Haysbert Says 'Unit' Built On 'Truth'

Dennis Haysbert became a superstar when he played President David Palmer on "24." He then brought some of his star power to CBS and is now starring in the military drama "The Unit," as leader Jonas Blane.

"The Unit" follows a covert team of special forces operatives as they risk their lives on undercover missions around the globe. Meanwhile, their wives maintain the home front and protect their husbands' secrets.

"The Unit" came to CBS as a mid-season replacement show and it wasn't certain it would last. But Haysbert says it has staying power because the stories are built on what he called "a foundation of truth."

The show's characters are not able to be recognized for the sacrifices they make because they operate undercover in assignments that don't officially exist. It's a job that is both emotionally and physically taxing and Haysbert has said that Jonas Blane is one of the top three characters he has played throughout his career. But after each episode, he said he is emotionally spent.

"I get a massage," he told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm. "I go to the beach and just walk the beach for a few hours."

Considering the war the United States is embroiled in and the constant threats from abroad, Haysbert said it's important to him to pay tribute to the people who are sacrificing their lives to protect Americans at home.

"That's why I wanted to do this show, because I think it's important to the American people, to see exactly what our soldiers are going through," he said. "And especially our elite soldiers that they have no idea are out there … you know, working and dying and, you know, shooting …"

Their actions, Haysbert said, allow people here at home to get their coffee at Starbucks "without fear of a bomb going off."

"You know, it really does speak to, you know, how we live our lives," he said.

Haysbert recently took on the role of Nelson Mandela in the upcoming movie "Goodbye Bafana," an experience that also weighed on his emotions, but in a different way.

"After every day of shooting that, I cried," he said. "Well, you know, you think about a man who spent 27 years in prison, and he spent that in three different prisons. And to go in knowing not even knowing when you're going to come out, or if you're going to come out, and still everyone you meet, you embrace with love."

To see the official CBS Web site for "The Unit," click here.