There is only one episode remaining before "Homeland" season 5 comes to a close, but Mandy Patinkin, who plays former CIA director Saul Berenson in the series already has ideas on where to take his character next season.
"I want to see Saul make it clear to everyone in the intelligence industry that what (the U.S.) has been doing with drones and violence and warfare and revenge tactics doesn't work," he told Variety in an interview. "We have won the battle but lost the war. I want Saul to get the message across that the billions and billions of dollars that we have spent fighting terrorism isn't working. We need to spend this money to give people a better life. That's how you battle ISIS. That's how you give people hope."
Patinkin is actually deeply affected by the current migrant crisis the world is facing, and he said that "Homeland" writers will be incorporating that into the storyline even more because "they're writing what we're all living."
"You'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to see the drama in the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East," he said.
Patinkin finds it shocking that there are political leaders who are refusing to let refugees into their countries out of fear of an imminent terror attack. According to the actor, the blame should not be placed on innocent people.
"There has not been a single incident of terrorism in this country since 9/11 committed by a political refugee - this is a fact," Patinkin said. "People who are on the terrorist watch list in the country can buy a gun legally. These are the people we should be afraid of, not these refugees."
He even encouraged people to strike up a friendship with refugees because that is the only way the world can defeat terrorism and evil.
"Find one of these refugee centers and go visit a family," Patinkin encouraged. "Bring them to your home for dinner. Walk them around your neighborhood. Take them to your church. Make them feel welcome in this country."
Patinkin might play a very serious character in "Homeland," but he does have a lighter side to. He will actually be lending his voice to Sony Pictures' 2017 release "Get Smurfy" as Papa Smurf.
"I just want other people to know the kind of joy that I have in my life," Patinkin explained. "I want other people to be able to have fun."
