Keri didn't remember about that kickball meeting until they both were on set of their new show in 2013. Now, the couple share a son Sam.
Photo: Charles M Sykes/Bravo

Matthew Rhys asked out now girlfriend Keri Russell sixteen years ago and she said no


UPDATED FEBRUARY 28, 2019 10:33 AM EST

Keri Russell  and Matthew Rhys’ love story may have happened almosttwo decades earlier had the former Felicity star answered yes to her nowboyfriend asking her out. "We actually meta very long long time ago," the Welsh actor shared on Watch What HappensLive of meeting 16 years ago. "I very drunkenly asked her for her numberwhen she was a young, single, slip of a thing, so I sort of knew then when Iwas 26."

CLICK FOR FULL GALLERY

Keri and Matthew met long before being cast in FX's The Americans Photo: Getty Images

Their chance encounter all started when Keriasked him to open a can of beer for her at a friend’s kickball party. Matthewnoted that their meeting was “very romantic,” but the actress had quite adifferent memory – or lack thereof. It wasn’t until reuniting on set of TheAmericans that she was reminded. "We did all the readings together and allthe things, and after a heavy dose of fight training, all sweaty, at lunch, yousaid, 'Oh, you know we've met before,'" the 41-year-old actress said."I said, 'No we haven't,' and you said, 'Yeah, we've met before, like 10years ago at kickball.' As soon as he said that, I knew exactly what [happened]and I opened my eyes, like, 'Oh! Of course I remember that.'"

RELATED: Nicole Kidman had to wait months before Keith Urban asked her out

The couple reminisced about Matthew's drunken voicemail to Andy Cohen Photo: Charles M Sykes/Bravo

RELATED: Keri and Russell announce they're having a baby

Keri quickly remembered the drunk voicemail thenow 43-year-old left calling him, “that buffoon that wouldn't stop calling."As the two sipped their beer and chatted with host Andy Cohen, talk then turnedto their son. The two, who confirmed their relationship in March 2014 wellafter Keri split from her husband Shane Deary in 2013, will celebrate their sonSam’s first birthday in three months. Keri is also mom to son River anddaughter Willa.