REALITY JOINS FICTION: ‘Homeland’ angers Lebanese minister over depiction of Beirut

A Lebanese minister has threatened to sue the makers of hit US TV series Homeland for misrepresenting Beirut in a recent episode of the show. However today’s bombing in Beirut and the killing of the internal intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan clearly undermines the minister’s lawsuit. (Source: persianrealm.com)

Lebanon Threatens Legal Action Against Showtime’s Hit Series:

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HOMELAND EPISODE: BEIRUT IS BACK

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Homeland : Dissecting a Scene: Beirut is Back:

The cast and crew discuss creating the assassination attempt scene

Homeland 2×02 Promo “Beirut Is Back” (HD) :

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EMMY AWARD WINNING CAST

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Stars Claire Danes and Damian Lewis both won an Emmy in September

Homeland – Trailer Showtime Series HD :

Extended trailer for new Showtime series,”Homeland” starring Damian Lewis and Claire Danes

Damian Lewis Emmy Win 2012 :

Damian Lewis won his 1st Emmy in the category Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Homeland at the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy awards.

Claire Danes Emmy Win 2012 :

Claire Danes won her 1st Emmy in the category Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Homeland at the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy awards.

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IRANIAN STAR NAVID NEGAHBAN MISTAKEN FOR TERRORIST

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Navid

Negahban: ‘Homeland’ Depicts Nuanced Villain ( Oct 2, 2012 by ‪AssociatedPress) :

‘Homeland’ star Navid Negahban, who plays terrorist leader Abu Nazir, praises Showtime’s Emmy-winning drama for showing his character as a flawed human as opposed to a faceless, stereotypical bad guy. (Sept. 2)

‘Homeland’ star mistaken for a terrorist

By Suzanne Kelly (cnn)

It’s hard to say that looking like a terrorist would be a good thing, but it hasn’t gone so badly for Navid Negahban.

The Iranian-born actor, who has played a range of bad guys during his career, currently plays terrorist Abu Nazir on theShowtime hit series “Homeland,” and the success of the series has made him one of the world’s best-known non-terrorists.

That may be a good thing for his acting career. Turns out it’s not so good at airports. (More in Related CNN Article)

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BEIRUT BLAST KILLS DOZENS INCLUDING SECURITY CHIEF

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Lebanon : Car Bomb rocks Christian area of Beirut killing top Government Official (CNN, Oct 19, 2012) :

Lebanese politicians blame Syria for Beirut blast (

‪AlJazeeraEnglish, Oct 19, 2012) :

Al Jazeera’s Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, says Lebanese politicians are blaming Syrian officials for the explosion which killed security chief Wissam al Hassan. Fears are growing throughout the country over rising sectarian tension, with roads being blocked and fires started in and between several communities in protest against the assassination of Wissam al-Hassan, a senior intelligence official close to former prime minister Saad Hariri.

Lebanon “Assad Behind Beirut Car Bomb Blast” Lebanese Politician Walid Jumblatt 10-19-12 :

Al Jazeera interviews head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, on the deadly car bomb in Achrafiyeh which killed security official Wissam al Hassan.

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HOMELAND ANGERS LEBANON

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Homeland angers minister over depiction of Beirut (bbc)

A Lebanese minister has threatened to sue the makers of hit US TV series Homeland for misrepresenting Beirut in a recent episode of the show.

Back to Beirut, the second episode in the new series of Homeland showed a terrorist meeting on Hamra Street – an apparent Hezbollah stronghold. The episode was actually shot in Israel.

Lebanese Tourism Minister Faddy Abboud said filming “did not depict reality”.

“It was not filmed in Beirut and does not portray the real image of Beirut.”

“It showed Hamra Street with militia roaming in it,” he told the Associated Press, adding that the real Hamra Street was actually a popular neighbourhood of shops and cafes.

Mr Abboud believes the depiction of the city could have a negative impact on tourism.

“This kind of film damages the image of Lebanon – it is not fair to us and it is not true,” he told Beirut’s Executive magazine.

“We want to take action, we want to write to the filmmakers and producers and demand an apology. And we are planning to raise a lawsuit against the director and the producer.”

Twentieth Century Fox, which produces the Emmy-winning US series, has declined to comment.

Mr Abboud was also offended that filming for the episode, which is based on an Israeli series called Hatufim (Prisoners of War), took place in Israel rather than Beirut itself – especially given the history between the two territories.

But filming in Beirut would have been difficult since Homeland’s co-creator, Gideon Raff, is Israeli and Israel’s citizens are barred from visiting the city.

Lebanon’s leading LBC TV carried a report on the controversy on Thursday, saying the show disparaged Arabs and that its setting in Israel was “a double insult.”

Homeland, now in its second series, has proved a ratings success in the US, and has aired in more than 20 countries.

It follows the burgeoning political career of former prisoner of war Nick Brody, and the CIA operative who believes he was turned by the enemy and is now a threat to the US.

Both the leading actors – Britain’s Damian Lewis and US star Claire Danes – recently picked up Emmys for their work on the show.

REALITY JOINS FICTION: ‘Homeland’ angers Lebanese minister over depiction of Beirut

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