Mandy Patinkin

A veteran actor from stage and screen brings depth to a long-running Showtime drama.

Saul Berenson is a character portrayed by Mandy Patinkin in the Showtime drama series Homeland (2011–2020). Patinkin, an American actor and singer born November 30, 1952, has starred in television shows including Chicago Hope (1994–2000), Criminal Minds (2005–2007), and Homeland (2011–2020). For his television work he has earned seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series for Chicago Hope in 1995.

Quick Facts

Birth name

Mandel Bruce Patinkin

Born

30 November 1952

Birthplace

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Education

University of Kansas; Juilliard School

Occupation

Actor, singer

Years active

1974–present

Known for

Homeland
The Princess Bride
Sunday in the Park with George

Spouse

Kathryn Grody (1980)

Lore & Background

Mandy Patinkin's career spans Broadway, film, and television. He made his theatre debut in 1975 starring opposite Meryl Streep in the revival of the comic play Trelawny of the "Wells" at The Public Theater's Shakespeare Festival. He played Che in the first Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita (1979), earning a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He portrayed Georges Seurat/George in Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George (1984), earning a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. His film roles include Inigo Montoya in Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride (1987) and Avigdor in Barbra Streisand's Yentl (1983), for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

Reader's Guide

Patinkin's background in musical theatre informs his approach to dramatic roles. On Broadway, he has collaborated with Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber. He replaced Michael Rupert as Marvin in William Finn's Falsettos (1993) on Broadway. He starred as Burrs in The Wild Party (2000) and earned a second Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. His filmography includes Ragtime (1981), Maxie (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), True Colors (1991), Impromptu (1991), Wonder (2017), and Life Itself (2018). He also voiced roles in Hayao Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky (2003) and The Wind Rises (2013).