Categories Homeland Print Media

Homeland Series Finale Acknowledges Brody – April 26, 2020

Arm in Arm in Espionage: Series Finale Recap

by Bill Keveney | USA Today | April 26, 2020

When “Homeland” grabbed the public’s attention and six Emmys, including best drama series, for its spellbinding first season in 2011, the relationship between CIA super spy Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) and military hero and suspected terrorist  Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) took center stage.

Over eight seasons, many ups and some downs and the death of Brody in Season 3,  the central dynamic shifted to Carrie, a brilliant operative struggling with mental illness, and her savvy CIA mentor, Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin).

That bond frayed at times, as Carrie broke every rule in the book twice, but never has it been as endangered as it was going into the series’ final episode, which aired Sunday, after Russian agent Yevgeny Gromov (Costa Ronin) gave Carrie only one way to secure the black box flight recorder, evidence that can prevent a possible nuclear war: “Kill Saul.”

Here’s how the finale played out:

Continue reading Homeland Series Finale Acknowledges Brody – April 26, 2020

Categories Homeland Print Media

Homeland Declassified: An Oral History of Never Told Tales – Jan 16, 2020

Battles, Backlash, CIA Meetings

by Michael O’Connell | Hollywood Reporter | January 16, 2019

Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Damian Lewis and the creators of the era-defining Showtime drama — now entering its eighth and final season — reveal in The Hollywood Reporter’s oral history never-told tales of a show that smashed records, captivated presidents and predicted everything from terrorist attacks to Russian election hacks.

“What keeps you up at night?” That’s the question Homeland showrunner Alex Gansa annually posed to Washington insiders before putting fingers to keyboard on a season of his Emmy-winning Showtime drama.

What began as a slick spy thriller driven by a potent sexual chemistry, courtesy of leads Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, evolved into an exposé on the greatest dangers to an America that finally had some distance from 9/11. Threats from ISIS, the surveillance state and Russian interference punctuated clandestine meetings with the intelligence community — part of a yearly writers and cast symposium in D.C. affectionately dubbed “Spy Camp.”

The series, loosely developed from an Israeli format by Gansa and longtime collaborator Howard Gordon (24), became an instant and bona fide success when it premiered in 2011 to 2.8 million viewers and unanimous critical acclaim. Boasting a murderers’ row of writers, each a showrunner at one time, the drama catapulted Showtime and studio Fox 21 to an echelon of prestige TV they previously couldn’t reach. It swept its first Emmys (with six awards total) and those first seasons had both the Obamas and Clintons soliciting screeners.

Continue reading Homeland Declassified: An Oral History of Never Told Tales – Jan 16, 2020

Categories Billions Events Print Media

Showtime Billions at TCA18 – Jan 6, 2018

Showtime Billions at TCA18 

by JaniaJania – Fan Fun with Damian Lewis – January 6, 2018

It’s been a long winter, but now that Billions has announced a return date of March 25 for Season 3, bluier skies may be ahead. On Saturday, showrunners and stars graced the stage for this year’s Television Critics Association winter press tour, where they dropped the first promo and got the buzz up and running for the new season.

The party got started in some fun Facebook live sessions. These short interviews were great at revealing actors’ insights into the characters they play as well as some fun behind the scenes bits.

First was Asia Kate Dillon. As we’ve seen, Taylor has been playing an increasing bigger role since first appearing on canvas. Last season, Axe promoted Taylor to CIO. It looks like this season their role may be even more significant.

Continue reading Showtime Billions at TCA18 – Jan 6, 2018

Categories Billions Events Media Press Conference Trailer Video

‘Billions’ Announces Season 3 Air Date and Drops Trailer – Jan 6, 2018

Billions Announces Season 3 Air Date and Drops Trailer

by Gingersnap – damian.lewis.com – January 6, 2018

Source: Twitter @SHO_Billions

Damian, along with the Billions core cast and co-creators, attended the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour today to announce when season three will air and to discuss some highlights of what we can expect from the show. The Television Critics Association (TCA) represents more than 200 professional journalists who cover television for publications across the United States and Canada. This year’s TCA Winter Press Tour was held at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, California.

According to the posted schedule, Showtime’s President and CEO David Nevins, along with Gary Levine, President of Programming, held an “Executive Session Q&A,” soon followed by the Billions panel discussion, which included Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, Asia Kate Dillon, Executive Producer and Co-Creator Brian Koppelman, and Executive Producer & Co-Creator David Levien.

Left to right: Brian Koppelman, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff, Asia Kate Dillon, Malin Akerman, Damian Lewis and David Levien. Source: Twitter @SHO_Billions

It was reported that the press has been given the first three episodes to view, lucky dogs! We have anticipated Billions returning for season three and wrote about it here.  Billions, and Damian, will return to your television screen on….

Continue reading ‘Billions’ Announces Season 3 Air Date and Drops Trailer – Jan 6, 2018

Categories Billions Events Print Media

Showtime Sets Premiere Date for ‘Billions’ – Jan 6, 2018

Showtime Sets Premiere Date for ‘Billions’

by Joe Otterson – Variety – January 6, 2018

(L-R) Executive producers and co-creators Brian Koppelman & David Levien, actors Asia Kate Dillon, Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff and Malin Akerman (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Showtime announced the premiere dates and released trailers for several shows during their session at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Saturday.

Season 3 of “Billions” will launch on Showtime on March 25 at 10 p.m. The new season finds Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) in a world that has shifted on its axis. Both men are still determined to destroy the other, but must also battle for their own survival amid new forces and powerful enemies. Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff) Chuck’s wife and Axe’s performance coach, is all in for both of them, an uneasy and dangerous position for her, and one that ultimately puts her to a decision that could alter the direction of her life irrevocably.

Read the rest of the original article at Variety

Categories Events Media News Print Media The Goat or Who is Sylvia? Theatre

Opening Night of The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? – April 5, 2017

Talk of the Town

by MailOnline Reporter | The Daily Mail |

Damian Lewis cosies up to glamorous wife Helen McCrory as they toast the opening night of The Goat or Who is Sylvia? on Wednesday.

His new role is a controversial one, with The Goat or Who is Sylvia? a renowned yet divisive play.

But Damian Lewis looked in great spirits after the press night of the new production as he attended the afterparty with wife Helen McCrory.

Beaming broadly, despite the mixed reception, the actor, 46, was suprisingly chirpy at the Villandry, the comfortable and casual grand cafe serving flavourful dishes with a Mediterranean influence.

Looking dapper for the afterparty, the Homeland star donned a fitted blue suit that he teamed with an open collar white shirt.

Meanwhile, Helen looked sensational in a floor length black gown with a sheer overlay that was embroidered with floral detailing.

To view more images, please visit our Gallery.

Read the rest of the original article at Daily Mail

Categories Billions Events Media Print Media

Billions Bosses Promise to Deliver High Yield Drama at Season 2 Premiere – Feb 14, 2017

‘Billions’ Bosses Promise to Deliver High Yield Drama at Season 2 Premiere

by Cynthia Littleton – Variety – February 14, 2017

Anna Wintour waited patiently at the bar to give Damian Lewis a hug just as he arrived Monday night at Cipriani in lower Manhattan for the season two premiere of “Billions.”

Source: Getty

The Vogue editor-in-chief was among the high net worth guests who turned out to toast the Wall Street-themed drama’s Feb. 19 return on Showtime. Knicks coach Phil Jackson and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft also made the rounds at the screening and party, appropriately held at the venue across the street from Wall Street’s iconic charging bull sculpture.

Showtime CEO David Nevins gave a shout-out to co-creators and showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien for their deft touch in delivering the “Billions” mix of sudsy drama and heady commentary on the 1% and their discontents. The show’s already large ensemble cast — anchored by Lewis, Paul GiamattiMaggie Siff and Malin Akerman — has been enhanced this year with such notable additions as Eric BogosianChristopher DenhamJames Wolk and Asia Kate Dillon. It took Koppelman and Levien a few minutes to call out all of the actors assembled for the screening — and to give a little good-natured ribbing to Giamatti for missing the event.

Continue reading Billions Bosses Promise to Deliver High Yield Drama at Season 2 Premiere – Feb 14, 2017

Categories Appearances Billions Media Print Media

Billions Screening and Discussion Panel at PaleyLIVE New York, Fan Fun with Damian Lewis, December 5, 2016

In Case You Missed It: Billions Rocks PaleyLIVE New York!

By Damianista, Fan Fun with Damian Lewis, December 6, 2016

Oh what a treat!

BIG THANKS go to the cast and creators of Billions for giving us an hour of intelligent conversation and laughter and to Paley Center for Media for providing beautiful, intimate setting for this dream event!

source: Paley Center
source: Paley Center

UPDATE December 15, 2016: If you have Hulu, you can now watch an edited version of the panel here and, as a bonus, see me at around 45 minutes and Lady Trader at around 48 minutes asking questions! 🙂

Ok, let’s start with some serious warm-up: JaniaJania has storified the tweets from Billions red carpet as well as from the panel here. Enjoy it and then come back to dive deep into my almost minute-by-minute account of the evening!

Read the rest of the article at Fan Fun with Damian Lewis

Categories Billions Media Personal and Family Life Print Media

Damian Lewis: Confidence Man, Emmy Magazine, May 5, 2016

Confidence Man

Damian Lewis — the charming Brit who brings his all to all-American roles is back on Showtime in Billions. As a perplexing one-percenter, ruthless player, or capital crusader? He’s hard to read, but always reeks of confidence.

by Benji Wilson – May 5, 2016        
Categories Billions Media Print Media

‘Billions’: Can Showtime’s Big Bet Be TV’s First Wall Street-Based Hit?, Variety, January 13, 2016

‘Billions’: Can Showtime’s Big Bet Be TV’s First Wall Street-Based Hit?