The “terrifying” 2019 role Keri Russell instantly regretted: “I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking”
Keri Russell has said she regretted agreeing to perform in the 2019 Broadway revival of *Burn This*, describing the experience as terrifying and difficult. Despite strong reviews and Adam Driver’s Tony nomination, Russell found being on stage in front of an audience deeply uncomfortable.
Russell told *Vogue* that she accepted the role because she knew Driver socially, but later said she was glad when the run ended and wanted to return home. She took nearly two years away from acting afterwards, before returning in *Antlers* in 2021; *Burn This* centred on flatmates coping with the deaths of two close friends.
- Russell found live theatre terrifying.
- She accepted *Burn This* after knowing Driver socially.
- She took nearly two years away from acting afterwards.
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Burn This is a play by Lanford Wilson about two flatmates grieving after two close friends die. Its story explores bereavement and the changes that follow when an unexpected visitor enters their lives.
Keri Russell is an American actor known for television and film roles, while Adam Driver is an actor who has also appeared on Broadway. The 2019 revival brought them together on stage; Broadway is New York’s main professional theatre district, where plays are performed for paying audiences.