Frank Langella goes KGB on FX's 'Americans'

FX's The Americans has recruited a top talent for Season 3: Frank Langella.

The Tony winner and Oscar nominee will play Gabriel, the former KGB handler for Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell). Gabriel comes out of retirement to resume oversight of those two operatives, taking over from previous handler Claudia (Margo Martindale).

The acclaimed drama, set in 1981 in suburban Washington, D.C., focuses on married spies Philip and Elizabeth and their family. Production on the third season began this week, with the premiere scheduled for January.

"We've been huge fans of Frank's work for a long time, and it's been such a pleasure getting to know Frank himself in the beginning stages of working together on the character of Gabriel," executive producers Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields said in a statement. "We look forward to a great season together, and to what we're sure will be a phenomenal creative collaboration."

Langella, known for such films as Frost/Nixon and Good Night, and Good Luck, has three films set for release in 2015: the romance 5 to 7 with co-stars Anton Yelchin and Glenn Close; Driftless Area with Zooey Deschanel; and Captain Fantastic with Viggo Mortensen.