Category: Homeland

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis & Helen McCrory at the White House

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Being a famous star comes with incredible perks from eating at the most exquisite restaurants to vacationing at most exotic places to getting  invited to most exclusive parties. But how many stars can say the President of the United States is a fan of their work and had them over at the White House for a state dinner? Well, our favorite actor and his better-half certainly can! Damian and Helen were the guests of Barack and Michelle Obama at the UK State Dinner back in 2012.  I am quite sure most of you read or heard bits and pieces of the story since Damian talked about it in several interviews and talk shows. But why not bring all bits and pieces together today and make our own Fan Fun version of that wonderful evening?

Hey, let’s make this feel REAL. Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis & Helen McCrory at the White House”

How Keane gave us Brody and How Brody gave us Axe *UPDATED*

keanebrodybobby

I am sure that, by now, you have got to know me quite well. Yes, I’m a little bit (ok, ok more than a little bit) obsessed with Brody… All roads do not lead to Rome, they all lead to… yes, Bravo, to Brody!

Now, I love William Keane, too. I LOVE him.

Because…

Did you know that if there had been no William Keane, there would have been no Nicholas Brody? I mean there would have been some Brody in Homeland, but not our Brody! Can you imagine? Continue reading “How Keane gave us Brody and How Brody gave us Axe *UPDATED*”

From Homelamb to Home(r)land: Gotta Love Carrie and Brody in Pop Culture!

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

Damian Lewis was already an internationally known actor before Homeland. Yet, Homeland brought him big stardom, made him a household name, and it turns out some manhandling in the streets, too! Damian talks a bit about his post-Homeland fame in an interview with Buzzfeed: “It can be aggressive, that kind of adulation… People can go a little bit crazy, so there’s quite a lot of manhandling in the streets. Now I know what it must have been like to be Brad Pitt for an entire lifetime, ever since he did that scene in Thelma and Louise where he took his top off — I’m straight and that scene did it for me as well.”

Hmmm… So… you sort of know you have made it when someone tries to… I don’t know… pinch you on the street? 😀 But, seriously, when do you really know your show or your character has really arrived?

Well… One obvious indicator is the ratings that a show gets along with the awards it receives… And, Homeland proved multiple times, in particular in its first two seasons, that it has been one of the best things that has ever happened to TV. Continue reading “From Homelamb to Home(r)land: Gotta Love Carrie and Brody in Pop Culture!”

Remembering Nicholas Brody and His Muslim Faith

“You live in despair for eight years; you can turn to religion, too. And, the King James Bible was not available.” – Nicholas Brody

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

I was born and raised in a secular family in Turkey, a country that is predominantly Muslim. That is, even though I am not religious myself, I am very familiar with the Islamic traditions, rituals and norms. I am obviously coming out of the culture and have been shaped by it in ways that I am probably not aware of 🙂 Thus, I thought it would be neat to talk about Nicholas Brody, my most favorite fictional character ever on small screen, and his Muslim faith, in celebration of Ramadan!

Now, I am not an expert, not even close, about Muslim characters on TV shows; however, even if there had been a popular Muslim character on TV before Brody came along, I just don’t think there is any way she or he could beat him on any popularity scale. Continue reading “Remembering Nicholas Brody and His Muslim Faith”

Nicholas Brody has LEFT the building… *UPDATED*

source: Daily Mail
source: Daily Mail

I bet, being a BIG Elvis fan, Damian would approve my title for this piece 🙂

Well, tell me, what could be a better day than combining a shopping trip to Ikea in Charlotte with a quick visit to my Homeland Mecca?

Even though Brody family resides at 3319 West Chapman Street in Alexandria, Virginia, Homeland was shot in North Carolina before they moved to South Africa for Season 4. They filmed the first three seasons mostly in Charlotte, a two-and-a-half hour drive from our house. And, I never even tried to visit the set thinking  they would always be there and I could always visit one day… Oh, yes, I did not see it coming – shoot me!

The Brody house was at the core of Homeland in many ways in the first three seasons. It is the place where it all started and also ended in a way… Continue reading “Nicholas Brody has LEFT the building… *UPDATED*”