Los Angeles, April 14 (IANS): Actor Damian Lewis has recalled his rise to stardom, saying he was like "a needle in a haystack".

The 44-year-old actor got his big break in the role of John D Winters in the critically-acclaimed serial "Band of Brothers", and he admits the opportunity came along as much because of luck as good judgement, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"My dad lived in America for five years, and we have relations and even a godfather over there. I'm extremely lucky.

"'Band of Brothers' kicked it all off. I was a needle in a haystack -- they looked at hundreds of men all over the English-speaking world and, for whatever reason, it came down to me," he told Sunday Times newspaper.

The London-born actor has subsequently starred in the popular US TV series "Homeland", and admits he's very conscious of the cultural differences between Britain and the US.

"I do think there are physical and cultural differences between European man and American man, and I do pay close attention to American-ness and try to inhabit the character beyond the accent. It still does feel as though we are an old country to them, and they, oddly, look up to us still," he said.