Claire Danes

Claire Danes plays Carrie Mathison in Homeland, a role built around intelligence, urgency and the difficulty of switching off. She gives Carrie a forceful presence without smoothing away the moments when her behaviour makes other people uncomfortable.

Danes first became widely known as Angela Chase in My So-Called Life. Her film roles include Juliet in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet and Yvaine in Stardust. She won an Emmy for the title role in Temple Grandin, followed by two lead-actress drama Emmys for Homeland.

Her later television work includes Cora Seaborne in The Essex Serpent and Libby Epstein in Fleishman Is in Trouble. Across these roles, she is particularly good at letting strong emotion interrupt a character's attempt to remain composed. In Homeland, that quality makes the private cost of Carrie's work as convincing as her professional determination.