Her film career has been no less distinguished with starring roles in films likeLittle WomenandStardust.
The actress has proven time and time again how versatile and talented she is.
Here is everything that you never knew about the formidable star.
“I was in pre-nursery,” she said.
“It was nap time and I couldn’t nap.
I was in my cot, looking at everyone sleeping.
I didn’t want to disappoint my teacher.
And I remembered I had observed my mother sleeping, and she would twitch.
So, to give the impression I was asleep, I twitched.
And I remember thinking, ‘Oooh, that’s good.
That’s nuanced.'”
She always knew that she loved performing, but got her start in a different medium.
“I’ve danced since I was a little girl modern dance,” she toldInterview.
From there, Danes started learning more about other kinds of performance.
That performing arts school opened up a whole new world for Danes, and also provided a networking opportunity.
Even as a teenage star, she was remarkably grounded
Stardom came early for Danes.
She wasjust 13 years oldwhen she auditioned for the career-making role of Angela Chase on thecancelled-too-soon showMy So-Called Life.
She turned 14 after the pilot, and by the age of 15 was a full-fledged star.
Being a child star didn’t turn her head, though.
Danes remained remarkably grounded with a wisdom far beyond her years.
“I just want to be a sane person,” she toldETwhen she was 15.
“I wanna be a person who has a life and who acts.”
The teenager knew that she wanted more out of life than fame.
“I want to be learning.
I want to be getting a good education.
Somehow, I want to be able to manage all of that.
I want to have a good balance of things.”
The only exceptions were 15-year-old Devon Gummersall, who played Brian Krakow, and Danes herself.
What is that about?"
she later said onThe Howard Stern Show.
“Why would she kiss his face?
I had that question on set, and he had to make a run at teach me.
It’s ridiculous!”
The seven-year age gap between her and Leto added to the weirdness.
“He seemed ancient,” she said.
Danes made disparaging remarks about the capital of the country, Manila, after filming the 1999 movieBrokedown Palacethere.
Filipino politicians were upset over the remarks, especially as the island nation heavily depends on tourism.
“I missed acting, I guess,” she toldThe Guardian.
“I thought I could act and go to school simultaneously, but that was overly ambitious of me.
The now-iconic movieshattered box office recordsand is widely considered a classic.
As her career progressed, Danes found herself growing increasingly selective about the roles she took on.
“It was a nightmare,” she toldMarie Claire.
“I was in such agony.
I had been so stimulated and energized, and I felt really robust and capable and eager.
But I couldn’t go back to the ingenue role or the limited secretary-jot down roles.
I wanted to play someone who would move the story forward.”
Thankfully, things turned around for Danes after landing the lead role of Carrie Mathison in the TV seriesHomeland.
Danes also met with Grandin and read her books.
“I didn’t want to do an impression,” she told theLos Angeles Times.
Danes also dove headfirst into her research when she was cast as Carrie Mathison inHomeland.
The role provided an extra challenge for the seasoned actress, as Carrie has bipolar disorder.
Danes toldNPRthat she turned to the internet for research.
“I found great material on YouTube,” she said.
“There was a lot of footage of people who recorded themselves when they were in manic states.
…So I gorged on sort of manic confessionals on YouTube.”
Danes toldShapethat she eats “sensibly,” but that she also cheats on her diet.
Danes has a similar relaxed attitude when it comes to working out.
For her, exercise is primarily about achieving a healthy mental state.
“I exercise more for mental relaxation than anything else,” she said.
“Some of my happiest moments have been dancing,” she said.
“Right now, I’m really into Jamaican jams and Caribbean soul.”
She’s a proud feminist
Danes doesn’t just play fierce women, sheisone in real life.
“I am a feminist,” she toldGlamour(viaHuffPost).
“Yes, women have more freedom and more influence than ever, but it’s hardly equal.
It’s just not.
It’s really f***ing crazy.”
She added that the gender inequality in Hollywood has had a personal impact on her.
Danes is also a proud supporter of the#MeToo movement.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she toldCBS.
She and her husband, fellow actor Hugh Dancy,welcomed a baby boynamed Cyrus Michael Christopher Dancy.
“It’s a new kind of pining,” she said.
“It’s serious I need to be with him…
It’s cellular.”
Danes throws herself into her acting career, but it’s nothing compared to her approach to motherhood.
In spite of the challenge, it’s clear that motherhood suits the actress.
In 2018 Danes and Dancywelcomed another baby boy to the family.
