Michelle Trachtenberg is taking on a challenging role as Marina Oswald, wife of the man accused of shooting President Kennedy on that tragic day in 1963, and says she’s excited to bring to life a woman few know much about in the upcoming television movie “Killing Kennedy”.

“I am so excited for the challenge to portray Marina Oswald, and to do my first role speaking only in Russian,” Trachtenberg said. “I’m the only actor playing someone who is still alive, so I want to stay as true to her as possible. This is a story about JFK’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, and his wife Marina. And it is fascinating.”

Marina spoke only broken English and was heavily reliant on her husband as they raised their daughter together in near-poverty. Details about just how much she knew regarding Oswald’s plans were cloudy, but she was aware of his weapon collection and claimed he was planning to assassinate Richard Nixon. Marina later remarried and had two sons, and now lives in Dallas.

“Killing Kennedy” will premiere later this year on National Geographic Channel in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s murder. Rob Lowe and Ginnifer Goodwin also star.

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