It’s only been a week since Season 3 of The Americans premiered on FX, but we’re already excited to see more ’80s spy action on tonight’s episode—and according to the show’s star Alison Wright, we can expect plenty to go down. “There’s a lot more drama, that’s for sure,” says Wright, who plays FBI secretary Martha Hanson on the show.
“The huge struggle of the season is going to be what the [Soviet] KGB will do to get Philip and Elizabeth’s daughter, because they’re getting her one way or another.” Wright tells InStyle all about her character’s epic shoulder pads, those NSFW sex scenes, and what Martha really knows.Martha seems to be pretty in the dark still when it comes to her marriage. Do you think she knows more than she lets on?
Wright: People have very strong instincts, which—whether you listen to them or not—tell you what’s going on. Martha is capable of tremendous emotional depth and denial, and the complexity of her journey this season is stunning.
What can we expect to see change in her relationship with Clark change this season?
Even though their marriage is fake, she’s a great wife to Clark. She’s very warm and maternal, and we know already that she wants to have children. That’s not something she’s going to give up so easily.
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We see a whole other side of Martha in the bedroom—things get way raunchy between her and Clark. How does that help in shaping her character?
Martha is a good, wholesome, everyday woman. She’s a normal person among these crazy people living these crazy lives, and I think it’s nice that the writers give her some sexual strength.
Martha rocks the ultimate ’80s wardrobe. Do you have the best time trying on her wardrobe in costume fittings?
I really should take photographs of everything that they have me try on, because the more outrageous stuff never makes it on the show. Everything I wear is mostly vintage, and then they just put extra shoulder pads in on top of that!
She really does embrace the shoulder pads, doesn’t she?
Martha is the one that gets all the shoulder pads—she has more shoulder pads than anybody else. She’s just more on point with the fashion changes of the decade than any other woman in the show, which is very intentional from the designer’s point of view.
Do you have a favorite piece from the set?
I love everything that they have in her apartment. I was just looking through the record collection when we were shooting, and there’s all these Pointer Sister albums in there, who I love. And there’s a great fondue set in there, too.
Tune into The Americans, tonight at 10 p.m. ET on FX.
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