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Created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the war dramaBand of Brotherswas adapted from Stephen E. Ambrose’s book of the same name. The miniseries premiered on HBO back in 2001, and ran for 10 episodes. It is one of the most critically acclaimed shows ever made, with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The miniseries had a pretty large ensemble cast, who went through a lot of hardships while filming. But that made them give the show their best, which went in to win the Best Miniseries award at the Emmys as well as the Golden Globes the following award season. One of the most harrowing moments included cast member Damien Lewis, who played the character of Major Richard “Dick” Winters.
Damien Lewis Almost Got Hypothermia While Filming ForBand of Brothers
Damien Lewisplayed paratrooper Dick Winters in the showBand of Brothers. He, along with the rest of the cast, had a pretty tough time filming for the show, with its plethora of battle scenes every other minute. It was on the 10th and final episode of the series that they found some respite. Or at least that’s what was supposed to happen.
What was supposed to be the paratroopers finding some peace after so much war and fighting, became a life-threatening misadventure for Lewis. Back in 2021, during theBand of Brotherspodcast, Lewis recalled that he almost got hypothermia while filming a scene, while swimming in a very cold lake. Even though he was rubbed in goose fat to keep him warm for the scene, and he was only supposed to be in the water for one minute at a time, maintaining time wasn’t always perfect, and getting the perfect shot almost got him killed.
We swam all day and I was only allowed in the water for a minute at a time. I was rubbed in goose fat in order to retain some heat… But of course, you’re never anywhere just for a minute when you’re filming. They say ‘can you just do one more lap?’ Before you knew what happened, you were there for three or four minutes.
“That look could pierce a tank”: Even America’s Sweetheart Tom Hanks Couldn’t Charm Late Dick Winters While Making Band of Brothers That Helped the Series in Hindsight
Describing his feelings during the filming of the scene, Lewis further added,
I had this curious sensation of being toweled down on the boat and my whole body started rattling. I felt this ice-cold column right through the middle of my body, but my extremities felt warm. And then it did the complete reverse, as the cold left and the warmth reappeared in the center column of my body. The rest of me then just started shaking, my extremities started shaking as they became freezing cold before I returned to a normal temperature. I was told later that that is the beginning of a hypothermic reaction.
Thankfully he made it out alive, and relatively well, and we are glad he can now talk about the difficulties he faced.Damien Lewis’ performancein the show was a highlight, for which the actor was highly praised by fans and critics alike.
Band of Brothers‘ Pre-Episode Interviews Were The Highlight of The Show
A brilliant idea that madeBand of Brothersdifferent from any other war drama was thepre-episode interviews conducted with the real paratroopersof the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Most of the characters in the miniseries were all real-life paratroopers who trailed with the Easy Company and were part of World War II.
Every episode started with real veterans recalling their stories from the past which the cast later enacted during the episode. The series became a blend of documentary and fiction, which was a trick bySteven Spielberg, which made the show connect so well with the audience. Knowing the real stories behind the series made it all the more interesting as well as emotionally liberating.
“I didn’t want to be a part of it”: The Best Part of ‘Band of Brothers’ Ran Into a Major Problem That Was a Blessing in Disguise for History to be Written
Most of these interviews were recorded back in time, so they were a reminder of the truth of the story. Most of the characters we saw on screen had died before their stories were even brought to life. But this is one of the things that made the show such a fan favorite.
Band of Brothersis available on Max and Netflix.
Swagata Das
Senior Features Editor / Reviewer
Articles Published :356
Swagata works as a Senior Features Editor at FandomWire. Having previously worked as a Content Writer, her passion for everything pop culture became her true calling as she now works with a global team of writers to brainstorm unique, groundbreaking ideas. Having done her Masters in English Literature, Swagata is a self-professed K-Pop addict with an affinity to work her charms on unsuspecting friends to induct them into the fandom cult.
