Raza Jaffrey

I miss London on nights in June or in October.

nights miss october london

'Homeland' really is one of those shows where they start to write more or less depending on what's kind of going on in a relationship between characters.

more start homeland relationship

Some actors - myself included - like to know where your character's going: you like to know what the arc is for the character so that you can plan where you're going to give beats for this, that, and the other and give the audience what they want. But on 'Homeland,' you do the opposite.

myself know you character

There are so few shows that are willing to take risks with their characters in the way that 'Homeland' does. And yet, the audience still comes back and loves those characters.

risks back audience way

Everyone thinks with 'Smash,' because it looks glossy and big, they think they're spending a fortune, and they think it's taking weeks to shoot.

everyone big think looks

When I did musicals in London a number of years ago, I was in a workshop scenario for a year or more with 'Bombay Dreams.'

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When you turn up for work, especially with looking down the barrel of a show, you're hoping the person you're acting opposite of is going to be on your kind of crazy wavelength.

looking you crazy work

Work aside, I think would have ended up in the U.S. because I like being here a lot. I really do.

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There isn't really a theatre culture in L.A., which is odd when there are so many brilliant actors there.

which brilliant theatre culture

'Homeland' is not a sensationalist show.

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I think fidelity is absolutely important, especially in the acting industry, which is littered with broken relationships because people are away filming for months.

think important broken people

One of the things I miss most about the U.K. is political TV, and I have one of those little gadgets, which means I can download British programmes illegally - that's why it's a guilty pleasure.

things pleasure i-can political

No one was very surprised when I decided to become an actor.

surprised actor become very

I am in the habit, like most British people, of holding the door open for people. But in the U.S., people don't understand it. You get odd looks or doors slammed in your face.

face i-am you people

I'm quite handy with a screwdriver. I like making and fixing things.

quite making things like

Everyone knows 'Smash' is about musical numbers, and everyone knows we have fantastic dance sequences and great performances.

everyone great dance numbers

It's very different working on stage to film; the immediacy is there on stage.

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