Category: Wolf Hall

In Case You Missed It: An Exclusive Fan Fun Interview with Damian Lewis

We’re twinning with our vests!

I had my dreams come true last year when Damian agreed to sit with me for an interview about his music during the second leg of his UK tour. And as we can’t wait for Damian to return to stage with guitar in hand in the fall, I would like to share our conversation once again.

Interviewing Damian was always a huge dream for me. In fact, I was able to interview him a couple of times in the years past. But because they happened spontaneously, even though Damian wanted to be generous with his time, he was about to go to his next interview or his next appointment that we had to be very quick. And there were always people around. Continue reading “In Case You Missed It: An Exclusive Fan Fun Interview with Damian Lewis”

Happy Birthday Henry VIII: Revisiting Damian Lewis in Wolf Hall

“Henry VIII is a monster, but he’s our monster. No other nation has a king who had six wives and cut the heads off two. We’re perversely proud of Henry.” – Hilary Mantel

source: BBC
source: BBC

Welcome to year 1535! In the most delightful deleted scene in Wolf Hall,  King Henry declares his age to the women in Thomas Cromwell’s household: “45 in June…”

Well, Henry is 534 years old today and popular as ever — to quote Damian Lewis:

“Henry, as a brand, is right up there with Coca Cola!”

I don’t think anyone can deny the recent contributions of Hilary Mantel’s brilliant work Wolf Hall & Bring up the Bodies — the books, the play and the TV drama to Henry’s as well as Tudors’ popularity in general! And BBC has completed filming of Mantel’s final installment in Thomas Cromwell series The Mirror and The Light with Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis resuming their roles. We’re looking forward to having the limited series on our screens later this year or early next year.

And now, in celebration of King Henry’s birthday, it is my utmost pleasure to take you back to the most memorable Henry moments in Wolf Hall TV Drama.

Long Live the King! Continue reading “Happy Birthday Henry VIII: Revisiting Damian Lewis in Wolf Hall”

Damian Lewis as an Onscreen Dad

Dad is a word which can evoke a minefield of emotions simply because the word is personal to each of us and our personal circumstances will affect whether the word evokes positive or negative emotions.

Being a Dad (in real life) can be all kinds of difficult and rewarding. With Father’s Day approaching we take a look at Damian Lewis as an onscreen Dad.

Damianista

“Love is the strongest power there is.” – J.K. Rowling

Probably because I lost my dad at a very young age, I am a true sucker for loving father-daughter relationships in fiction. So here goes a few of my favorite moments with Damian Lewis as an onscreen dad. Even though the characters in each relationship are quite different, there is an overarching theme: A lost soul who finds meaning in life through his love for his daughter.

Continue reading “Damian Lewis as an Onscreen Dad”

My Decade Long “Wolf Hall” Journey Came Full Circle

Henry VIII is a monster, but he’s our monster. We’re perversely proud of Henry. -Hilary Mantel

My decade-long Wolf Hall journey came full circle at the BAFTA TV Awards on Sunday. It was especially lovely to see that it was a true family affair for Damian — his daughter Manon, his son Gully, and his father, Mr. Watcyn Lewis, were all there to support our favorite guy. And I couldn’t help but be moved seeing the two kids who once adorably called the Emmy Award “Emma” now grown into such poised, beautiful young adults. I just love this family.

I’ll be honest — I always dreamed, perhaps selfishly, that my Wolf Hall journey would come full circle with Damian receiving one of those iconic masks for his phenomenal portrayal of Henry VIII in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light. That recognition wasn’t in the cards. But my decade-long Wolf Hall journey has been nothing short of magical and so all is good.

What follows is my way of saying thank you. To everyone behind and in front of the camera: thank you for bringing us the sharpest, smartest, most brilliant historical drama ever made.

THANK YOU.

Continue reading “My Decade Long “Wolf Hall” Journey Came Full Circle”

Damian Lewis as Henry VIII in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light

“It seems fairly redundant to say “Damian Lewis is a good actor”, but, well, here we are: his Henry is outstanding, the biggest guy in the room in name and stature if not ever actual presence, something flawed in the hull and he knows it.”

– The Guardian

Wolf Hall is one of the best things that ever happened to TV. A slow-cooking, dark, and witty political drama, it has a contemporary feel. Peter Straughan’s script is wonderfully condensed, with most of the conversation coming directly from Mantel’s pen. Hearing some of the best lines I have ever read spoken by the characters is delightful. Peter Kosminsky’s directing is flawless. Every shot feels like a painting. And while some characters needed to be recast, the continuity is beyond impressive that you don’t feel the nine-year interval between the two productions.  The entire cast gives a masterclass in acting. Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis, as the two leads, are electric together. Thus, the long wait was entirely worth it.

Continue reading “Damian Lewis as Henry VIII in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light”