Fifty Never Looked So Damn Good

Damian, if you are the new face of 50, then it’s going to be a beautiful year. Congrats on 50 amazing years! Here is our digital birthday e-card dedicated to you in pictures over the years – from sexiest and best suit to best beard or candid.

Gingersnap

I’m supposed to select 10 of my favorite Damian Lewis pictures of all time. Fat chance. Did my best to narrow it down, but if there was more than one photo from the same photoshoot or scene, I shared it. Nonetheless, I did keep it to 10 categories so don’t slap my hand Damianista 😉

#1: This is the first Damian Lewis picture that made me gulp. It remains my top #1 photo of Damian to this day. Sultry, sexy, mmmm beard. And the clothes? Stylin’ and profilin’! Photographed by Simon Emmett for Emmy Magazine, 2016.

#2: Favorite beard. All three photos are from same photoshoot and photographed by Simon Emmett for Emmy Magazine, 2016.

#3: First photo I ever liked of Damian. Always with that ‘come hither’ look, and his hair was more ginger back then. Not sure what year, but I think around the time of Friends and Crocodiles. (or not)

From same photoshoot, but in a chair.

#4: Best suit. Love how the suit and tie match the color scheme of the room – the paneling and the carpet. Photoshoot for Variety Magazine article about Billions season 1 – January, 2016.

#5: Favorite candid – I think this is from a Homeland Q&A panel, not sure what year. A little more beefy in the neck region, from his Marine workouts for Brody character 😉

#6: Favorite black and white photo from the Autumn/Winter Aquascutum ad campaign at Regent’s Canal, 2014.

#7: Favorite jacket style – in several hues. Here are a few pics of similar jackets from the same and other photoshoots.

#8: Favorite McQueen-esq

#9: Favorite ‘How To’ for earthquake safety, ya hear me California?

#10: Favorite photoshoot. Damian was sexy smoking for the February, 2018 Rake Magazine photoshoot here. I know, I know, smoking isn’t sexy and shouldn’t be glamorized. But it’s Damian…

Holliedazzle

Hello, all, and happiest of birthday weeks to our favorite Aquarian. I, too, celebrated a milestone birthday during the pandemic(hello, 40!), and know what an absolute bummer it can be. I hope this week’s posts help lift your spirits, Damian!

Here’s my top 10 favorite photos of the birthday boy:

Ok, the first one features his lovely wife, Helen. I love this intimate moment between them, backstage I believe, at a show Helen was in at the time.  I admire their obvious love and devotion to one another, and the support they give each other, and this photo shows it.

Damian’s range and acting abilities have always been obvious to me. When I first became a fan, I did so while watching Homeland as it slowly rolled out episodes, and in between those episodes watching “Life.”  Talk about whiplash!  Photos of Damian as Charlie always remind me of this time, as I first started my fandom journey and got to know this guy.

I don’t know about you, but social responsibility is SEXY!  Knowing that Damian has spent this time in lockdown raising money for healthcare workers as well as doing his part by wearing a mask in public, it just continues to remind me why I like this guy.

He’s charming, charismatic and fun loving, and I think this photo shows that!  He might be all dressed up, but he isn’t above enjoying a little cringe-worthy viral dance moment.  Remember “Gangnam-style”?? OOF.

Ok, another one with his leading lady. This one always makes me think of the story of this night, how they spent the day leading up to it sightseeing and running around DC.  Instead of hours in hair and makeup, they dashed up to their room quick, showered and dressed. I love that they are both always up for an adventure-and they STILL manage to look stunning!

Stylish. This man is SO STYLISH!!! That’s all I gotta say, the photo says the rest.

I just love that this photo looks like a painting. He’s kinda giving us “alternate reality Van Gough self portrait” here and I love it.

If you ever ask “Whatcha thinkin’ about, Holliedazzle?” The answer is THIS PHOTO.

Pardon the photo image quality here, but I really love this image. So casual, confident, relaxed.  He has a great amount of knowledge and self awareness of his body and how to use it to communicate, whether its in a role, or in a still image, like this.

This one might seem weird, but this was a big moment for me. This moment in Billions was where I first began to realize the link between Damian’s characters. When this scene happened, I saw Brody.  The fear in the whites of his eyes. This is what started my journey toward writing for the blog.

And this one. This one is special. The photos from this interview became my header images as I wrote my first blog entry for Fan Fun. Whenever I see it, I think of that time, how I felt, and how exciting it all was.  So, the sentimental sap that I am will always count this one as a fave!  Happy 50th to the tall one!

Lady Trader

Damian Lewis, welcome to the 50 Club! We are so happy you could join us!

Picking 10 favorite photos was easy, as I wanted to pick photos that I had a connection to – or why they are my favorite, if that makes sense. So hear the go, in no particular order….

This photo will always be one of my favorites, as it displays his generosity of his time for his fans. And since I know the story behind this photo, it makes it all the more special!

I don’t think this being one of my favorite pics will surprise anyone. This was something I had hoped for; when it happened, seeing my spirt animal Axe in my favorite band’s shirt, well, it was everything!

This photo to me encapsulates who Bobby Axelrod is, and I love it!

There is something about a man in a suit! I know there are many other photos of Damian in a suit, but there is something about this combination that is my favorite.

This is another photo that has a great backstory of Damianista and JaniaJania traveling to London to see Damian in “The Goat”.  Knowing that they both got to present this to him personally will always be something that brings a smile to my face!

I love the Queen, and this photo of Damian making Her Majesty smile is priceless!

Damian as Henry the VIII in “Wolf Hall”; this was the role that started it all for me. There are many photos of Damian as Henry, but this one, to me at least, captures Henry the most – suspicious, scheming, and distrusting. I’ve seen a lot of actors play Henry, and Damian Lewis is by far the best!

Nicholas Brody. For many, this is the role that made them aware of the amazing acting skills of Damian, and I’m in that group. Similarly to “Wolf Hall”, there are so many photos of Damian as Brody, but this scene, with him in the rain looking at Carrie, well, this the one that will always stick in my memory.

I love Charlie Crews. You love Charlie Crews. We all love Charlie Crews! This photo of Charlie in the last episode of “Life” is my favorite. Our fruit loving detective has finally figured out everything and is finally Zen!

In a morning suit.
With a top hat.
With sideburns and a 70’s stache.
At Ascot.
Need I say more?

JaniaJania

The man can’t take a bad pic so this was difficult. I went thru my stash and found the few that I felt compelled to stash away. You know, for…reasons. And here they are. Ten among the many that always hit just right.

The Vanity Fair shoot from 2015. Everything about it was perfect. Also very different from his usual lighting and makeup. The red was on fire in these pics. And lead to many musings, not least of which was food for thought on my dream role for Damian. (stay tuned for that in a later post!)

“Call her Elizabeth. Cancel the jousts.” The perfect understated menace for the perfect understated line. The maniacal mustache twirl taken out of the world of cliche and put firmly between the expert fingers of a King seething with equal parts disappointment and rage.

“You all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withhold you then to mourn for him?” The best 2 minute any observer of the delivery of meaning through expression could ever spend. Spend 2 minutes watching and a life time thinking and talking about it. Arguably the first sample of political rhetoric. Delivered in the ideal cadence, the up and down and in and out of the balance of emotion and logic. Words fail, really.

What next? Note: I’m picking these as I write, some from the stash, and some new. And there’s no rhyme or reason to the order. This one is new. Would that we had more to choose from in 2020, but alas we were all masked up and/or isolated in our bunkers. There was this wonderful clip, shortly after the end of the Before Times, with Damian singing us a little song. It was a godsend, truly. I have no doubt that Damian feels things very deeply and it was clear in this clip, even though on surface it is bright and cheery. This pandemic upon us, the incredible loss of lives, isolation, not knowing what the future held. That light in his eye, however brief, was a feast for sore eyes.

At some sport event with the union jack on his cheek, shortly after we met him at in London in 2017. So sweet.

Bobby doing Bobby. Early Bobby with his imperious glare at the commoners. All just so many numbers to be tallied up and devoured. Damian does this Bobby very well.

Golden Globes, possibly. I liked the fur.

Brody, before we really knew what he was up to. This look of cunning and manipulation and awe, in that inflection point of a scene in Homeland, Season 1.

For the sport of it.

This one, I’ve singled out before. That playfulness, gah.

Damianista

Until I sat down to do my part in the “50 Never Looked So Damn Good” project I thought I was not a picture fan – in the sense that I do not spend time looking at Damian’s pictures. Yeah it is true that I have many pictures of him on my phone as well as on my computer but I do not look at them. They are there for me to share them on social media as I promote articles from Fan Fun and sister site damian-lewis.com. I am more of a “nerd” fan that immediately needs to read the book Damian’s next project is based on, or I am very curious about what movies he likes, what kind of wine he enjoys, or what his views on climate change are!

And so I thought this particular project would be a challenge for me when Gingersnap came up with this brilliant idea of a post where Fan Fun girls share their favorite photos of Damian to celebrate his big 5-0. And I was right. The project has been a challenge but not because I am not a picture fan – it turns out that I actually am one – but because  it is extremely difficult to choose 10 pictures out of infinitely many pictures I have on my computer. But I had to do it, so I did it, and I am thrilled to give awards to my all-time favorite Damian Lewis photos in 10 categories. ENJOY!

#1 My Favorite Damian Lewis Look Photo Award goes to…

Damian posing in the press room at the 70th Golden Globe Awards after receiving his Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series in 2013. This is my favorite Damian look: The man was born to carry slim-fitting and perfectly-tailored suits – this one is a Burberry – and nobody can carry facial hair as stylish as he does. Way to go!

#2 The Most Athletic Damian Lewis Photo Award goes to…

I mean, how many people can say he played against Zinedine Zidane on the football field? If I were Damian, I would have this photo from Soccer Aid 2010 framed and hang it on my wall!

#3 The Sexiest Damian Lewis Photo Award goes to…

There is nothing sexier for me than a stylish man carrying a book.

This picture is from February 2015 when Damian was in NYC to shoot the pilot episode of Billions. Damian is carrying Fooling Some of the People All of the Time: A Long, Short Story by David Einhorn, founder of the New York Hedge Fund Greenlight Capital, in this picture as he strolls on Prince Street in Soho, NYC.

#4 The Funniest Damian Lewis Photo Award goes to… 

Well, there is no way you can beat a 16th century king taking a selfie on set! No wonder we call Damian the “selfie king” 😀 😀 😀

#5 The Best “Young” Damian Lewis Photo Award goes to… 

Well, my 20 year old self would give a second look should she see this guy sitting at campus cafeteria or something 🙂 Look at this hair!

#6 The Best Candid Damian Lewis Photo Award goes to… 

You know what? It’s a TIE.

I know Damian does not like the Paparazzi, who does, but it is our only window to his life… and I simply adore these two pictures from when he took the kids to the playground back in 2013 and from a beach vacation in Ibiza in the same year because I can see Damian’s inner child in them!

#7 The Best Damian Lewis Photoshoot (Hey Gingersnap… I’m cheating, too!) Award goes to…

Hunger Magazine Photo Shoot in December 2014

These are a few of my all-time favorite Damian Lewis pictures and they are all from this particular photo shoot. It should be the combination of the setting, the light and the style that does it for me. The photography credits go to Rankin and you can see the rest of the photo shoot on our gallery.

#8 The Best “Damian Lewis with a Beard” Photo Award goes to…

SAG-

Confession: I am not even a big fan of beards!!! But I have not seen a man carrying a beard as good as Damian does. It is no secret we Fan Fun girls get overexcited whenever Damian grows a beard and it was one of the few good things that the pandemic offered to us 🙂 This photo that gets the award is from Damian’s SAG-Aftra interview in Los Angeles back in April 2016.

#9 “The Damian Lewis Picture I Spent Most Time Staring at” Award goes to…

Sorry, Damian! The picture of you that I spent the most time staring at is not you you, but you in character 😀 Nicholas Brody is and will always be my most favorite fictional character. I said it hundred times but will say it again: It is Nicholas Brody who made me a Damian Lewis fan for life and a blogger, too. Go figure! And I vividly remember looking at this picture for the first time and many, many, many other times later thinking how come a man can be so handsome.

#10 My all-time favorite Damian Lewis photo Award OBVIOUSLY goes to…

…this selfie taken by the selfie king himself at The Goat, or Who is Sylvia stage door back in 2017 🙂 Can someone smile bigger than this? I am not talking about Damian, I am talking about myself! And I am of course talking about a great actor who happens to be a very down to earth human being that takes his time chatting with fans, signing autographs and taking selfies. And I cannot get over the fact that he does not like his smile 😀