List of The Americans characters
This is a list of characters appearing in the FX drama The Americans.
Main characters
Elizabeth Jennings
Played by Keri Russell, Elizabeth (real name, Nadezhda) is a KGB agent and the wife of Philip Jennings and the mother of Paige and Henry Jennings. In comparison to Philip, Elizabeth feels more strongly about her allegiance with the KGB and Russia and when Philip suggests defection, she strongly rebuffs. Early in her training, Elizabeth was raped by Nikolai Timoshev. Elizabeth had an affair with Gregory Thomas (Derek Luke) for years before and after her marriage to Philip. Although she and Philip never fell in love in the early years of their marriage, Elizabeth tells Philip she has started to develop feelings for him at the beginning of the series.
Philip Jennings
Played by Matthew Rhys, Philip Jennings (real name, Mischa) is also a KGB agent and the husband of Elizabeth Jennings and the father of Paige and Henry Jennings. He is also friends with Stan Beeman. Although loyal to his cause, Philip is shown throughout the first season to hold little animosity towards the United States and even considers defecting in the pilot episode. Philip is hurt when he finds out that Elizabeth had an affair with Gregory Thomas, but he and Elizabeth try to be together as a real couple throughout the first season. Philip is good friends with FBI agent and neighbor Stan Beeman, whom he originally befriended to get information from him, but is shown to care for Stan. In "The Oath", Philip marries Martha Hanson (Alison Wright), an FBI secretary whom Philip uses to get information.
Chris Amador
Played by Maximiliano Hernández, Chris Amador is Stan Beeman's partner and friend. He served in the Vietnam War. He dated Martha before Philip and when she rejects him, stalks her. He confronts Philip one morning leaving Martha's home and in their ensuing fight, is stabbed by Philip. Despite Philip and Elizabeth's best attempts at keeping him alive, he dies in his sleep.
Paige Jennings
Played by Holly Taylor, Paige Jennings is Elizabeth and Philip's daughter. She has a troubled relationship with Elizabeth and is more comfortable with Philip.
Henry Jennings
Played by Keidrich Sellati, Henry Jennings is Elizabeth and Philip's son.
Nina Krilova
Played by Annet Mahendru, Nina is Stan's FBI informant and later, lover. Nina works at the Soviet embassy. Stan blackmails her to work with the FBI with the information that she's sending high priced U.S. stereo equipment back to the Soviet Union. They eventually begin an affair. Nina turns on Stan in "The Oath" and becomes a re-doubled agent after realizing Stan killed her friend, Vlad, whom he killed in retaliation for Amador's death. At the end of Season Two, she is sent back to Moscow to be tried for treason when Stan refuses to betray his country for her.
Martha Hanson
Played by Alison Wright, Martha is Agent Gaad's secretary and Philip's informant and later, wife. Philip uses his relationship with Martha to have her keep an eye on things for him at Gaad's office. She is usually reluctant to perform these tasks, but eventually falls for Philip and agrees. Philip has her plant a bug in Gaad's office after proposing to her. They marry shortly after, with Elizabeth and Claudia in attendance, posing as Philip's sister and mother, respectively.
Sandra Beeman
Played by Susan Misner, Sandra is Stan's wife. After moving with him to Washington, she tries to get their marriage back to where it was before he joined the FBI, but Stan is less than interested. She eventually finds out about his affair, and declines when he tries to reconcile. Sandra is also friends with Elizabeth.
Frank Gaad
Played by Richard Thomas, Frank Gaad is the FBI supervisor and Stan's boss.
Stan Beeman
Played by Noah Emmerich, Stan Beeman is an FBI Counter-Intelligence agent and the Jennings' next door neighbor. He has a wife, Sandra (Susan Misner) and a son, Matthew. Stan spent time as an undercover agent for the FBI with white supremacists prior to the series. In the pilot episode, he moves next door to the Jennings' and quickly befriends them. He and his wife have marital troubles throughout the first season. Stan begins an affair with his KGB informant, Nina (Annet Mahendru). Stan is also good friends with his partner, Chris Amador. After Amador's death, Stan is distraught and seeks revenge on the KGB (who had nothing to do with it) by killing Vlad, a man they pick and arrest one day. Stan confesses to his wife about his affair.
Recurring characters
Claudia
Played by Margo Martindale, Claudia is Elizabeth and Philip's KGB supervisor, whom Philip calls "Granny". In "Trust Me", after Elizabeth and Philip are kidnapped and tortured by the KGB posing as the FBI, Elizabeth beats up Claudia after she reveals to them it was a ploy to find out if it was the Jennings who were the moles. Elizabeth and Philip have her transferred as their supervisor though she returns briefly in season 2 after her replacement is killed and informs the Jennings of The Centre's intention to have Paige recruited into the KGB.