Character: Joe Farnetti
Actor: Jonah Lotan
Episode: Invasion, Bad Blood

Doing the jitterbug with Honeysuckle Weeks was one of the highlights of working on Foyle's War for actor Jonah Lotan.

"I play Joe Farnetti who's a very cheeky private in the US Army. He comes over to England in the first wave of soldiers and from the time they land, they have pretty young girls flirting with them. Sam is different, she's class and there is something really special and hidden about her that grabs Joe from the beginning. She holds back from him at first but Joe loves the challenge."

In the first film Invasion, Joe invites Sam (Honeysuckle Weeks) to a dance held at the American base, a requisitioned school.

"We did a form of the jitterbug together. I was a dancer as a child but this was different and more modern and I'd not danced like that before. We had a choreographer and it was a blast. You can't ask for more than jitterbugging with Honeysuckle!"

The on-screen relationship was so successful that Jonah's role was extended into the second film, Bad Blood.

"Foyle's War was a very warm environment and Honeysuckle was great. We clicked right away. For the romantic scenes it was quite serious because you put your heart on your sleeve. It was heartbreaking when she turned me down - but I still have hope!"

Jonah drew on his time in the Israeli Army to create the character.

"I was in the army based in Israel for three years in the 1990s. It gave me great research and Joe reminds me of a good friend I had in the army. Some people have the ability to see the humour and lighter side of any situation, including being shipped overseas when you are 18, away from everything you know, and facing an uncertain future.

"There are things that are similar, like going from being on beaches at 18 to being in a squadron. The sense of a new reality, being torn away from the world that you know and love and growing up very quickly. Joe could float through that and see the fun in life. It's not easy, but he has a certain strength that helps him through it and keeps the sadness at bay."

Jonah grew up in Jerusalem and New York but now lives in London. "London is now home for me and I love it. I go to Israel every three or four months - my family are still in Jerusalem, so I like to get back to see them."

Jonah's previous credits include Ny-Lon and the films Festival, The Jacket and Swimming Pool. He also recently completed a role in a feature film shot in Puerto Rico, about the true story of four friends who got lost in the Amazon in the 1980s.