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The 2011 role that saved Claire Danes from Hollywood exile: “It was grim”
Claire Danes has said that her lead role in the 2011 television drama ‘Homeland’ revived her career after she felt sidelined by Hollywood. The series made her a major television star and brought widespread critical recognition, demonstrating how a successful television role could offer an established film actor a route back into prominence.
Before ‘Homeland’, Danes had spent years working mainly in independent films and theatre after early success in projects including ‘My So-Called Life’, ‘Romeo + Juliet’ and ‘The Hours’. She described that period as “grim”, but her portrayal of CIA officer Carrie Mathison won her two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes, while ‘Homeland’ became a major success during its eight-season run.
In short
- ‘Homeland’ revived Claire Danes’s career in 2011.
- She felt Hollywood had largely sidelined her beforehand.
- The role earned her major awards and renewed acclaim.
Explained simply
Claire Danes is an American actor who became well known in the 1990s and 2000s for roles in the television series 'My So-Called Life', the film 'Romeo + Juliet' and 'The Hours'. After that initial period of prominence, her Hollywood profile declined and she found herself largely working in independent films and theatre.
Danes has described the years between her early success and the mid-2010s as "grim". During this time, she had limited access to major film and television roles, despite having already established herself as a talented performer.
In 2011, Danes was cast as CIA officer Carrie Mathison in the television drama 'Homeland'. The series became a major critical and commercial success, earning her two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes over its eight seasons. Her experience illustrates how a significant television role can restore an established actor's career and bring them back to prominence after a difficult period in the industry.