After a long waiting Damian Lewis is back in a tv show called Homeland.

A week after picking up drama pilot Homeland to series, Showtime has released its first advance peek at the series, which starts production in the summer. The thriller, based on Gideon Raff’s Israeli series Prisoners of War, was written by former 24 showrunner Howard Gordon, Raff and Alex Gansa. It tells the story of Carrie Anderson (Claire Danes), a CIA officer battling her own demons who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of Scott Brody (Damian Lewis), a U.S. soldier who had been missing and presumed deal for nine years, was a setup and may be connected to an Al-Qaeda plot to be carried out on American soil. Mandy Patinkin plays Saul, a veteran CIA Division Chief who is Carrie’s boss and mentor.

Enjoy!

source: deadline.com/tag/damian-lewis-homeland/

DL: I think I would be pretty embarrassed if I had to take everything off in front of a camera crew, but I don’t mind doing sex scenes. It’s part of the job isn’t it? If you’re working with someone who’s fun, it makes the sex scenes less difficult.

Who would be your dream leading lady?

DL: Cate Blanchett. She has everything – elegance and wit. We sat together at dinner at the Golden Globe Awards in LA recently. She’s fantastic. She was excellent as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator.

Did you get hate mail after starring as Soames Forsyte in The Forsyte Saga?

DL: No I got weird, kinky, love mail. British women are weird – they like cold men. They sent in photos asking me to call them. Obviously I never did. I’d never go out with a fan who wrote to me. Although a friend of mine is marrying a fan of his. He was in a play and she was in the audience. She sent him a note backstage saying she wanted to meet him afterwards for a drink. It worked out. He’s lucky, because she’s an amazing woman.

Do you believe in marriage?

DL: Yes. I’m from a stable family background. My mum’s no longer alive, but when she was, my parents were very solid. I don’t believe marriage is smooth and easy the whole time. I also don’t believe it’s possible to remain faithful throughout the marriage, but I do believe in staying together.

What was the last lie you told?

DL: The last lie was to Equity – I lied about how much I earned. How much do I earn? I’m not telling you that. Not enough. I used to have tons of white lies up my sleeve because I’m always late meeting people – always. Now, people don’t want to hear my excuses, I think it’s expected I’ll be late.

Did you ever get picked on while at school at Eton?

DL: No, never. I was pretty popular.

Even though you are a redhead?

DL: Yes. I love being a redhead – always have done. I dyed it dark brown once for a job. Never again. It takes forever to grow out. I feel like I’ve done it. I have no plans to go black, bleach blond or any other colour for that matter.

What would you do if you were invisible for the day?

DL: I can’t say what I just thought of because it’s unrepeatable. I would get myself to America and get on a spaceship and go to the moon. It’s something I’d love to do, but I can’t be bothered with all the training beforehand. If I was invisible, I could just sneak on. Failing that, I’d walk around pinching bottoms and goosing girls. No really, I’m kidding…

Would you ever move to LA?

DL: Not at the moment. Although I do like it. It’s always sunny and I always have fun there. I’ve made some really good friends in Hollywood. But the truth is, I’m a Londoner. I grew up here and I love it. It can get tiresome at times, but then I just escape. I have a country house in Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales. I love going there and relaxing. My dad is half-Welsh so I have family history in the area.

Where do you live now?

DL: Camden, North London. I live with my sister and brother. We’re surrounded by goths who live nearby.

Would you ever star in an advert?

DL: I’m really good friends with Jasper Conran and I always wear his clothes. (Damian then opens his suit jacket to reveal a Jasper Conran label.) The cut is very elegant. I would model for him – if he wanted me to, although I don’t know whether he is stupid enough to ask. And obviously, money has something to do with it. But I’m not shy of walking down the catwalk. I’ve never endorsed a product. I hear stories of Robert Redford doing cigar ads in Japan and stuff like that, but no, not me.

You’ve worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the past – are you a luvvie at heart?*

DL: Yes, I suppose I am. I do air- kissing and go to all the parties. I like to say, I ‘play’ the room rather than ‘work’ the room. There’s nothing wrong with a good schmooze.

You appear to choose your roles carefully then disappear off our screens for months at a time. What do you do during those in- between periods?

DL: In reality, I’ve actually been working non- stop for the past year. I’ve got six things all coming out now. I think I’ll have a bit of time off once I’ve finished promoting everything. I like to play the piano, but I’m really bad. I don’t have lessons, I’m teaching myself. I don’t have a grand piano, just a normal upright one at home.

What makes you cry?

DL: I find it really difficult to cry. When I think about it, I don’t feel the need to cry very often. I’m a pretty happy person. If I do feel upset or down, I’m more likely to go quiet. I’m the silent type.

DAMIAN’S REALITY CHECK

Who plays Zoe in EastEnders?

No idea. (Michelle Ryan)

How much do you spend on a haircut?

pounds 40. I get it cut on Camden High Street. I’d never cut it myself. I am thinking of shaving my head, but am not sure whether it’d actually look that good.

Do you do your own washing?

Yes. I separate darks from whites myself. Who do you think does it? A cleaner? She does the ironing.

Have you ever bought anything from eBay?

Never. Although I have been on it. I donated a Band Of Brothers cap for a charity auction, I think it went for something like 42p.

* luvvie means “stage actor”

Thanks to http://findarticles.com for keeping that interview in its site

Damien Lewis: I like my sports car. I just got a little Mazda MX5 – it’s only a cheap and cheerful one really. It’s titanium, a sort of greyish colour. I’m not exactly obsessed by toys. I don’t have a plasma TV, just a normal one, though I suppose it’s still quite big. I do have an i-Pod, although I need to learn how to download my music. You can pay people to do that can’t you? I heard you can pay someone pounds 200 and they’ll download you 5,000 songs. I think I’ll do that, because to be honest, I’m a bit clueless.

Is it true you were asked to audition for the new Bond movie?

Damien: That isn’t strictly true. I have never auditioned for the role of James Bond. It would be difficult not to consider it – helicopter rides to sunny locations and let’s not forget the Bond girls. Halle Berry was pretty good in that bikini, but my favourite was Grace Jones.

It’s was rumoured Pierce Brosnan wanted  22 million pounds to play Bond again…

DL: Is that right? God. And he wonders why they said no… I think Sean Connery was the best as 007. He was very smooth but had a bit of a bad edge to him. I like it when people start out good and are then corrupted.

Do you have a temper?

DL: I get very frustrated sitting in traffic. I want to get out of my car and smash people’s windscreens in…. but obviously, I don’t.

You were once linked to Sex And The City actress Kristin Davis. Is she your type?

DL: Firstly, I never dated Kristin. That rumour wasn’t true. I don’t date a certain type of woman. I’m attracted to humour, beauty – although, that’s in the eyes of the beholder – and grace. Movement in a woman is very important to me. A woman must be elegant. But wit and intelligence are must-haves.

Is it true you had an off-screen relationship with your From Colditz… co-star Sophia Myles?

DL: Off-screen? No. Just good friends.

His interest in acting grew at Ashdown House school in Sussex where, as a young boarder, he starred in its annual Gilbert and Sullivan production. At Eton he continued his acting pursuits, forming a theatre company through which he starred as Wackford Squeers in its production of Nicholas Nickelby.

Graduation was followed by a brief stint as a car alarm-installer in South London, but Damian’s heart was set elsewhere. In 1990 he enrolled at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where fellow students included Ewan McGregor and Joseph Fiennes. It was here, Damian says, he was “whipped into shape by a few people I thought I knew more about life than, but didn’t”, and where his disciplined acting style was formed.

After leaving the Guildhall School in 1993, Damian appeared in several Royal Shakespeare Company productions, honing his skills in productions such as Hamlet, in which he played Laertes to Ralph Fiennes’ troubled Danish prince. While still treading the boards at the RSC, he also landed his first small and big screen parts including an episode of Poirot, and a supporting role in the Pierce Brosnan vehicle Robinson Crusoe.

He went on to star in several popular and critically acclaimed TV productions, including 1999’s Bafta-winning TV series Warriors, in which he starred with Ioan Gruffudd and Matthew Macfadyen, and a leading role in Hearts And Bones.

Damian’s big break came in 1999, however, when he was cast as Major Richard Winters in the WWII made-for-TV drama Band Of Brothers. His portrayal of the stoic military leader, which was described by producer Tom Hanks as “unequivocally evocative”, earned him a Golden Globe nomination and suddenly Hollywood took notice of the talented Brit. Overnight he found his career taking flight.

With Band Of Brothers enjoying critical acclaim, the actor was soon offered a role in Dreamcatchers, based on Steven King’s best-selling novel and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Raving about Damian’s performance, the celebrated American director described him as “an extraordinary young British actor… very magnetic, charismatic and soulful.”

While becoming increasingly prominent on the international stage, Damian continued to consolidate his reputation back in his native UK where his portrayal of Soames Forsyte in 2002’s The Forsyte Saga made him a household name.

The following year was dedicated to two movies. He starred opposite Jennifer Lopez and Robert Redford in the drama An Unfinished Life, before starting work on Brides, a tale of Greek war brides in the 1920s.

While his career has gone from strength to strength, Damian’s personal life has born the brunt of exacting work commitments. He parted from long-term girlfriend Katie Razzall in 2003, explaining that his hectic work schedule made his relationship with the Channel 4 producer hard to sustain. However, shortly afterwards he found a new romance with The Queen star Helen McCrory and the two got engaged in early 2006. The pair welcomed their first child, daughter Manon, on September 8 that year and get wed in July 4, 2007. In November 2008 they welcomed a new baby: a son named Gulliver.

Source: HelloMagazine.Com

Source: www.deadline.com

Damian Lewis Pictures

Crews’ new lease on life has provided him with a Zen-like outlook, peace of mind and no need for vengeance, an attitude which can be challenging to maintain when someone he cares about is threatened — or when he is investigating the mystery surrounding the murder he was falsely accused of.

Lewis is joined by cast members Sarah Shahi (“Rush Hour 3″) as Dani Reese, Charlie’s skeptical and demanding partner; Brent Sexton (HBO’s “Deadwood”) as Officer Bobby Stark; Donal Logue (“Grounded for Life)” as Captain Kevin Tidwell, and Adam Arkin (“Chicago Hope”) as Crew’s former cellmate Ted Earley.

“Life” is a Universal Media Studios production. Creator Rand Ravich is executive producer and writer; Shariat is also executive producer and writer, and Dan Sackheim serves as executive producer and director on the series.