'Justified' Emmy winner emigrates to 'The Americans'

Veteran actress and sudden supporting flavor of the month Margo Martindale sure does tend to play characters with a thing for pastry. In Season 3 of "Dexter," she was memorable as a family friend and confidant of the titular serial killer's with a thing for key-lime pie. A few years later, as part of her Emmy-winning portrayal of rural crime boss Mags Bennett in "Justified," Martindale brewed up lethal vats of "apple pie" moonshine. It remains to be seen if her newest primetime persona will demonstrate a kindred taste for fruit-filled sweets, but the role is most certainly juicy. 

 

Bing: "The Americans" | Margo Martindale

 

FX has announced that Martindale will appear alongside Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich  in spy drama "The Americans," which, as we recently reported, premieres Jan. 30. The network's statement lets on that she's been cast as Claudia, a U.S.-based KGB operative dispensing orders to Russell and Rhys' double-agent suburban couple.

 

And lest anyone forget, or has yet to witness, just how convincing Martindale can be as a manipulative, criminal authority figure, here's a little reminder of Mags' "Justified" handiwork.