The star of Sunday night’s most addictive drama, talks to Craig McLean about playing a Muslim, living between LA and London and why he couldn’t say no to Homeland
CRAIG MCLEAN
Monday 2 April 2012 11:01
Damian Lewis, star of ITV’s new US series Life, tells Michael Deacon about his role as an ex-convict, being a British actor in America and his love of bicycle
Charlie Crews, the character Damian Lewis plays in Life – ITV’s new drama import from America – is perpetually defeated by modern technology. Lewis isn’t too hot on it himself. The London-born 37-year-old can’t stand Facebook, worries that video games are a threat to the film business and struggles with text messages. When we meet he is wrestling with his mobile phone: ‘Sorry, I’ve just got to text my sister-in-law, who’s a tyrant – if I don’t text back within half an hour she shouts at me,’ he says. ‘My text response time is usually about two days.’ His mobile, grey and chunky, is a model so antiquated that most teenagers would probably mistake it for a TV remote control.
Continue reading Damian Lewis: Life, The Telegraph, October 25, 2008
Tonight marks the season two launch of of “Life,” the crime drama starring Damian Lewis as Charlie Crews, the quirky detective who spent 12 years of his life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. And as an extra boost for its sophomore run, “Life” will follow “Heroes” this Monday and next in addition to its regular time period of Fridays at 10:00/9:00c. Jim Halterman talked to Lewis, co-star Sarah Shahi and executive producer/co-creator Rand Ravich about the new season.
Ravich wanted to give some advice to viewers who didn’t get a chance to check out “Life” during its first season, which was shortened by the WGA strike. Viewers, he said, should not “be afraid [and] although �Life’ has a reputation for being slightly serialized, this year starts all over again. I mean, if you had never seen this show before you can come to the first episode this year and be caught up by the end of the recap, which is only 21 seconds long.” He also encouraged new viewers by saying, “We’ve constructed the first episode to act as kind of a booster pilot. So you will not be left behind if you come fresh.”
Continue reading Interview: Life Star Damian Lewis & Creator Rand Ravich – Sept 29, 2008
Actor Damian Lewis rose to fame playing a US soldier in the Second World War drama Band of Brothers. He is married to actress Helen McCrory and has two children (Manon, 1, and Gulliver, 7 months).
You spend half your year in LA. How is it?
LA is like an eccentric beach town. Next to London, it feels utterly provincial but remains fascinating. My wife says she doesn’t like living in a town where you may get swallowed up by an earthquake at any moment. But it’s fantastic for our children to be able to walk on Hampstead Heath one half of the year and on Santa Monica beach the other.
Continue reading The Public-School Psychopath – June 15, 2008
He plays Detective Charlie Crews, who was falsely imprisoned and is back solving crimes on NBC’s acclaimed series “Life,” but the British actor with the flawless American accent was first seen on HBO’s “Band of Brothers.” Damian Lewis talks about acquiring the accent, growing up in London and repressing his repressive side. The writers strike has shut down production of “Life,” but past episodes can be seen at nbc.com/life.