Mandy Patinkin almost digitally de-aged for Homeland final season before ‘lookalike’ Ben Savage cast

In the final season of Showtime’s Homeland, original star Mandy Patinkin is seen in flashback scenes.

Initially, the show’s creators thought about using digital technology to make Patinkin, 67, appear younger in the sequences set in 1986 East Berlin.”

Executive producer Alex Gansa told TVLine, however, that the dilemma was resolved when it was pointed out that Boy Meets World star Ben Savage has an uncanny resemblance to Patinkin.

‘There was some talk of trying to make Mandy look like he was in his late 20s. But we did some tests and it just wasn’t believable,’ Gansa explained to the outlet.

They then explored the possibility of using one of Patinkin’s two sons for the scenes even though neither of them are actors.

Finally, someone remarked on how Savage, 39, had portrayed Patinkin’s younger self in the CBS series Criminal Minds earlier this year.

‘I think it was Judy Henderson, our casting director, who was aware of that,’ Gansa said. 

‘And when Ben came in to read, the resemblance is so strong it felt like the smart thing to do,’ he added. ‘He just bears such an uncanny resemblance to Mandy.’

The flashback sequences featuring Savage aired in last week’s penultimate episode of the drama that premiered in 2011 and stars Claire Danes in the lead role.

The season eight finale and last ever episode airs tonight.