Kate's Future As POTUS After The Diplomat Season 4 Addressed By Stars & Creator

EXCLUSIVE: Now that The Diplomat season 4 has been released on Netflix, the creator and stars of the hit political thriller are addressing whether Kate Wyler will ever become President of the United States.

Keri Russell stars as Kate, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, who uses her position to confront crises and maintain strong partnerships with allies, all while dealing with marriage problems. Allison Janney joined The Diplomat towards the end of season 2 as Vice President-turned-President Grace Penn.

However, with the constantly shifting power dynamics on this show, a shakeup in Kate and Grace's roles within the federal government is always possible. In an interview with ScreenRant's Liam Crowley, creator Debora Cahn admitted that she's thought about ending the series with Kate becoming president.

However, by doing that, the world of The Diplomat would lose an important figure in a lower position who's trying to "marshal things in a direction that's a little bit better for the world and a little bit better for democracy." Not everything has to be at the whims of the person at the very top.

When Cahn meets people who work for the government, she sees that there are individuals who are in it for the right reasons, even if it doesn't seem like it just from watching the news or scrolling through social media. "I want to always remind myself that that's the case," she added.

Debora Cahn: "I've thought about it. And the thing that we would lose is something that's really important to me, which is there are a lot of people in the government, a lot of people. And to me, it's really inspiring to know that we're not just at the mercy of one individual who may or may not be bats*** crazy. There are other people there who can help to kind of marshal things in a direction that's a little bit better for the world and a little bit better for democracy. I want to know that that's true. And when I meet people who work for the government, I see that that's true. I know that there are individuals out there. Sometimes you read the paper and it doesn't feel like it's true, and I want to always remind myself that that's the case."

Russell echoed Cahn's sentiment that The Diplomat works best when it's focused on "the workers, the Foreign Service, the people, USAID, the scrappy workers who are the army, the unsung heroes."

There are endless movies and shows about presidents, but this show is about the people behind the scenes who do most of the work that the public rarely sees and who hardly get the acknowledgment they deserve.

Kate being elevated to the presidency would require her to deliver many more speeches and take on even more responsibilities, which "sounds hard," according to Russell. "I don't want to do that. I love where it is right now," the actress explained, adding that she wants Kate to stay put but will "do whatever Debora says."

Russell's co-star, Rufus Sewell, who plays Kate's husband, Hal Wyler, noted that it's not always satisfying to see characters getting what they want in the end. "You don't want to be the dog that caught the car," he said.

Keri Russell: "It sounds like a lot more speeches and stuff. That sounds hard. I don't want to do that. I love where it is right now. I love being kind of the scrappy person in the background whose hair is kind of a mess and yogurt spilled on her pants. I love that. And I think at its heart, this show is really about the workers, the Foreign Service, the people, USAID, the scrappy workers who are the army. The unsung. The unsung heroes. We've seen a million movies about the presidents, but I think what I love about this show is it's about the people who make it all happen. So that's where I want her to stay, but I'll do whatever Debora says."

Rufus Sewell: "And I don't think either of us want our characters to get what they want. You don't want to be the dog that caught the car."

Russell, Sewell and Janney's co-stars on The Diplomat are Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear, Ato Essandoh, Nana Mensah, Bradley Whitford, Celia Imrie, Miguel Sandoval and Aidan Turner. Cahn created the show after working on The West Wing, Grey's Anatomy and Homeland.

The Diplomat has been a critically acclaimed series since debuting in 2023 and currently has an average score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The brand-new season that just premiered has a perfect score from critics, as of October 15.

Aside from positive reviews, the show has also been nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the SAG Awards and Best Drama Series at the Critics' Choice TV Awards.

The Diplomat won its very first Emmy Award last month when Janney accepted Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Grace Penn.

Unlike other popular streaming shows, Netflix has released a new season of The Diplomat every single year. If that pattern holds, a potential fifth season could premiere in 2027, though the streamer hasn't renewed the political thriller just yet.

Until there's news on that front, fans can check out season 4, which promises plenty of high-stakes drama, international conflicts and shocking twists.

The Diplomat season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.

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  Ambassador Kate Wyler

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  Rufus Sewell

  Hal Wyler

Career diplomat Kate Wyler is unexpectedly appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom during an international crisis, forcing her into a public role she never wanted.