Homeland Season 3 will premiere tonight on Star World Premiere HD. Morena Baccarin, who plays Jessica Brody in the thriller series, shares what it takes to be a military wife nWhere are the writers going with the third seasonIJ
I am always amazed that they paint themselves into a corner at the end of every season and then at the beginning of every season they somehow get themselves out. I really liked how it’s only a few months after the second season ends so it is very current and a lot has happened but not a ton. They are still dealing with Brody being gone and “is he or isn’t he”, and the family is dealing with it too and it is really heartbreaking. Dana hasn’t dealt with it very well. It’s been a harrowing experience for everybody.
Do you understand your character on the show or justify her for her actionsIJ
I do understand her; I think she is stronger than I would be in that circumstance. I think I would be in a corner hysterically crying for three months and I don’t know how you deal with your husband being a terrorist on national television and move on and the kids having death threats at school and bricks thrown through the windows which is what happened to them while the show was off the air so I think she is coping in the best way she can.
Did you do any research about what it is like for families of a terroristIJ
In the beginning, the first season, I did a lot of research about what it would be like to be a military life, and to have your husband be gone and come back, the stresses that you deal with and the day-to-day things and I thought that was very fascinating, but then I went away from that because I think the circumstances are very different from our show.
In the beginning did you see Homeland become the huge hit that it isIJ
No absolutely not, you just do your work and hope that everyone likes it and it turned out that they did.
Do you follow the hype on the InternetIJ
I don’t read a lot of stuff because my philosophy is if you believe the good, you have to believe the bad and I don’t believe the bad so I don’t want to read it. Occasionally things come to you because it is impossible not to see everything. People are allowed to have their opinion.
Claire is an intense actress. Can you talk about what it’s like working with herIJ
She is a very giving actor and she doesn’t get in your way. She just wants to do the scene. She makes her choices and is willing to have a conversation about whatever. She just knows so well what she wants to do and she brings that and it’s exciting because then you get to react off of that and then half your job is done. I think it is easy to forget as an actor if you just listen, half your job is done, and you don’t have to work hard at reacting to somebody because you are listening to them. She does that really well and brings her side of the conversation really adeptly.
Are you more concerned now, the show gives more insight on what kind of dangers are out thereIJ
It definitely brought me awareness to what is out there, could be out there. The few conversations I have had in DC with people who are in government about the show do say it is very accurate, they don’t say what is accurate, I have asked (laughs). But it is scary to think that, it is also a reality. If you read the papers you are aware of that already.
You’re well known now around the world so how does it feelIJ
I don’t feel any different; I am still me, working. It is definitely, the awareness of the show is something I forget about sometimes. I’ll be in a restaurant, or a store or something and I am going about my day and I’ll forget that people see me differently, that is always an adjustment and it always takes me by surprise. I don’t expect it ever. It is a very strange idea.
What do they say to you, the people on the streetIJ
Sometimes they just want to watch you. It is a very strange feeling, you know which makes you feel self-conscious and you have to be aware of everything you do and say and most of the time they just want to tell you how much they love the show or they love my character which is really cool to hear.