Categories Supported Causes The Escapist Theatre


  • The Photostage.com site features photographs by Donald Cooper including pictures of Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory in a number of stage productions. Available images of Damian Lewis include pictures from Cymbeline, Pillars of the Community, Five Gold Rings (with Helen) and several photos from the 1996 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Much Ado About Nothing that have been added to the Warehouse.

  • Kaz reports that Ambassador Tickets have released additional seats in February and March for The Misanthrope starring Damian Lewis.

  • The region 1 (US and Canada) DVD for The Escapist with Damian Lewis will be released on January 26, 2010 and is now available for pre-order.

  • In this review of The Escapist DVD, Sam J Turner’s comments about Damian Lewis’s performance include:

    Prior to its almost-perfect conclusion, two things stand out in The Escapist; Brian Cox and Damian Lewis…Lewis’ role amounts to hardly anything more than a cameo. As Rizza, the quiet and calculated, gangland style, leader of the inmates, he is the perfect antithesis to Perry (Brian Cox). Where Perry answers problems with philosophy and considered actions, Rizza, as you would expect, takes quiet delight in exacting violence and intimidation. The stand-offs between the two are short but there is enough subtle excellence from Lewis in Rizza to let us know who’s boss, without needing to see him shouting and swearing front and centre.

  • Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory, and other celebrities have donated items of clothing to support an environmental awareness initiative co-sponsored by the Camden Council and TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) to raise public awareness and reduce the amount of textile waste dumped in landfills. “Wardrobe Re-Vamping Workshops” will be held at the Swiss Cottage Library and Gallery on November 12, 2009 to provide tips for restyling and updating used clothing items. Celebrity clothing, including the jackets donated by Damian and Helen, “will be restyled and turned into high street fashion pieces and fashion accessories.” Click here and here for more information.

Categories News The Baker The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre


  • Damian Lewis is quoted in Metro.co.uk discussing Keira Knightly, his co-star in The Misanthrope:

    Damian Lewis is positive that Keira Knightley will do a terrific job when she makes her debut on the West End stage. The Band Of Brothers star will be appearing alongside the British actress in the West End production of Moliere’s comedy The Misanthrope, which opens in December. “She’s got quite a successful acting dad and playwright mum, so she can handle herself – Keira is fabulous, she’s an absolute sweetheart – she’s looking forward to it as well so we’re going to have fun,” he said.

    He added: “I’m very excited about doing The Misanthrope – massively. We did the photo call for it the other day, and it made it very real, very exciting.” And Damian joked that he wouldn’t mind the paparazzi attention. “If I can get in and out the stage door every night without fighting, I’d feel hurt – I’d be insulted,” he quipped. The Misanthrope will be at the Comedy Theatre from December 17.



Categories News The Baker The Escapist The Misanthrope Theatre


  • Thanks to Thann for the news that Damian Lewis will star onstage in The Misanthrope which will run at The Comedy Theatre in London’s West End from December 7, 2009 through March 13, 2010! ➡

    Damian Lewis leads an outstanding ensemble with Tara Fitzgerald, Keira Knightley and Dominic Rowan in Martin Crimp’s blistering version of Molière’s greatest comedy, The Misanthrope.

    Transported from 17th century Paris to modern-day London, Alceste (Damian Lewis) is a famous British playwright disillusioned and angry with the hypocrisy, shallowness and vanity of the contemporary world. Vowing to reject society, Alceste’s plans are derailed when he falls madly in love with Jennifer (Keira Knightley). An ambitious American film star and darling of the social scene, she may prove to be his biggest challenge yet.

  • Baz Bamigboye’s column in today’s issue of the Daily Mail featured a story about The Misanthrope that included comments from Damian Lewis and Director Thea Sharrock:

    Keira Knightley has cancelled her close-ups in front of movie cameras for a while so she can make her stage debut in the West End in December…the Oscar-nominated actress was said to be ‘terrified but excited’ about appearing in a modern-day version of Moliere’s 17th century masterpiece The Misanthrope, in which she will play a flirtatious Hollywood film star, joining an ensemble cast led by Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre actor Damian Lewis, who plays the title role.

    Tara Fitzgerald and Dominic Rowan will also star. Rehearsals start the middle of next month, with preview performances at the Comedy Theatre from December 7 and an official opening night on December 17…As Damian, her future leading man, noted: ‘She’s been surrounded by theatre all her life. ‘She also knows of the importance of being part of a company of actors. ‘It’s not the bloody Keira Knightley show,’ she joked to one friend. That point was underscored by director Thea Sharrock…’Keira’s right – it’s not the Keira Knightley show. She’s the leading lady because she has the biggest female role, but she’s not the lead part. This is Damian’s show…

    ‘I signed up to work with Damian Lewis because it’s brilliant to get him back on stage. And along the way we happened to get Keira Knightley, which is fantastic and I’m very excited but, you know, it’s in that order.’

    However, both Damian and Sharrock were clearly thrilled to be working with Keira because, however small her name is on the marquee, her star power will bring in punters…

    The actors will work from a version of The Misanthrope shaped by Martin Crimp 15 years ago and first performed at the Young Vic with Ken Stott. Damian explained that it’s an entirely updated version of the play, originally written in 1666, where Moliere was venting his anger at the ‘insincerity and vacuousness and shallowness of society around him. ‘These are people who live to be seen at the latest play, to be wearing the latest fashion, to be generally complimenting and flattering anyone they see in order to further their way up the greasy social pole,’ he said.

    Crimp has taken Moliere’s characters and turned them into a playwright (Damian’s character, Alceste), a critic, an agent, a journalist and others on the social whirl, plus an actress, known as Celimene in Moliere’s original but now called Jennifer (the role Keira will play).

    ‘Jennifer’s a young American starlet and everyone within the play is going: “Why on earth are you in love with her? She’s sh**ging everything that moves. ..”‘ Damian explained.

    The actor observed that there has always been a need for ‘what’s current, what’s fashionable’. ‘It was true in 1666. It was true when Martin Crimp’s version was written 15 years ago and it’s true now,’ said Damian, who was speaking from the set of the movie Your Highness, which is shooting in Belfast…

  • Bill Iddings’ review of the IFC International Film Festival in Muskegon, Michigan this weekend includes these comments about Damian Lewis’s performance in The Escapist:

    “The Escapist,” a compelling prison-break yarn with an ensemble cast led by Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes and a redheaded actor who should be typecast as the Devil, Damian Lewis…

    To my eye, the best of the bunch is “The Escapist,” rookie British director Rupert Wyatt’s compelling drama about a group of convicts plotting to bust out of the joint…

    The wild card in this deck is a King of The Cell Block (Lewis), a sinister man of few words, who has no interest in rotating back to the real world, where he is nothing. Given his appearance, Lewis does not have to say a thing to establish himself as one of the most ominous presences to be seen on screen this year…

    As for Cox, his performance personifies the kind the reason they give Academy Awards, but don’t. That’ll make more sense after seeing “The Escapist.” a movie that burrows underground, and perhaps into the mind of a man who might or might not be dead. Early candidate for line of the year: “You got one thing going for you: You’re too old to die young.”

  • The Baker starring Damian Lewis will open at the Glenwood Arts Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri on October 9, 2009.
  • Click here to view a new video titled “Easy Company Real Veterans/Soldiers, With the Band Of Brothers Actor’s” that was posted on YouTube by Distancian.

Categories Helen The Baker The Escapist


  • The region 1 (US/Canada) DVD of The Escapist featuring Damian Lewis is now available for rental exclusively from Blockbusters.com. ➡

    The Escapist will screen at The Harbor Theater in Muskegon, Michigan on October 10, 11, and 12 for the IFC International Film Festival.

  • The Baker starring Damian Lewis opens in Portland, Oregon on October 23rd at the
    Living Room Theatres.

  • Helen McCrory recently gave an interview to Rotten Tomatoes that mentions the “epic” ending planned for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. Helen plays Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter films.

    Helen gave the interview during the filming her new movie 4.3.2.1.

  • Click here to listen to Helen performing in “Words and Music Feasting with Panthers” on BBC Radio 3.

Categories Gallery The Escapist



  • Thanks to squidney for sharing this great photo of Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory at the Cartier International Polo Day on July 26th. Check out the Warehouse for this picture and more photos from the event.

  • What are your favorite Damian Lewis performances? Click here to read the list compiled by doihearawaltz.

  • IFC Films has announced that The Escapist starring Damian Lewis is “Coming Soon” to DVD in region one (US and Canada).

  • Congratulations to Sarah Shahi (Damian’s co-star on Life) and her husband Steve Howey on the July 9th birth of their son William Wolf Howey. He must be a very beautiful baby! ➡

Categories Band of Brothers The Baker The Escapist Your Highness

  • Author Carrie Lofty uses specific examples from the Band of Brothers mini-series to illustrate this interesting essay about the various forms of address used by males.

  • Lucky White Rabbit has been hired as an Extra in Your Highness. The comedy features Damian Lewis and is currently filming on location in Northern Ireland. Here’s her intriguing description of the role:

    Just got a call from the extras company there. They would like to have me as an extra in James Franco’s movie. Happy days you say? Yes I say.

    Essentially I’m an albino tribeswoman who, along with her tribesy friends, kidnaps the princes and does terrible things to them. I can’t say I’m overly thrilled about wandering around Belfast in an animal skin bikini in the middle of September but I’m sure it’ll be a laugh.

  • The Baker starring Damian Lewis now appears in the schedule for September’s Kansas International Film Festival, date and time information to follow.

  • Click here and here for fan reviews of The Escapist with Damian Lewis.

Categories The Escapist The Forsyte Saga



  • The Escapist with Damian Lewis will broadcast on Film4 in the UK on Sunday, August 2nd at 9pm and will also air that same night on Film4 Plus 1 at 10pm.

  • Click here for “press highlights” for The Escapist including these comments about Damian Lewis’s portrayal of the evil Rizza:

    The film punches well above its clearly low budget weight, thanks to some fine acting – notably from Cox, who dominates the film, Damian Lewis’ chilling psycho and Joseph Fiennes’s scarily pumped-up con. Accept the verdict and serve time with Cox and company and you won’t be disappointed – and you’ll be rewarded by an ingenious and unexpected twist, too. EIGHT OUT OF TEN Daily Star

    An excellent British crime film with none of the embarrassing ‘cor blimey’ caper of previous Brit outings… Brian Cox is outstanding as an aging screw with nothing to loose, while Damian Lewis simmers as the prison boss…The Escapist proves that British actors and film makers don’t need to rely on SFX to get your blood pumping. Josh Woodfin – FHM

    …an impressively pumped up Joe Fiennes, while Damian Lewis is icily threatening as the prison’s calculating big shot. Red

  • The Forsyte Saga starring Damian Lewis is currently running on ITV3 in the UK. The network will begin airing The Forsyte Saga Series 2 on August 6th.

  • This article in the Mirror mentions that Damian Lewis is interested in participating in future “Bunbury” cricket games organized by David English to raise money for charity. Click here to read about Damian’s participation in a Bunbury game that took place in September, 2006.

Categories The Escapist Video Your Highness


  • Click above to watch a video interview with Damian Lewis discussing one of his passions – playing golf! 😀

    Damian will be featured in next issue of Today’s Golfer magazine that will be released in the UK on August 13th.

    In the interview Damian talks about taking part in the Northern Rock All Star Cup at the Celtic Manor in Wales in August, 2006. Click here and scroll down to download clips from the event (thanks to Kaz!) and click here to view photos from the charity tournament.

  • Damian Lewis is currently filming Your Highness in Northern Ireland and lucky blogger simonf spotted him today and posted this comment:

    Damian Lewis walked past us this afternoon carrying a Next bag. First proper Hollywood actor I’ve ever seen in Belfast.

    How come that never happens to me?! 😥

  • The Guardian has published a clip from Cartier’s International Polo Day on July 26th and there’s a brief glimpse of Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory at 3:59 minutes. Thanks to Ryanne for the link!


  • Click here to access the “Press Kit” for The Escapist including these comments from Damian Lewis about his sinister character Rizza:

    “It’s an important but small role,” admits Damian of his character. “I see Rizza as the evil centre of the prison. He’s a self styled prison boss, he’s running the prison from the inside. He has to control his younger brother who’s a loose cannon.”

    “Rizza is an unusual kind of figure in the prison: the prison and the people inside the prison were his boys and that’s how he wanted it to be. He never wanted his authority challenged; he’d do anything to maintain that status quo. It’s quite an effeminate role and that ties in nicely with the brother. There’s malevolence but effeteness at the same time.”

    Damian especially enjoyed the moral ambiguities of Rizza. “He’s very affectionate about his brother – he’d do anything to protect him but he’s utterly ruthless. You have to be to remain at the top in this setting. He does business daily through violence and intimidation, but I liked the idea that there was something effeminate about him – something preening and self-regarding. He’s a thug but also a weird feminine sophistication.”

  • The Escapist was recently released in Australia and Rialto Distribution and Vertigo Films ran a promotion offering students at the
    University of Technology in Sydney chances to win “25 Double Passes” to see the film. Keep your eyes open for opportunities like this in your area!

Categories Events Gallery The Escapist Video


  • Visit the Warehouse for more pictures of Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory taken yesterday at “Cartier International Polo Day 2009.”

  • Click here and
    here for videoclips from the Cartier polo event that include Damian and Helen. Thanks to Ann and Ryanne for the links!

  • The Escapist with Damian Lewis aired on UK television tonight on Film4; keep looking for the film in theatres and on television in your area!

  • The Fantastic Mr. Fox, the animated film featuring the voice talent of Helen McCrory will open the “Times BFI London Film Festival” on October 14, 2009. 😀