11 Big Stars Who Appeared in ‘Band of Brothers,’ Now 25 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 2001 landmark miniseries Band of Brothers, which turns 25 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 several follow-ups from executive producers Spielberg and Hanks, including the 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific and 2024’s Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air.
Now, over two decades later, HBO — along with the National WWII Museum — is commemorating the 25th anniversary of Band of Brothers by co-hosting an exclusive two-day symposium. Cast members and the creative team will reunite to celebrate the iconic miniseries’ milestone anniversary and reflect on its lasting legacy. Click here for details.
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
The star of Loudermilk and 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 Marshals 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 Shaun of the Dead, Star Trek and Mission: Impossible films, this actor portrayed First Sergeant William S. Evans on the miniseries.
Colin Hanks
This Fargo 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.
Conversation11 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
O
For anyone that hasn't seen this series, I'm just telling you: it's one of THE best things you'll ever watch, and that's not an exaggeration.
-
P
Truth !!!!!!
-
O
It is the best!!! Thanks.
-
-
P
The best series I have ever watched on TV.
-
G
Tom Hardy doesn't even make this list?
-
R
Totally agree. Extremely intense….totally worth
-
C
I HAVE WATCHED THEM ALL AMD WOW
-
F
They did make a companion series, The Pacific. Also very good, indeed.
-
G
This is the best series about WW2 and I thought it was better than Saving Private Ryan, I really wish they would make another miniseries about Vietnam or WW2 when Tom Hanks and Spielberg work together you know it's going to be good.
-
G
The series wasn't 20 years old in 2021. It was 10 years old in 2020. The book was 20 years old in 2012 and 30 years old in 2022.
-
O
I like Hanks and Fallon; for the most part I can't stand the rest of them.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services