What do you think audiences find appealing about The Forsyte Saga?
Part of its appeal is that every very single character is hypocritical, which makes them all incredibly real. But first and foremost, it’s a great story. It’s a ripping yarn, as we’d say. It’s melodramatic, it’s glamorous, it’s got people falling in and out of love. It has everything an audience wants: lust, betrayal, deceit, joy, ecstasy. So it appeals on many levels. In Band of Brothers you starred as Major Winters, the consummate laconic American. How did you get that part? [Steven] Spielberg and [Tom] Hanks were clear that they wanted to use some English actors, but I don’t think anyone expected to find Major Winters in London. I just got lucky. I had four screen tests over here. They thought, this guy has all the qualities we’re looking for, and his American accent is okay. So they flew me out to L.A. to meet Steven and Tom. We had a chat, and they offered me the role. It was all very exciting, a little Hollywood sort of story. Both Winters and Soames are very interior guys. I gue
