For most of “The Diplomat” Season 4, Keri Rusell’s Kate Wyler is at odds with Allison Janney’s Grace Penn over a directive given by the president that Kate believes would kickstart a nuclear war.
Kate exhausts all her options as she attempts to make Grace change her mind, and even lies about following orders to threaten U.S. warships to the new British Prime Minister (Jodie Whittaker), but ultimately, she’s unsuccessful, instead running the relationship with Grace ragged and wearing down her husband and VP, Hal (Rufus Sewell). But just when Hal begins to realize Kate might be right, Kate insists he keep quiet, realizing the continued opposition could cost him his job.
“She’s so willing to put herself out there against Hal … in front of the president, say ‘you’re wrong … this is the truth. I’ll be the truth-teller,’ and is completely shut down — [Hal] isn’t ready at that moment,” Russell told TheWrap. “Yet when she’s told that the sacrifice will be Hal, you stand by your person … which is shocking, but it’s just a knee jerk. Those are your people, and you take care of your people.”
But even with that awareness, Kate knows Grace is in the wrong with her call, especially when she removes Stuart (Ato Essandoh) from his post for sharing his concerns about the foreign policy move in an official government network meant for dissent. So, the next day, Kate makes the striking move to resign as ambassador in front of the G7, removing her badge in front of Grace, Hal and other major players of the U.S. government and its allies.
“It all becomes too much, and things are too broken at that point,” Russell said. “Her insides are rotting at that point, and she can’t do it.”
Amid the shock, Kate starts a movement, with Billie (Nana Mensah) and Ganon (Miguel Sandoval) subsequently removing their badges and following Kate outside. And, much to Kate’s surprise, Hal follows as well, with Sewell noting he’s willing to give up VP.
“I try to find Hal’s perspective on things, but with the knowledge that people think they’re doing right in order to do the things they secretly want to do for the wrong reasons sometimes, and that [is] him going off course and managing to correct,” Sewell told TheWrap. “It’s by rubbing his nose in it — I think there’s a humiliation that leads to it … I think he’s forced into it, but I think he gets there, and that’s what I’m very happy about.”
While Hal eventually admits Grace’s plans are dangerous, he spent a fair amount of the season asking Kate to stop lobbying Grace, opening up what Sewell called an “interesting conundrum” during filming as he considered if Hal comes to the realization on his own or is guided by Kate. But ultimately, he landed on what he knows about Hal: “he doesn’t miss anything,” and was instead compartmentalizing his concern due to his priority for he and Kate to have access.
“The idea of being in the room, having access, is paramount. If you have a set of things that you believe for the power of good should be done, then if you become so perfect that you don’t get the opportunity to do them. What is the gain?” Sewell posed. “He’s prepared to cut corners and to do this and do that in order to get into the room. And once he’s in the room, what then happens? What are you prepared to give up in order to stay in the room once you get used to that access and that feeling of power?”
Sewell notes that Hal goes through “moral gymnastics” as he balances the importance of maintaining that access with his concerns about Grace. But one thing is for certain: Kate “makes it impossible for him to quieten those voices,” he said.
“Politics in general, positions of power in general, are hard. It’s hard to be the person making the decisions … You have to take some wrong turns. You’re not going to make everybody happy, and it’s really easy to be altruistic from the sidelines,” Russell said, noting that she doesn’t begrudge Hal for being dazzled by the power before snapping out of it. “Who wouldn’t be? And you think, ‘but when I get in, I’ll figure it all out … I’ll do the right thing.’ That’s what everyone f–king thinks.”
Kate and Hal get an even bigger glimpse of power in the season opener, when Hal takes on presidential duties for a number of hours as Grace recovers from the assassination attempt, which Russell notes “flattens” any tension the pair had following Kate’s discovery that Hal and Grace collaborated on the bold move to remove the Poseidon.
“You instantly become a team again, like the way giant life events does that to people,” Russell said. “But that’s what’s interesting, I think, about Deborah’s writing is watching a marriage deal with ups and downs of these power struggles, which I think a healthy relationship always has.”
Whether Kate and Hal slide right back to each other’s sides as a potential next season (“The Diplomat” has not yet been renewed for Season 5) takes their concerns to the big leagues, Russell and Sewell are waiting for what creator and showrunner Debora Cahn has in store.
“I wouldn’t want to alter any of her ideas,” Russell said. “It’s rare that you actually really like everyone you’re working with and you’re actually proud of it at the same time. This is a good one.”
“The Diplomat” Seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix.
The post ‘The Diplomat’ Season 4 Finale: Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell Break Down That Explosive Ending appeared first on TheWrap.
