Claire Danes: Carrie feels like a real person to me

The 34-year-old star, who plays the series' troubled lead opposite British actor Damian Lewis, added: "[Carrie]'s not shy. She makes herself known. It might sounds pretentious to talk about a character as if she's an actual person, but I feel that way.

"I have good chemistry with her. We have a good time together," she said in her interview with US Vogue this month. "She is so much smarter than I am, and it’s really fun to play someone that smart. She has this confidence, and she’s also a wreck."

American actress Danes plays a CIA agent who stuggles with bipolar disorder as well as a troubled personal life. The last series saw her embark on a relationship with former marine turned terrorist Sgt Brody (Lewis) before he was framed for a fatal explosion and was forced to go on the run in the season finale.

Danes also opened up about how she prepares to play Carrie, saying: "A lot of people with bipolar disorder record themselves when they are up in the middle of the night and need to talk. I flip through those."

Homeland returns to American network Showtime for its third season in September.