Claire Danes has insisted she would be an "abysmal" CIA agent despite her Homeland persona.

The American actress said that although she can fake it, she is actually very different to her character in the award-winning show, counter-terrorist operative Carrie Mathison.

"The truth is, Carrie is so dissimilar to me on basically every level," she told the December issue of Glamour magazine.

"I would be an abysmal CIA officer. I'm not even a political beast. I make imaginative leaps all the time.

"I'm very good at pretending, I guess."

Claire also told how she is missing working with Damian Lewis, whose Homeland character Nicholas Brody was killed off at the end of the third series of the hit show,

"I miss acting with Damian, first and foremost, he is an extraordinarily gifted performer," said the 35-year-old, who is married to actor Hugh Dancy.

"I also miss his friendship, he's a very bright, funny chap, who adores his wife and kids. It's rare to find someone equally as talented as he is kind and sane."