that level and with that kind of richness of interaction was extraordinary.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: The series thrives upon both sharp political strategy and biting humor. How did you find Grace’s voice within Debora Cahn’s writing?<\/b><\/p>\n Allison Janney: She’s such a brilliant writer, she’s <\/span>excellent at writing characters. A lot of how I found Grace was right on the page, in her stillness, her power. She’s a woman who’s so incredibly capable and ready to be where she is within the White House, and more than ready to step into the role of President. The relationship with Keri Russell, especially, is <\/span>such a great relationship where you discover her character <\/span>very well. This is a seasoned woman, a seasoned politician, <\/span>and Keri Russell is this creature that’s unrefined. As a woman who’s been underestimated her entire career, she knows what the game is and she knows how you have to play it. Then to bring Todd in and that relationship, she’s such a beautifully nuanced character and making these decisions. Some people see her as not evil, but morally compromised. I think she’s just a woman who is making really hard, tough decisions, and that any man would, but because she’s a woman, she’s judged harshly for it.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: What qualities in Kate do you find the most admirable?<\/b><\/p>\n Keri Russell: We’ve met a few of these people, who are true public servants, who could be doing many things in life making a lot more money. These men and women working in our government for a lot less money, putting their life, sacrificing so much. I really feel like Kate is one of those altruistic workers. I love that about her. Her gumption, her frankness. Smart and funny. You can’t beat it. It’s good.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n Q: The Diplomat feels so timely, echoing moments when real politics looked almost like drama. How do you decide which real world parallels to embrace and which ones to avoid?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: A lot of what’s going on in the world right now, it feels more germane to a Marvel movie than realistic drama. That stuff, we try not to use. We try to stay in the headspace that the country is in and that the world is in, in terms of how countries are relating to each other. It’s difficult because we’re writing something and it’s not gonna go on the air for two years. We really desperately hope that the political moment that we’re in right now is gone in two years. The basic conflicts that people in this field are dealing with, hopefully things get better, hopefully things don’t get worse, but the basic conflicts remain the \u00a0<\/span>same.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Could you talk about the strengths that everyone brings to the table and how this helps you all to come together as an ensemble on this show?<\/b><\/p>\n Allison Janney: Everyone in this group is at their peak.The entire cast brings their A game. I’ve always said acting is a team sport and this is a first-class team. We’re there supporting each other and making these scenes crackle with, we give as good as we get and it’s enormously fun for me. I can’t wait to memorize these scenes and get in there and play with these guys.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Your character carries such a beautifully raw walking wounded quality, and yet remains fiercely loyal. What lies at the heart of your approach?<\/b><\/p>\n Bradley Whitford: I love how cantankerous this guy is. I love that there’s something so wonderfully marital and intimate about the <\/span>jealousy he expresses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: After three seasons with this character, have you discovered anything new in your process or changes in yourself or the political landscape that have influenced the way that you play her?<\/b><\/p>\n Keri Russell: The acronyms of the government agencies get a little bit easier. All of those little things are footholds that make it just that much more fun when you come back, because you’ve earned the work of it. I learned cello for something. I got to ride horses up in Canada with hot cowboys for another one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: How do Keri Russell, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, and Rufus elevate the words on the page in ways that surprise you?<\/b><\/p>\n Debora Cahn: I’m just desperate to make it worthy of them. I just throw everything in it. Usually, you come up with a couple of ideas and you try them out and you pick one that’s gonna carry you through the scene. We just put everything in there and see, it’s a thrill to just be in the room for the filming of it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Given your work on The Diplomat Season 3 and the dynamic performances within the cast, what was it like collaborating with Rufus Sewell, and how did your onscreen relationship evolve throughout the season?<\/b><\/p>\n Allison Janney: He’s so much fun to work with, I love <\/span>that Grace chooses him for Vice President because his way of navigating politics is more closely aligned to her way, like sometimes you gotta do things that maybe don’t look good on paper but are actually for the greater good. She feels he’s more seasoned and more ready to go on that journey with her. Rufus is incredibly playful. He’s really cute. And I love making Todd, Brad’s character, jealous. It’s so much fun. I think this season I’ll probably get to do a little more with Rufus now that he’s my vice president. I’m looking forward to where that goes.<\/span><\/p>\n If you like the interview, share your thoughts below!<\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dip02-300x200.jpg\")
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