Timothée Chalamet did appear on the TV series Homeland. Before his Oscar-nominated turn in Call Me by Your Name and his blockbuster roles in Dune and Wonka, Chalamet had a recurring part in the acclaimed drama. He played Finn Walden, the son of the Vice President of the United States, during the show’s second season in 2012. This role was one of his first significant professional acting jobs and came years before he became a global movie star.
Who Was Finn Walden on Homeland?
Timothée Chalamet played Finn Walden across eight episodes of Homeland‘s second season. Finn was introduced as a classmate and eventual boyfriend to Dana Brody, the daughter of main character Nicholas Brody. The character was written as a privileged teenager, the son of Vice President William Walden.
Finn was far from a heroic figure. Described as a “spoiled brat” and the “quintessential rich, spoiled politician’s kid,” his storylines highlighted his entitled and often unlikable behavior. His relationship with Dana served as a major subplot, bringing teen drama into the high-stakes world of the espionage thriller.
“When I watched it back, I always felt like there were moments where I just played the antagonist, as opposed to finding the real human in that.” — Timothée Chalamet later reflected on his performance.
The Hit-and-Run Storyline
The most notable plot involving Finn and Dana was a hit-and-run accident. While joyriding together, Finn, who was driving, hit and killed a woman. Instead of stopping to help or reporting the accident, he drove away. The two teens then kept the incident a secret, leading to intense arguments as Dana wrestled with her guilt and Finn relied on his family’s power to avoid consequences.
This storyline drew criticism from some viewers who felt its soap-opera style drama felt out of place in a serious spy show. However, it served to showcase the moral compromises and corruption within the political world the show depicted. Finn’s parents ultimately helped cover up the crime to protect the Vice President’s reputation.
How Finn Walden’s Story Ended
Finn Walden’s story reached a dramatic and fatal conclusion in the season two finale, titled “The Choice”. He, along with his father the Vice President and other government officials, was killed in a terrorist bomb attack. The explosion occurred during a memorial service for his father, who had died earlier.
His death was sudden and unceremonious, effectively writing the character and his subplot out of the series as the show moved on to other international threats. His final appearance was in that twelfth episode of the season.
What Timothée Chalamet Was Doing at the Time
Chalamet was very young when he filmed Homeland. He was 16 years old during production, which caused him to miss about half of his senior year of high school. He was a student at New York City’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, the same school his future Homeland co-star Claire Danes had once attended.
This role was a step up in his early career. Before Homeland, he had minor parts on shows like Law & Order and Royal Pains. His work on Homeland in 2012 predated his major film debut, which came in 2014 with Men, Women & Children and Interstellar. The casting director for the show noted she saw his potential early on.
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Where to Watch Chalamet’s Homeland Episodes Today
For fans curious to see Timothée Chalamet’s early performance, his episodes remain available. His entire arc is contained within Homeland Season 2. This season originally aired on Showtime from September to December 2012. Today, the series is available for streaming on platforms including Hulu, Showtime, and through digital purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
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