Categories Awards Charity Helen Personal and Family Life Philanthropy

Damian Lewis To Host Annual McCrory Award in Private Exhibit

The McCrory Award Campaign 2024

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | December 5, 2023

Damian is scheduled to host a private viewing of the “DoNotDisturb” art exhibit on March 26, 2024 at the Alon Zakaim Fine Arts gallery in London, showcasing exclusive photography pieces and black and white sketches of Helen McCrory to support the Sir Hubert von Herkomer Foundation and to honor The McCrory Award. Funds raised from the charity event will sponsor 3 young HvH Arts Foundation artistic beneficiaries who will be bestowed The McCrory Award mentorship. Sadie Frost will also co-host the occasion. More than likely there will be an online catalogue to browse for purchase through donation, typically via a prize draw and pledge to support the charity.  The inaugural event launched back on June 15, 2022.

The foundation – which Helen was the former Patron of and is now patroned by Damian – gives access to free art and media workshops for disadvantaged children “…so they can express their inner artist” and flourish. Like last year, we anticipate featured photographs will be donated by additional celebrities, all who have posed for Helen’s friend Debbi Clark, photographer and CEO/Founder of HvH Arts Foundation. To explore more about Debbi Clark Photography click here and here.

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Categories Album Mission Creep Audio Gallery Guest Appearances Helen Interviews Music Print Media Radio Tour Dates Video

Damian Lewis Appeared on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show Discussing Upcoming UK Tour

Noodling Around:  Writing Songs and Suddenly an Album

by Staff | Virgin Radio UK | September 6, 2023

Damian Lewis joined Chris Evans in the Virgin Radio studio this Wednesday to talk about his debut album Mission Creep and his upcoming UK Tour. You can view more photos from his guest appearance in our Gallery.

Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with cinch about how he got started creating his album, the 52-year-old revealed he’d started out experimenting with covers before he ‘got bored’ and as a result started writing songs.

“And suddenly we had an album,” Damian said, before he summarised: “Decca [Records] showed an interest, they signed me, and now we’re going out on tour. That is the long and the short of it.”

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Categories Charity Gallery Helen Personal and Family Life Philanthropy

Damian Lewis Performed at HvH Arts Foundation Summer Exhibition

Summer Exhibition: Create Every Day

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | September 3, 2023

Patron Damian Lewis performed with students at the Sir Hubert Von Herkomer Arts Foundation (HvH Arts) summer exhibition “Create Every Day” on Saturday, September 2, 2023 in London, England. Other attendees were Ambassador Sadie Frost and CEO Debbi Clark. HvH Arts Foundation offers youth a gateway to the arts, providing inspiration and tools to develop lifelong artistic passions, and is home of The McCrory Award in honor of former patron Helen McCrory. The award is given annually to support gifted disadvantaged young people who do not have access to the resources, training and finances to support them in their chosen medium. Damian and his children Manon and Gulliver presented the HvH Arts Scholarship Awards at the event. Watch video here:

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Categories Helen Personal and Family Life Philanthropy Photoshoots

Take A Moment Campaign

World Mental Health Day: October 10, 2023

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | August 17, 2023

Take a Moment is back for 2023! In partnership with Art of London, Take a Moment is now live on Piccadilly Lights, and in the National Portrait Gallery from September 13, 2023.  The campaign launched on Piccadilly Lights on August 8, 2023 to raise awareness about the importance of taking time for ourselves and for our mental health. Ray Burmiston has captured hundreds of photographs of stars with their eyes closed over the last 10 years, to highlight the importance of taking a moment for themselves to focus on their mental health. Both Damian and Helen photographs were featured in the original 2022 showcase.

You can also close your eyes to take your moment and join the online exhibition. Here’s how: 1) Take a black and white selfie with your eyes closed, 2) upload it to www.takeamoment.uk, 3) share it on Instagram or TikTok and tag @theartofldn and @piccadillylights using the hashtag #takeamoment2023. You could see your face on the world famous Piccadilly Lights and/or in the National Portrait Gallery at the finale on World Mental Health Day, which is Tuesday, October 10, 2023. Your image will become part of a huge, evolving, history-making exhibition. We need to take a moment so let’s take a moment together.

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Categories Helen Poll Print Media

British Icon of the Week: Damian Lewis

Top 10: Actor and All-Around Great Guy

by Nick Levine | BBC America Anglophenia | March 13, 2023

Damian Lewis is back in A Spy Among Friends, a real-life espionage series that has just premiered on MGM+. It’s his first role since leaving Billions in 2021, so we’re making him our British Icon of the Week. Here are 10 things we admire and appreciate about the affable English actor.

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Categories American Buffalo Audio Five Gold Rings Hamlet Helen Podcast The Goat or Who is Sylvia?

Damian Lewis Discusses Theatre on the Stage Door Johnny Podcast

An Extra Helping of Damian Lewis: Act I and Act II

by Jonathan Cake | Stage Door Johnny | January 24, 2023

Back in October 2022 (and released in November of that same year), Damian appeared on the Stage Door Johnny podcast. You can listen to both episodes on Feeds here after scrolling down the page to find Act I and Act II, or you can listen to both episodes on Spotify here after scrolling down the page to find Act I and Act II. You can also listen on Podbean here, page two. Here are the podcast descriptions of each episode:

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Categories CBE Charity Events FeedNHS Gallery Helen Honors Personal and Family Life Philanthropy

Damian Lewis Receives CBE at Investiture Ceremony

FeedNHS: Sharing Honor With Helen

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | December 14, 2022

Damian was honored with Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to drama and charity on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at Windsor Castle, which was bestowed upon him by King Charles III. His daughter Manon and son Gulliver attended their father’s ceremony, as well as Helen’s parents Iain and Anne. And did you notice Damian wore his purple socks? 🙂

The recognition was previously announced during the Queen’s Birthday Honours in anticipation of her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 and published in the official public record of The Gazette. Damian has quietly carried out philanthropic work for several charities over many years, some of it with the late Helen McCrory. Beginning in 2020, he and Helen helped raise over £1.2 million for the FeedNHS campaign, a coalition charity helping feed NHS staff and frontline workers during the CoVid-19 pandemic, which allowed over 40,000 meals a day to be served to 100 hospitals.

The Royal recognition comes after Damian was awarded an OBE by The Duke of Cambridge Prince William at Buckingham Palace in 2014 for contributions to drama. In addition to CureEB, he is an Ambassador and Patron for a number of organizations, including youth charities Sir HvH Arts Foundation for The McCrory Award and The Prince’s Trust.

View more photos in our Gallery here.

An Investiture is the very special day when someone who has been awarded an honour receives their award in person from a Member of the Royal Family. The investee visits a Royal residence with members of their family to receive their insignia.

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Categories CBE Events Helen Honors Print Media

Damian Lewis Set to Receive Royal Honours

Royal Honours for FeedNHS

by Danny Halpin | Evening Standard | December 13, 2022

Damian Lewis, William Roache and AstraZeneca’s chief executive Sir Pascal Soriot are among a number of people due to be recognised with honours at an investiture ceremony on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.

Lewis, star of the award-winning shows Homeland and Band Of Brothers and who started a fundraiser to feed NHS staff healthy meals, will be made a CBE for services to drama and charity; while Roache, who holds the world record for the longest-serving TV actor in a continuous role for playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, will be made an OBE.

French-born Sir Pascal will be knighted for services to UK life sciences and the response to Covid-19 at the ceremony at Windsor Castle, after his company developed a vaccine and sent billions of doses around the world.

Paralympic athletes Karen Tonge and Sophie Wells and TV presenter Matt Baker are also to receive honours. Tonge, chair of Para Table Tennis, will be made an OBE for services to Paralympic table tennis after years of promoting the sport at a grassroots level. Para-equestrian Wells, who won gold at the London Paralympic Games in 2012, will also be made an OBE for services to equestrianism.

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Categories A Spy Among Friends Helen Interviews Print Media

Guy Pearce Says He Could Feel Helen McCrory On Set When He Filmed With Her Husband Damian Lewis

Guy Pearce Remembers the Late Helen McCrory on This Morning

by Charlotte Dean | Daily Mail Online | November 30, 2022

Guy Pearce has discussed filming A Spy Among Friends with Damian Lewis shortly after his late wife Helen McCrory‘s death in April last year. The actor, 55, said he could feel the Peaky Blinders actress’ ‘essence’ on set as they filmed the drama together, during an appearance on Wednesday’s This Morning.

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Categories A Spy Among Friends Helen Interviews Music Print Media

Damian Lewis on Grief, Espionage and His New Musical Ambitions

This Is a Mini-Midlife Crisis, But Not a Full-Blown One

by Simon Hattenston | The Guardian | October 29, 2022

They were the golden couple of British acting, but Helen McCrory’s death last year left her husband shattered. Now he is putting the pieces of himself back together – and finding a new creative energy.

The entrance to the private members’ club is so unobtrusive it is barely visible. I walk up the back stairs to a well-disguised roof terrace. A member of staff seems to know why I’m here, and shows me to a discreet table with barely a word. Damian Lewis is sitting there alone, tucking into a plate of sea bass. “Sorry, I couldn’t wait,” he says, looking up. “I was starving.” We move on to the veranda – an even more private spot. I half expect him to show me a secret code, tell me to consign it to memory, and walk away. It feels like a scene from a spy novel.

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Categories Events Film Festival Helen News

Damian Lewis Accepts Posthumous Icon Award in Honor of Helen McCrory

Raindance Film Festival

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | October 25, 2022

As reported earlier, Damian is part of the 2022 Jury for UK’s Raindance Film Festival this year. The festival runs from October 26 – November 5, 2022 and organizers have announced on social media that Damian has accepted a posthumous Icon Award in tribute to Helen McCrory. Helen served on the Raindance Jury back in 2011. The Radio Times reports Damian said:

“I’m honoured to accept the posthumous Raindance Icon Award on Helen’s behalf. She’d be pleased as punch to be receiving it. There was no more fiercely independent spirit than Helen and in her attitude towards work. She loved her time on the Raindance jury and being able to view films made with that same liberated energy. Raindance and Helen – it’s a perfect match.”

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Categories Charity Helen Personal and Family Life Philanthropy

Continuing Helen McCrory’s Legacy Through Charitable Work

What BGC Charity Day Means For The McCrory Award 

by Ellie Iorizzo | Evening Standard | September 30, 2022

Helen McCrory’s legacy is maintained through the charity she helped to establish before her death which benefits massively from the 9/11 trading day, the charity’s founder has said. Film and stage star Damian Lewis, 51, returned to the BGC Partners brokerage firm in Canary Wharf on Thursday to support the Sir Hubert Von Herkomer Arts Foundation (HvH Arts) – for which his late wife McCrory was patron. Lewis, who was also supporting the charity Cure EB, told the PA news agency:

“I love the idea of trading, I would be terrible at it in real life. These guys are honestly on the edge all the time … fingers hovering over buttons ready to make the trade but they are all brilliant. This day is obviously special after what happened on 9/11 and it’s a brilliant initiative. I am glad to come back. If I am in town I always do this day, I really enjoy it and I do it for HVH Arts, which is a brilliant little charity that Debbi runs and Cure EB, two very different things we’re trying to help out and very happy to be here. Helen was patron and I have taken over as patron because I wanted to continue to help.”

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