11 Big Stars Who Appeared in ‘Band of Brothers,’ Now 20 Years Old
After collaborating on the Oscar-winning war epic Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks teamed up on another World War II saga — this one a true story — in the miniseries Band of Brothers, which turns 20 years old on September 9.
The HBO production — based on the 1992 Steven E. Ambrose book of the same name — depicted the real-life heroism of an elite company of paratroopers during World War II, from their training stateside to their capture of a Nazi stronghold in Germany.
And HBO’s $120-million bet on the series paid off: Band of Brothers received rave reviews, 20 Emmy Award nominations, and seven wins, including Outstanding Miniseries. The series also inspired two follow-ups from Spielberg and Hanks: the 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific and the upcoming Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air.
Now, two decades later, HBO is celebrating the show’s legacy with the Band of Brothers Podcast, featuring commentary from Hanks and some of the cast members.
In honor of the show’s anniversary, scroll down to see some of the big names who appeared in parts big and small on Band of Brothers.
Damian Lewis
Ron Livingston
Now a recurring star on ABC drama, A Million Little Things, Livingston starred in the miniseries as Captain Lewis Nixon.
Donnie Wahlberg
Years before he patrolled the streets on CBS procedural Blue Bloods, this actor played Second Lieutenant Carwood Lipton in Band of Brothers.
Michael Cudlitz
This The Walking Dead and Clarice actor starred in the miniseries as Staff Sergeant Denver “Bull” Randleman.
Michael Fassbender
The Oscar-nominated star known for roles on 12 Years a Slave and Steve Jobs played Technical Sergeant Burton P. Christenson on the show.
David Schwimmer
This Friends actor made quite the “pivot” to dramatic fare for Brothers, playing real-life Captain Herbert M. Sobel across three episodes.
Simon Pegg
Now known for his roles in Star Trek and Mission: Impossible films, this actor portrayed First Sergeant William S. Evans on the miniseries.
Colin Hanks
This Life in Pieces alum, one of Tom Hanks’ sons, played First Lieutenant Henry S. Jones in the eighth episode.
Jimmy Fallon
While he was still a Saturday Night Live star, this future Tonight Show host guest-starred in one episode as Lt. George C. Rice.
James McAvoy
This X-Men and His Dark Materials actor played Pvt. James W. Miller in one installment.
Tom Hanks
The miniseries’ co-creator had an uncredited part as a British officer in the fifth episode.
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