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.
- Character Name
- Saul Berenson
- Portrayed By
- Mandy Patinkin
- Role
- Case Officer / Deputy Director
- Status
- Alive
Verified Timeline
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.
In Their Own Story
Patinkin's role as Saul Berenson in Homeland (2011–2020) represents one of his most prominent television performances. Prior to Homeland, he played Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in Chicago Hope (1994–2000), winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series in 1995. He also portrayed SSA Jason Gideon in the CBS crime-drama Criminal Minds (2005–2007). His other television credits include Dead Like Me (2003–2004) and The Good Fight (2021). In 2024, he starred as Rufus Cotesworth in the Hulu mystery series Death and Other Details.
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).
Did You Know?
- Mandy Patinkin was born Mandel Bruce Patinkin on November 30, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois.
- He won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for playing Che in the first Broadway production of Evita (1979).
- Patinkin earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role as Avigdor in Yentl (1983).
- He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series for Chicago Hope in 1995.
- Patinkin played Inigo Montoya in Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride (1987), a role that earned a cult following.
More in Characters & Cast
Elsewhere in the Homeland universe
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