Nicholas Brody is a person.
Carrie Anne Mathison , played by actress Claire Danes , is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television drama/thriller series Homeland on Showtime , created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon . Nicholas Brody . Nicholas `` Nick '' Brody , played by actor Damian Lewis , is a fictional character on the American television series Homeland on Showtime , created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon . Brody was a USMC Sergeant who was held as a prisoner of war by al-Qaeda terrorists for eight years . Following his rescue and return home , Brody is hailed as a war hero and promoted to gunnery . Between the first and second season , he was elected to Congress .