Homeland Season 2: Claire Danes On Carrie’s Unique CIA Return, Concealing Her Baby Bump

When “Homeland” wrapped its Season 1 finale last year, Claire Danes’ Carrie Mathison was ruined.

The CIA had fired her after uncovering her mental disorder, and in an attempt to put her obsession with Sgt. Brody (Damian Lewis) behind her, she was strapped to a gurney and given electroshock therapy.

The Carrie fans will meet as the Showtime series’ Season 2 premieres is in a different place — one of acceptance.

“When we first meet [Carrie], she is not in the CIA. She has been exiled and she’s accepted that,” Claire told Access Hollywood at the “Homeland” Season 2 premiere party in New York on Friday, of where the Showtime series will pick up. “I think she’s come to terms with the fact that that’s what she needs in order to protect her sanity and maintain her health.”

But Carrie doesn’t get a break for long – Claire said the agency finds itself in need of her character’s skills almost immediately as Season 2 unfolds.

“Of course, very quickly, the CIA is forced to call her back in for what is meant to be an isolated free-lance job, but it gets more involved and she acquits herself very well, so it becomes more protracted,” Claire said. “But she is still working on the periphery. She’s doing vital work but she’s still not formally allowed inside.”

(Executive producer Alex Gansa told Access at Comic-Con that a source in the Middle East, who can help with thwarting a terrorist threat, will only speak to Carrie, thus setting up the CIA’s need to interact with Claire’s character.)

Shooting the Showtime thriller has recently become a bit tricky as Claire, 33, is pregnant with her first child (with husband Hugh Dancy) – a development that does not fit into Carrie’s “Homeland” arc.

“So far, fortunately, [my baby bump] has been pretty contained, so we’ve been able to work around it just by, you know — I’m wearing more forgiving blouses and things,” she said, when asked how producers are working around her growing belly. “But now, we’ll invite some CGI effects into the mix and manipulate in post-production. It should be OK!”

“Homeland” Season 2 premieres on September 30 at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime.

— Erin O’Sullivan