Band of Brothers marked an important milestone in television history, featuring an outstanding ensemble of actors. Filmed during the rise of writer-driven dramas, it captivated audiences as a must-see event. In 2001, three years after the emotionally intense epic, Saving Private Ryan (1998), Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks collaborated once more to create a saga that honored the bravery of the paratroopers who sacrificed everything to fight the Germans.
Adapted from historian Stephen E. Ambrose’s book, the miniseries was co-produced by Spielberg’s DreamWorks Pictures and aired on HBO. With a production budget in the millions and a lineup of Hollywood talent, the cast was exceptional. It showcased rising stars like Damian Lewis (Homeland) and established actors like David Schwimmer (Friends), all vividly depicting the harrowing experiences of the brave soldiers of Easy Company.
The sheer number of notable names involved might overshadow the exceptional quality of the acting. Here are 10 actors who may have flown under the radar in Band of Brothers but went on to achieve remarkable success in Hollywood.
Andrew Scott
In the “Day of Days” episode of Band of Brothers, future screen villain Andrew Scott portrayed paratrooper Pvt. John “Cowboy” Hall, fighting on the side of good. Almost a decade later, he captivated audiences as Jim Moriarty in BBC’s Sherlock (2010-17), a role that caught the attention of the producers of the James Bond franchise. This led to his casting as the sinister Max Denbigh (aka “C”) in 2015’s Spectre.
Scott continued to showcase his versatility in the second season of Fleabag (2016-19), where he warmed and shattered hearts as the series’ “hot priest,” opposite creator and new James Bond writer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. He also returned to the battlefield in Sam Mendes’ 2019 World War I drama, 1917.
Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon might be better known today as an alumnus of Saturday Night Live (1975-present) and the present host of The Tonight Show (2014-present), but back in the day, he was a small-time actor looking to make his mark on Hollywood. He was among the many actors to have a minor role in Band of Brothers, bringing Second Lt. George C. Rice to the small screen in the episode, “Crossroads.”
As his career has progressed, Fallon has become a mainstay of Late Night. Prior to taking over hosting duties on The Tonight Show, he was the host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009-14). While he’s largely portrayed himself in recent movie and television productions, he did showcase his acting chops in the likes of Fever Pitch (2005), Taxi (2004) and Doogal (2006).
James McAvoy
Actor James McAvoy portrayed James W. Miller in the Band of Brothers episode, “Replacements.” The versatile actor later became a major Hollywood star, best known for playing Prof. Xavier in the X-Men franchise. He portrayed the mutant leader for nearly a decade, stepping down from the role in 2019’s Dark Phoenix.
McAvoy has numerous other credits to his name, including It: Chapter Two (2019) and Victor Frankenstein (2015). He also played Lord Asriel in His Dark Materials (2019-22). Notably, the series was produced by HBO, the distributor of Band of Brothers, and featured Andrew Scott. Like McAvoy, Scott portrays an explorer investigating parallel worlds.
Simon Pegg
While not necessarily the smallest actor when he appeared as First Sgt. William S. Evans in two episodes of Band of Brothers, Simon Pegg deserves a mention on this list, given just how much his star as grown in the decades since the miniseries’ release. Best known for his comedic films Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007), he’s since gone on to star alongside action movie icon Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible franchise.
When he’s not acting, Pegg can be found penning new films and series, as well as producing them. The man has made a name for himself as not just an actor who’s able to transcend genres, but also as someone who’s able to bring new and fresh content to the big and small screens.
Michael Fassbender
Burton “Pat” Christenson was the television debut role for a youthful Michael Fassbender. Band of Brothers had 10 episodes, and he appeared in seven of them. He went on to develop a successful career as a bold actor, taking on other real-life roles, including Bobby Sands in Hunger (2008) and Steve Jobs in the 2015 movie of the same name.
Fassbender joined James McAvoy as Prof Xavier’s friend/nemesis Magneto in the X-Men franchise. The actor also entered the Alien franchise as android David in the prequels Prometheus (2012) and Covenant (2017).
Colin Hanks
The son of one of the men involved in bringing Band of Brothers to life, Colin Hanks appeared as First Lt. Henry S. Jones in the HBO miniseries. It was his second foray into television, having played a main role in the first two seasons of the series, Roswell (1999-2002), and it served as the role that helped elevate his star power.
While some could associate nepotism with Hanks’ success in Hollywood, the actor has made a name for himself in his own right over the years. Along with being cast in some big-name movies – Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), King Kong (2005) and W. (2008) – he’s also made a name for himself on television, securing main roles in the likes of Fargo (2014-present), Life in Pieces (2015-19) and The Offer (2022).
Stephen Graham
Before facing off against Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in The Irishman (2019), actor Stephen Graham appeared as Sgt. Myron “Mike” Ranney in the first two episodes of Band of Brothers.
Graham is a powerful presence who’s given his talent to larger-than-life gangster roles, such as Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire (2010-14) and Baby Face Nelson in the 2009 Johnny Depp movie, Public Enemies. He also accompanied Depp on some exciting voyages for two Pirates of the Caribbean films: 2011’s On Stranger Tides and 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Tom Hardy
One of the United Kingdom’s most intense and beloved actors is Tom Hardy. His big break, television-wise, was in the episode “Why We Fight.” He portrayed Pvt. John Janovec, who made a memorable entrance, minus his uniform!
Hardy has gone on to work with visionary directors like Christopher Nolan, with whom he’s made three movies. The most recent of these was 2017’s World War II epic, Dunkirk, which saw him take to the skies.
As with many of his Band of Brothers cast mates, Hardy has been involved with comic book franchises. He portrayed Batman villain Bane in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, and, in 2018, Sony hired him as the tortured title character in Marvel’s Venom.
Luke Roberts
Better known among British audiences, Luke Roberts’ first ever on-screen role came on Band of Brothers. He portrayed Herbert J. Suerth in the episode, “Crossroads.” Funnily enough, his next role would be on a British soap opera that was called… Wait for it… Crossroads (2001-03)!
Since Band of Brothers, Roberts has made a number of television and movie appearances. He played the captain of the guard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011); Thomas Wayne in The Batman (2022); Joseph Byrne on Holby City (1999-2022); and Eric Beaumont in Ransom (2017-19). Most recently, he portrayed Steve in the 2023 film, Seagrass.
Tom Hanks
We know who Tom Hanks was before Band of Brothers, and while the actor’s work behind-the-scenes is known, he also made a few cameos. He appeared a couple of times, as both a British and French officer. Hanks also directed the episode, “Crossroads,” and co-wrote the opening instalment, “Currahee.”
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Hanks’ body of work with Steven Spielberg has become the stuff of legend. After Band of Brothers, he starred in Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), Bridge of Spies (2015) and The Post (2017). Separate from Spielberg, the actor also starred in Greyhound (2020), a WWII-era story adapted from C.S. Forester’s The Good Shepherd.