Homeland star David Harewood: I’m not sure I’ve got the cold-eyed egomania you need to get to the top

British actor David Harewood reveals surprising comedy roles and praises Cara Delevingne’s acting talent
Happy over here: David Harewood says he’ll never settle in the US because he doesn’t take acting as seriously as the Americans (Picture: c.Showtime/Everett/Rex Features)
c.Showtime/Everett / Rex Features
Alistair Foster14 August 2014
The Weekender

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He conquered American television as the CIA director in hit drama Homeland — but British actor David Harewood believes he will never be a top Hollywood star because he is not egotistical enough.

Having trained at Rada, he appeared on British TV and the West End stage before seeking work in America, citing a lack of major roles for black actors in the UK.

But Harewood, who was born in Birmingham and now lives in Streatham with his wife and two children, says he would never give up London for a permanent move Stateside.

He told the Standard: “You have to have a certain single-mindedness if you want to reach the top of the profession and I’m not sure if I’ve got that cold-eyed egomania that perhaps is needed to get to the top. So as long as I can keep paying the mortgage and keep myself interested, I’ll be happy.

“I do enjoy acting, but it is such a game. So for that reason, I don’t think I’ll ever leave London.”

Harewood, 48, will reveal a different side this year with his new US TV comedy series Selfie, and a starring role in Sacha Baron Cohen’s spoof Grimsby.

He said: “You’ve got to remember that most Americans think I’m American and think that I’m a very stiff, conservative stick-up-the-arse CIA type. And really I’m this clown from Birmingham. So I’m enjoying the comedy and surprising people.

Talented: Harewood says Cara Delevingne is a “brave” actress (Picture: Getty)

“I worked hard last year and did some Shakespeare in New York and surprised some people with that, so now I’m back with some comedy and I hope to surprise people — trying to give them a different look at what I can do and prove I’m not a one-trick pony.” He said of Selfie, which also stars John Cho and Karen Gillan: “It’s a comedy about Twitter and celebrity obsession. It’s very, very funny and some of the writing is very sharp.

“I’m playing Sam Saperstein and he’s a very touchy-feely boss of a company, which has given me licence to grope as many people as I possibly can.

“For me personally, it’s a bit of a breakthrough role.

Grimsby pokes fun at the northern town, but Harewood played down re-ports that residents fear it could harm their community’s reputation in the same way as Cohen’s character Ali G tarnished Staines. “I hope behind some of the offence that people will find a funny film,” he said. “I did. It was great working with him — he’s an extremely talented comedian and actor.”

Harewood has just finished filming Tulip Fever, a 17th-century romance by Sir Tom Stoppard with a cast that boasts Christoph Waltz, Dame Judi Dench and Tom Hollander.

It is also features Cara Delevingne, for whom Harewood was full of praise. He said: “Not surprisingly I talked to her quite a lot. She’s a really lovely girl. Not a lot of people know she actually was an actress and only did the modelling for a bit of money and obviously her modelling exploded.

“I’m very glad she’s turning her eye back to acting because she’s very good. She’s very brave and very talented and I really enjoyed working with her. I think she has a really bright future.”

‘London’s culture is world-class and I want to show it’

David Harewood today launched a new film to promote the cultural offerings of London this autumn at Tate Britain. Made by London & Partners, the Mayor’s official promotional company for the capital, the clip highlights events such as Turner at Tate Britain, Anselm Keifer at the Royal Academy and Ming: 50 years that changed China, a major exhibition at the British Museum. He said:

“I remember coming back to the UK after spending five months in Charlotte for Homeland, and I just found myself just wandering around London. There’s nothing like it — the buildings, the architecture, the sense of history, the sense of culture, there really is nothing like it. London’s cultural offering is truly world-class. Our vibrant city is building on centuries of history to create new exhibitions, shows and events that are truly inspiring and will draw people from across the UK and all over the world.”

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