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PEOPLE & ARTSWednesday 8 March 2017

Patinkin says ‘Homeland’ trying

to improve Muslim depiction

ZARA ELDRIDGE This Sept. 18, 2016 file photo shows Mandy Patinkin at the 68th
Associated Press Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.
LONDON (AP) — Mandy
Patinkin knows that his Associated Press
show “Homeland” hasn’t
always shown Muslims in especially this season, the gee program.
the best light — but he says sixth season, you’ll see who “He wants people to like
that is changing with the the bad guys really are and him and to like America
award-winning show’s sixth you may have surprises in and to make America
season. store for you,” he said. great again. America will
“It’s deeply important to Patinkin, who also praised be made great again by
me,” he said in an inter- the Muslim community nourishing and encourag-
view this week with The As- for its contributions to the ing people’s moral and
sociated Press. world’s civilization, is trying ethical nature. Encourag-
“In all kinds of entertain- to make a difference in his ing their human-beingness,
ment - movies, television - own life as well. He works not their fear,” he said.
there are always the bad with refugees as part of his “I beg the leaders of the
guys; the cowboys and work with the International world, of the United States,
Indians, then the Russians Rescue Committee, and of the European commu-
were the bad guys, the he urged President Trump nity, to stop being afraid,
Nazis were the bad guys. to be more welcoming to start working together,
Now it seems like Mus- to people displaced from to listen to the lives of these
lim ‘terrorists’ are the bad war-torn countries. Trump souls that are no different
guys,” he said. “So, inad- yesterday revised his initial than your own family, who
vertently, because it’s an travel ban to six countries are desperately in need
action show, it’s an on-the- instead of seven, but they and to work in solidarity
edge-of-your-seat political are all from Muslim-majority with their moral and ethi-
drama that ‘Homeland’ nations, and it temporarily cal code and nature that I
is, unintentionally we were shuts down America’s refu- know they have.”q
not helping the Muslim
community and we take
responsibility for it. And I
know I can speak for the
writers when they want to
right that error that hap-
pened because of story-
telling.”
The Showtime show, which
also stars Claire Danes, is
highly acclaimed but has
also been criticized for its
depiction of Muslims as
terrorists. In the new sea-
son, Danes’ character
Carrie Mathison is back in
the United States, helping
American Muslims.
“We’re part of the prob-
lem, but we also desper-
ately want to be part of
the cure and we are work-
ing toward that in our sto-
ry lines,” he said. “If you
watch the whole thing as
a whole — when you read
a novel just don’t read one
chapter — if you watch the
whole thing as a whole,