3. Damian Lewis
You probably saw this one coming. Unlike the other names on this list, who played minor parts, Damian Lewis secured the lead role in Band Of Brothers, playing Maj. Richard Dick Winters in all ten episodes of the series. A critically-acclaimed portrayal, it was also Lewis first major television role, preceded only by parts in individual episodes of shows such as Poirot and A Touch Of Frost. Though his film career is effectively nonexistent, Lewis has continued to thrive on the small screen in the years since Band of Brothers, earning further acclaim for his role in The Forsyte Saga. Lured back to America in 2007 for Life, a solid if unspectacular drama, he played the role of Charlie Crews for two seasons before the show was cancelled Now of course, he is known for his portrayal of Nicholas Brody on Showtimes Homeland, which has rapidly become one of the most popular series both in America and abroad. Co-starring with Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin and Morena Baccarin, Lewis has an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his work on the series, which has him playing a US Marine who returns from captivity in Iraq. Though most of the country sees him as a hero, Danes character, Carrie, believes that he has in fact been turned by terrorist Abu Nazir and will be responsible for an attack on American soil, creating a tense drama. The fact that all three of his major television roles have seen him use an American accent means that many are shocked to discover that Lewis is actually British, but like Hugh Laurie before him, he is now flying the flag for Britain on high quality American cable television and looks set to continue doing so for some time yet given Homelands enormous popularity across the globe.