Damian Lewis on 'Homeland': 'It's Showtime, they like sex' - video

Published Apr 30 2012, 11:12 BST  |  By Alex Fletcher

Homeland's Damian Lewis has defended the sex scenes in the Showtime and Channel 4 hit, insisting that nearly all the sexual content either furthered plot or character.

Lewis admitted that there was one "gratuitous sex scene" early on in season one, but joked that it was part and parcel of working with a network like Showtime.

Watch Damian Lewis talking about Homeland below (Warning: contains spoilers):


"Sex scenes must have a narrative. Otherwise they shouldn't be in the story," Lewis told Digital Spy.

"They need to further either plot or character. And if they do that successfully in a sex scene, like any other scene should, they should be in the piece.

"I think there was a gratuitous sex scene. I'm not going to say what it was, because I wasn't in it. But there was definitely an extremely gratuitous sex scene in episode three. But hey, it's Showtime, they like sex."

> 'Homeland' 'The Vest' review: 'It's going to be an explosive finale'

Speaking at the Carphone Warehouse Appys, Lewis added: "Intensity for actors spells enjoyment. There's real grist to get your teeth stuck into [with Homeland].

"It's been made more enjoyable by the reaction to it. It's fun when someone falls in love with something you've just done."

The Homeland season one finale airs in the UK on Sunday (May 6) on Channel 4. Season 2 returns in the US on September 30 on Showtime.