Claire Danes on Playing a Bipolar CIA Agent in ‘Homeland’ (Damien Lewis aka Maj Winters stars)

Wall Street Journal ^ | Sep 14, 2011 | Amy Chozick

[tlb]

Claire Danes returns to TV in the new Showtime series “Homeland.” This time instead of angsty suburban teenager Angela Chase in “My So Called Life,” she plays a bipolar CIA agent.

When an American Marine sergeant is rescued in Afghanistan after eight years of captivity, he quickly becomes a hero and a symbol of the continuing fight in the war against Al Qaeda. But Ms. Danes’s Carrie Anderson has a sinking suspicion Sgt. Nicholas Brody has been turned and is now working for the terrorists.

The drama premiers Oct. 2 and comes from “24” veterans Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa. “Homeland” isn’t as adrenaline charged as “24” but it does reflect the same post-Sept. 11 themes.

[tlb]

Lifted from a different site:

The idea that Brody is anything but a hero is inconceivable for everyone but Carrie. However, the agent's history of mental illness (she takes anti-psychotics) and a recently botched mission causes her colleagues and supervisors to question her judgment. Even Carrie's supporter and mentor, CIA Middle East Division Chief Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) is skeptical.

Like most of Showtime's central female characters, Carrie is deeply flawed, willing to violate the Patriot Act on a regular basis if that's the only way to get evidence. And her off hours are spent seducing men, always wearing a phony wedding ring to keep them from expecting more than a one-night stand.

Sci-fi goddess Morena Baccarin (V) plays Brody's wife Jessica, who faces the challenge of adjusting to her husband's return after eight years of thinking that he's dead and raising the kids who don't really remember him.

[rarestia]

Damian Lewis (Brody) also played Maj. Winters in HBO’s “Band of Brothers” series. I hope his acting is as strong in this new show as it was in BoB. Aside from “The Pacific,” BoB was an absolutely amazing retelling of E company’s trials and tribulations.

[BenLurkin]

Hey, my favorite reptillian!

(Does the CIA hire people who are bi-polar?)

[max americana]

He also played the henchman in Your Highness’, one of Danny McBride’s worst movies, which had some good scenes.

Everyone in that movie from James Franco (127 Hours), Natalie Portman (Black Swan) and even Charles Dance (Aliens 3, the family head of the Lanisters’ in Game of Thrones) did a good comedic turn in the movie, but it mostly sucked.

[sargon]

Claire Danes had a great role in the movie "Temple Grandin", wherein she portrayed an autistic woman who eventually revolutionized the way that cattle are treated and harvested in America.

The movie is a tour-de-force performance by Danes, and it is family oriented, and very informative about autism and the great potential that can exist within some autistic persons.

I highly recommend it to families, or anyone interested in the topics covered.

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Damian Lewis! He was phenomenal in “Life” on NBC (which unfortunately got cancelled after only three seasons). The premise of this show sounds silly to me, but I’ll have to try it out just to see ol’ Damian act again. ;o)

[Hoodat]

It is rare that I watch any series on TV, but I am absolutely hooked on ‘Homeland’. Danes is doing a phenomenal job. I had no idea that Damian Lewis was English, but he has the American accent down pat.