| Simone Martin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Status: | Alive |
| Nationality: |  French
|
| Residence(s): | Virginia |
| Profession: | NGO Worker (cover) Russian spy |
| Significant other(s): | David Wellington (on/off lover) Yevgeny Gromov (boyfriend) |
| Played by: | Sandrine Holt |
| Season(s): | 7 |
| First episode: | "Rebel Rebel" |
| Last episode: | "Paean to the People" |
"He killed them when they became a problem, and that is what you are right now." - Mathison, Carrie
Simone Martin (Sandrine Holt) appears in season 7 of "Homeland". Carrie Mathison first noticed the unknown woman when she was secretly observing David Wellington's house, where Simone walked in and left a message. Over time, it turns out that Simone is hiding a bigger secret.
Biography[]
Simone Marie Martin was born near Paris and trained at a business school in London. She met David Wellington four years ago in Budapest. They have been in an on/off relationship ever since. For a few months she has been living back in Washington, where she works for an NGO called The International Democracy Foundation. Carrie Mathison first notices her when Simone enters the Wellington home, which Carrie is secretly watching, and leaves him a message. Dante Allen then helps her figure out the woman's identity. He not only informs Carrie about her resume, but that she was also near the military prison in Hazelton at the time where Jamie McClendon was killed, suggesting that she and Wellington had something to do with it .
Carrie and Max later find out that Simone made a withdrawal of just under $10,000 in Hazelton. Her route planning tool, which Max found in her computer data, indicates that she made four stops en route to Hazelton, carrying about $50,000 in total cash. Carrie thinks it's likely she paid for McClendon's murder.
Carrie Mathison assembles a team that soon ambushes Simone Martin. While the men tie up and beat Simone, they try to squeeze information out of her. They ask her about the $50,000 and she finally admits that the money was for McClendon's assassination. Carrie's colleague extorts a payment of $100,000 and scares her badly. Meanwhile, one of the men hides a bug in Simone's handbag, which, as it turns out shortly afterwards, does not transmit any sound. Surprisingly, Simone doesn't look for a taxi but goes to the nearest bar. One of Carrie's team gives chase, but Simone disappears into the women's room. Carrie arrives just in time to unobtrusively place a second bug in the pocket before Simone calls David Wellington and requests a meeting. Shortly thereafter, he receives her at his home. However, Simone left her purse in the Uber, so the team can't overhear. As Carrie can later understand from the surveillance videos, Simone tells David nothing about the blackmail and sleeps with him.
The next morning, just as Simone is leaving David's house, she receives a subpoena from Senator Sam Paley. Anxious, she shows David the letter, who in turn recommends a good lawyer. However, she does not speak to him again about the blackmail. That evening, when David asks her what Paley might have on her, Simone is disappointed that David thinks she is trying to profit from her association with him. The next morning, at the hearing, Simone was presented with various photos and screenshots from the credit banks' surveillance videos. Her lawyer then begins negotiating her immunity in exchange for information. However, Paley first demands some information, after which Simone begins to talk about what she was doing the day McClendon died. She tells how she placed the money, but does not give the name of her client. She admits it was a senior White House member but won't name a name before she has an immunity deal. Later, when she is having dinner with her lawyer, David comes over and tries to talk to her. During a brief one-on-one conversation, Simone's mood suddenly changes and she threatens to call the police if he continues to put pressure on her. When he touches her arm, she pretends that he's being rough on her, so everyone in the restaurant can see. Someone is filming the scene, which is soon shared on social media and news channels.
Saul Berenson shortly thereafter concludes that Simone is working with the Russians or maybe even is a Russian agent. Together with his team, he reveals that their NGO is controlled from Russia and that Dante Allen is probably involved in the conspiracy. They have three days before Simone testifies publicly against Wellington, overthrowing the government.
Simone Martin is housed in a secret guarded accommodation until she can testify. One evening, Sam Paley shows up and says he wants to go over the statement with her again. However, he makes it clear to her that he considers this to be fictitious. They go over some details again and Paley questions everything she says, which clearly upsets Simone. Eventually he admits he just wanted to test her and leaves. The next day, Simone realizes that something is wrong as her guards become restless and start searching the premises. Shortly thereafter, she is brought to him by Yevgeny Gromov's people, where, relieved, she falls into his arms and kisses him.
Yevgeny takes Simone to a private airport from where she is to be taken out of the country. Once there, they learn that Dante has disappeared. Simone doesn't understand what happened, but reassures Yevgeny, who suspects Dante might have turned himself in. However, she cannot convince him to come with her. A few hours later, she learns that Dante has opened his mouth to Allen and Yevgeny now wants to fix the problem. She tries to persuade him by phone to leave the country and give up the network, but Yevgeny is far too angry for that. At least she manages to calm him down enough that he realizes what the consequences will be if he continues to ignore Mirov's orders.
When Yevgeny also flees to Russia after Dante Allen's death, Simone lives with him in his estate near Moscow. When Saul Berenson sends a strike team to capture her, Yevgeny's men step in and protect her. She is then taken to Moscow to a secure suite at the GRU. But then a whole armada of armed men from the SVR came and wanted to storm the building to arrest them. However, Yevgeny assures her that he will protect her. When Carrie Mathison suddenly gains access to her hiding place via the balcony, Simone awaits her with her gun drawn. However, Carrie tries to make her understand that she is now a problem for the GRU and Yevgeny and they will eliminate her to solve the problem.
Simone says Gromov would never give her up, but Carrie just scoffs at Simone’s naiveté. The two may be in love, but there’s no way Simone is safer with the Russians: Carrie points out that right now, while Simone’s hiding, Mirov and Gromov are probably having the conversation about why they’re not just taking her out of the equation. Gromov is probably defending her loyalty, but in the “big picture,” Carrie says, Simone is expendable to her country. She’s too much of a liability. But even then, Simone doesn’t bend. She knows Gromov loves her and wouldn’t hurt her, and yet again, Carrie knows the right thing to say. She reminds Simone that Gromov has had no problem killing his own people, including Krupin, Clayton, and Dante Allen, because when people become a problem, he kills them. So, she says, he’ll probably come into the suite telling her everything’s okay, and then…you can imagine the rest.
Her words persuade Simone to flee the building with Carrie. Disguised in a blonde wig, Carrie's team takes her to safety while Carrie disguises herself as Simone and gets into another car.
Simone is then driven into the underground car park of the hotel where Saul Berenson is with the other American delegation. Yevgeny's superior wants to stop the convoy, but is informed by Yevgeny by phone that Simone is on her way to the American embassy, whereupon Simone leaves Saul's car. On the way to the airport, Saul wants Simone to memorize Carrie's identity so he doesn't get caught on the plane. She asks Saul if he's really sacrificing Carrie to arrest her, but he doesn't answer her. Complications arise at the airport, but Saul's team finally manages to fly out of the country.
Three days later, Simone testifies before the US Senate. She confirms that she is an agent of the GRU and that her organization's goal was to create a government crisis in the US and oust President Keane from office.
Behind the Scenes[]
Appearances[]
| Season 7 | ||||
| "Enemy of the State" | Rebel Rebel | Standoff | Like Bad at Things | Active Measures |
| Species Jump | "Andante" | Lies, Amplifiers, F**king Twitter | Useful Idiot | "Clarity" |
| All In | Paean to the People | |||