▁the ▁female ▁lead . ▁Her ▁character ▁was ▁conce ived ▁by ▁show runner ▁Joe ▁We is berg ▁and ▁is ▁port rayed ▁by ▁Ker i ▁Russell . ▁ ▁Elizabeth ▁is ▁a ▁K GB ▁agent ▁who , ▁with ▁her ▁husband ▁ ▁Philip ▁( M att hew ▁Rh ys ), ▁is ▁an ▁illegal , ▁pos ing ▁as ▁a ▁travel ▁agent ▁in ▁Washington ▁D . C . ▁ ▁Character ▁history ▁ ▁Background ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁born ▁N ade zh da ▁in ▁Sm ol ensk , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁coal ▁min er ▁and ▁a ▁book keeper ▁for ▁the ▁local ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁committee . ▁Her ▁family ▁suffered ▁great ▁priv ation ▁both ▁during ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁Great ▁Patri otic ▁War , ▁in ▁which ▁her ▁father ▁was ▁killed ▁during ▁fighting ▁in ▁St aling rad . ▁Elizabeth ▁grew ▁up ▁bel ieving ▁her ▁father ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁hon ored ▁war ▁dead , ▁until ▁her ▁mother ▁revealed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁actually ▁been ▁shot ▁as ▁a ▁deser ter . ▁When ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 4 ▁her ▁mother ▁was ▁bed rid den ▁with ▁di ph ther ia , ▁forcing ▁Elizabeth ▁to ▁nur se ▁her ▁while ▁still ▁att ending ▁school . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁the ▁K GB ▁approached ▁Elizabeth ▁as ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Il leg als ▁Program . ▁Although ▁prohib ited ▁from ▁telling ▁anyone , ▁Elizabeth ▁sur re pt it iously ▁managed ▁to ▁consult ▁with ▁her ▁mother ▁about ▁her ▁decision , ▁who ▁un hes it ating ly ▁told ▁her ▁that ▁she ▁must ▁do ▁her ▁duty ▁for ▁her ▁mother land .