Eleven Years with Damian Lewis

Eleven years.

If you had told me on January 5, 2015, that Fan Fun with Damian Lewis would still be here eleven years later — alive, thriving, and growing — I would probably have smiled, thanked you… and secretly thought you were being very optimistic.

And yet, here we are.

Because while I may not have imagined eleven years, I do know myself well enough to say this: I persist. I am infinitely loyal. And when I love something — or someone — I show up. Every day.

That, in many ways, is the story of Fan Fun with Damian Lewis.

How It All Began (It’s all about Brody)

Fan Fun with Damian Lewis was born out of something way more specific — and far more personal — than a general admiration. It began with my infatuation with Nicholas Brody in Homeland. I was a regular academic, happily attending to my own thing, until a British actor disguised as an American prisoner of war came along and turned everything upside down. Brody wrecked me. He still does. I’ve recently written about my first-ever rewatch of Homeland after twelve years, and I can say this with certainty: Brody still haunts me, still ruins me. I miss him deeply. And I remain completely in denial about his passing.

Twelve years ago, I didn’t know how to cope with Brody’s death — and yes, you may find that funny — but I had adopted that TV character as though he were a real person. So much so that I traveled to England to see Damian, and the wonderful Helen, read love poems to each other at Cheltenham Literature Festival, simply to reassure myself that Brody was alive and well. Somewhere along the way, I realized I needed a place to write — to process, to grieve, to cope with Brody’s death — and I decided to launch a blog.

And as I started watching more of Damian’s work — Band of Brothers, Life, Keane, The Forsyte Saga, Wolf Hall — I was struck again and again by the depth, intelligence, and range of his performances. What began as a coping mechanism slowly grew into something much bigger: a platform to write about all the different work Damian has done on television, on the big screen, on stage, the charities he supports, the sports events he participates in, and the many creative worlds he moves through. Brody may have been the beginning, but the journey expanded, and 11 years later, here we are.

The blog’s name itself came from the person who has been my anchor from the very beginning — Lewisto, my husband, my best friend, my partner in all things life. He’s the one who named the blog and gave me the gentle push I needed to start it.

When I hesitated, he said:

“Some people love golf. You love Damian Lewis. What’s the difference?”

Exactly.

That sentence unlocked everything. Loving something passionately is not something to apologize for — it’s something to lean into. And so I did.

Two years after Fan Fun with Damian Lewis was launched, the journey expanded in a very special way: we took over damian-lewis.com, a semi-official website that has been managed by Damian’s fans since 2006 (a fact that still makes me smile, given that I didn’t even know he existed back then). From that moment on, the site has been in the expert hands of Gingersnap, who has managed it ever since — making it a reliable, beautifully curated hub for breaking news, events, appearances, and photo galleries. Together, the two sites naturally complement each other: damian-lewis.com serving as a comprehensive news and archive hub, while Fan Fun offers reflection, essays, and the shared fan experience.

Eleven Years of Words, Miles, and Moments

Over the years, the blog has grown far beyond what I first imagined.

We’ve shared themed essays and reflections on the characters Damian has brought to life — on television, on the big screen, and on stage. Since 2015, we’ve reviewed every episode of every TV show and every film he’s appeared in, while also revisiting earlier work — because great performances deserve to be remembered and re-examined.

We’ve taken fun trips down memory lane with Throwback Thursdays, celebrated Damian’s birthdays with posts, playlists, cakes (and yes — mini-me figures we now know he keeps), and created fan projects straight from the heart.

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We’ve written about every facet of Damian’s creative life — theatre, film, television, voice work, music — as well as his unwavering support for charities close to his heart. And we’ve followed him everywhere the work led: from sets to stages, poetry readings to music gigs, sports events to film festivals.

And sometimes, quite literally, we followed him across countries.

Having a base in New York allowed me to catch Damian on the Billions set for multiple seasons, attend conversations at the New Yorker Festival, New York Times Talks, and Paley Live and witness his work up close. That passion also took me across the Atlantic — multiple trips to the UK (and one recent trip to Ireland) to see him read poetry, perform theater and more recently, to watch him take the stage with his band.

Fan Fun has always been about being present where the work happens. That presence comes at a cost — travel is not cheap, time is not infinite — but it is something I choose to do. When I show up, I do so with a sense of responsibility, as if I were a real reporter on assignment, boots on the ground, fully committed to covering the event as though the entire world were waiting to hear every detail.

The truth is, I never quite get to enjoy Damian’s movies or his gigs the way other fans do — because, like Carrie Mathison, I’m always working 🙂 At screenings, interviews, and in the theatre, I’m constantly taking notes. At gigs, I’m behind the camera, capturing moments, filming, photographing, making sure nothing is lost. I do it so I can share the privilege of being there — with the fandom, with friends overseas, and with people who simply can’t attend because of distance, budget, work, or life itself.

I know it sounds hilarious, and it probably is, but it is also deeply sincere. I am hands-on in everything I do. I am a nerd. And yes — I am a Damian Lewis nerd, too. I care about the work, the context, the atmosphere, and the people in the room. Thank you to all of you, our readers and followers for trusting me with that role and for joining this journey. I am grateful.

Damian Lewis: The Artist and The Human

Naturally, none of this would exist without Damian himself, and I can’t mark this anniversary without saying that clearly and wholeheartedly.

Damian acknowledges Fan Fun, follows us on X and Instagram, and always takes the time to thank us for birthday projects and cakes. Over the years, he’s made videos for us, allowed me to interview him, invited me backstage during his UK tour, and welcomed us into moments that fans are often kept at arm’s length from.

Then there are the moments that leave you laughing and tearing up at the same time. Backstage in Poole during the UK tour, Damian introduced me to his fellow actors with a grin and said:

“She was my most overqualified stalker — and she’s become family.”

It was said in jest, of course, but it captured something very real.

Sometimes I stop and think about how rare these experiences are. How many fans get the chance to interview their favorite artist? To have a drink stirred for them by the artist himself backstage? To step into a photo booth together? These memories still make me shake my head and smile. They didn’t happen overnight, and they certainly didn’t happen by accident. They grew out of years of showing up, mutual respect, and trust built over time. I don’t take a single one of them for granted. I am, without question, a very lucky girl.

I’ll admit this openly: Damian’s acknowledgment of the blog mattered far more to me than I ever expected it to. He once said, speaking about his music, that he isn’t the kind of person who creates something only to shut it away in a cupboard — and I realized I’m the same (we are both Aquarians, after all!) I don’t write just to send words into the void, indifferent to whether they ever reach anyone. From the start, I hoped this work would be seen — not by everyone, and never with demands or expectations, but by him.

Deep down, I don’t think I would have started this blog at all if I hadn’t believed there was a real chance I could one day let Damian know Fan Fun existed — and that he would read and appreciate it. I was incredibly lucky that, thanks to Billions filming in New York, I was able to do just that barely a month after launch. A brief moment, perhaps, but one that transformed a solitary project into something shared and quietly set the tone for everything that followed. When Damian filmed the famous “Fuck You Money” scene in the Billions pilot, he had my contact information in his jacket pocket — and when he later said to me, “I read you,” it would not have made me happier if he had said “I love you.”

Beyond the gestures and the memories, what matters most is who Damian is at his core. He is generous with his time, gracious with his fans, present, curious, and kind. He signs autographs, takes selfies, listens, laughs, and makes space. He brings people together simply by being himself. We admire him deeply as an actor and more recently as a musician, too; and we adore him for the generous heart that sits behind it all.

A Community That Became a Family

One of the greatest gifts of Fan Fun with Damian Lewis is the community it brought together.

Fans from all over the world — kind, creative, thoughtful people — who read, follow, comment, message, share, and participate. People who send feedback, contribute ideas, pour their creativity into fan projects, and support one another.

Friendships were formed online and then carried into real life — meeting at theaters, gigs and events. Laughing together in queues, celebrating performances, sharing meals, stories, and moments that stay with you.

That is something I am profoundly proud of. And I know this is what Damian likes the most about Fan Fun. He told me so.

This fandom is generous. It is joyful. It is respectful. And it feels like home.

To everyone who has been part of these eleven years: thank you.
To those just discovering us: welcome and hope you stay with us.

The Team Behind the Magic

No blog lasts eleven years on one person’s energy alone.

My heartfelt thanks go to my incredible blog partners Gingersnap, Lady Trader, Holliedazzle, and Lewisto, as well as all the former and occasional contributors – including JaniaJania, Bookworm, NotLinda, Dark Horse, LilMisfit, The Tail that Wags the Dog, Jane Boon, London Spy, Bastogne Girl, and more recently, my dear fan friends Monique and Tsvete, who have poured their time, talent, and love into Fan Fun over the years. This blog carries many voices, many perspectives, and many hearts.

I want to pause for a moment to single out Gingersnap, because what she brings to Fan Fun — and to my life — goes far beyond collaboration. We talk almost daily. We plan, we plot, we troubleshoot, we dream. And on our sister site damian-lewis.com, she is very much the boss (and happily so). She handles breaking news at lightning speed, keeps track of events and appearances with incredible precision, and puts together beautiful, comprehensive photo galleries that fans everywhere rely on. I remain endlessly amazed by her work ethic; she is a real-life Hermione — brilliant, organized, tireless — and above all, a true friend and confidante. Partnerships like this are rare, and they are one of the reasons Fan Fun has not only endured, but continued to grow over eleven years. Hats off to you, Gingersnap — the fandom is better for what you do, and this journey would simply not be the same without you.

Lady Trader and Holliedazzle complete the heart of the Fan Fun team. Lady Trader brings intellect and curiosity — this year wearing her Tudor hat to deliver thoughtful weekly reviews of Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, and collaborating with me and Gingersnap on The Best of Wolf Hall for every episode of the series. Holliedazzle, meanwhile, adds warmth and creativity, helping celebrate our favorite Damian songs, and — as tradition dictates — preparing our annual Holiday Gift Giving Guide. I thank both of them from the bottom of my heart.

And then there is Lewisto — my husband, my best friend, my behind-the-scenes hero. From naming the blog, to encouraging me to start it, to supporting every trip, every post, every “crazy encounter,” he has been there. Including — memorably — getting himself kicked out twice: once from Billions set for trespassing, and once at Cyprus Avenue in Cork for climbing onto the stage to grab a setlist for me. That’s love. That’s commitment. That’s Fan Fun energy at its finest. Lewisto, I love you to the moon and back!

Looking Ahead with Excitement

Eleven years in, and the excitement hasn’t faded — if anything, it’s grown.

In a month, we’ll celebrate Damian’s 55th trip around the sun.

This year, we’re looking forward to seeing Damian in a trio of upcoming films, each promising something very different: The first one is Pressure, a movie taking place in the last 72 hours before the Normandy landings. Damian is playing the British General (promoted to Field Marshall later in the war) Montgomery, aka “Monty.” I’ve already written about what to expect from Pressure here.

The other two films are The Runner and Jack of Spades. While we’ve seen a few photos from the sets, much about these projects remains under wraps — which only adds to the intrigue. The Runner is described as a thriller in which a successful London attorney, portrayed by Gal Gadot, must race through London to save her kidnapped child while following cryptic messages from a mysterious caller.  Jack of Spades is directed by Joel Coen (yay!) and co-stars Frances McDormand, Josh O’Connor and Lesley Manville – an incredible ensemble. The film is described as a gothic mystery, and set in the late 1800s Scotland. Thes photos from the set suggest period costumes and historic town scenes, reinforcing the film’s atmospheric tone.

All three roles seem to be supporting ones, but years of watching Damian work have taught us that he has a remarkable gift for turning even the smallest parts into characters that stay with us long after the film ends. As more details emerge, I’ll write about what to expect from these projects and from Damian’s roles in them — because following that process is part of the joy of tracking his professional journey. I confess I have a particular soft spot for adaptations, like Wolf Hall, A Spy Among Friends, and The Radleys, because I read the book immediately and have some insights to write about.

We’re also eagerly awaiting Damian’s second album this year. Damian dropped hints during the Irish tour about a March release. Having heard some of the new music live, our hopes are high. VERY high. And we have our fingers crossed for a London gig or two, album signings, and a tour in 2026.

Closing Words

Somewhere at the very beginning of this journey — before the words, the travels, the community, and the years — there was Nicholas Brody. The character who started it all, the one who still lingers, still haunts, still matters. Some stories never really end; they simply change shape. Brody may have been the spark, but the fire that followed became something far larger, richer, and shared.

This blog became my sanctuary — a place of peace, focus, and joy when life was heavy, chaotic, or outright painful. When life handed me lemons, I made my lemonade here. Eleven years is not a small stretch of time; it’s more than twenty percent of the life I’ve lived so far. Writing about Damian and the thoughts, questions, and emotions his work has stirred has never been trivial. It has been time well spent, and deeply lived. I am endlessly grateful for it.

Perhaps one other reason why this blog has endured — and why it has been met with such generosity is that we have never worshipped Damian here. We adore him, and we admire his work deeply, but we have always drawn a line. We have never put him on a pedestal. I, personally, have always seen him as my equal — the difference being that his profession places him in the public eye far more than mine ever could. This space was never about his looks or about reducing him to being “hot.” Not because those conversations are forbidden — we’ve certainly had our fan-girl moments (the excitement when a beard appears is real!) — but because that was never the point. This blog has always been about the work: the craft, the choices, the intelligence behind the performances. About engaging with an artist seriously and respectfully.

I dedicate a significant amount of time to writing about my favorite artist — but I don’t do it only for him. I do it for myself, too. Art has always been central to my life. I may have ended up majoring in engineering, but in another life, I might have become an art critic. I love watching, thinking, and analyzing — films, theatre, music — chasing meaning, intention, and impact. I’ll be the first to admit I’m less formally versed in music, but when it comes to cinema, theatre, and literature, I come as a voracious reader, a champion of art-house films and documentaries, and someone who has always found her home in plays and stories. This blog feeds that part of me. It gives me intellectual nourishment, creative space, and, quite simply, joy.

One of my favorite Damian quotes is:

“The best journeys are shared.”

Eleven years of Fan Fun with Damian Lewis prove just how true that is.

This journey has been shared — with readers, fans, contributors, friends, loved ones, and with Damian himself. It has been filled with words, miles, laughter, emotion, creativity, and connection.

And as long as Damian continues to make movies, theatre, or music, we hope to be here — celebrating, supporting, writing, and sharing the journey together.

Here’s to many more years of Fan Fun with Damian Lewis… until we look like this… 🙂

Gingersnap

Happy 11th Birthday to Fan Fun with Damian Lewis and the wonderful team we have. I jumped at the chance to be a part of this team 9+ years ago and the rest, as they say, is herstory!

It has been a joy posting the news over at our sister site damian-lewis.com since 2017, blogging here with my blog mates since 2016, interacting with the fandom on social media and commenting with all of you readers. I am grateful for this community and its continued patronage because we wouldn’t be here without loyal readers like you.

Damian kept me busy posting music news over at our sister site, from his mini Irish tour in October to his surprise appearance and performance at Cheltenham Jazz Festival in May. Even more news included his guest appearances on The Late Late Show Ireland and also the Tommy Tiernan show. He performed in Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year-Live and returned to Theatre of War Productions in Ajax. He attended Cannes Festival and the BAFTA Awards with his family, plus all the filming work, premieres, photo calls, and award nominations for his recent projects, such as, The American Revolution, Orwell: 2+2=5, Fackham Hall, the immersive Pre-Historic Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs experience (how unique!), and Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (US release).

Not to mention all his charitable work, from campaigning for the Tudor Heart Appeal and presenting the inaugural Tom Grass Literary Prize, to participating in Rock for Ruth again and supporting the annual event ‘Research the Cure’ for Cure EB. And of course continuing his charitable work for the annual McCrory Award and the HvH Arts Foundation.

Probably my favorite pieces of news to report on involved music or literary festivals he was spotted at, from Glastonbury and Latitude to LIDO  and an Oasis concert in London! Speaking of, read about how Damian, Oasis, David Beckham and more shaped Joe Webb’s new jazz album title ‘Hamstrings and Hurricanes’ here. Webb played piano/keyboard for Damian during the Mission Creep tour. How fun is that?!

What is on the horizon for 2026? Well I can’t wait for the release of his highly anticipated second album in Spring, the release of his new projects Pressure, Jack of Spades, and The Runner, and of course the fan collaboration for Damian’s 55th birthday project right around the corner this February. He’ll be double nickels! After brainstorming with Damianista, I’ve already designed the cake and mocked up a diagram to send to the London baker, complete with photos for inspiration, font type, shape, style, and flavor. It’s that Hermoine in me!

Here’s looking forward to 2026 and another trip around the sun for the blog.

Lady Trader

Both Damianista and Gingersnap have done a wonderful job of recapping Damian’s 2025 and giving us a look at what is on the horizon for 2026. I thought I would do something a bit different. I thought I would highlight what the past 11 years of being a part of this community has meant to me.

The traditional gift for an 11^th anniversary is steel. Steel symbolizes strength, resilience, and durability. If those words don’t describe Damianista, I don’t know ones that do. She truly is the life-force behind this blog. The way she is dedicated to making sure her posts have depth, are accessible, and fun is beyond amazing. She cares not only for Damian and his art, but for the work, the reader and writers of these pages. Fan Fun is basically her second job, but she is second to none. She is also a great human and that surely comes across in all that she does. Bravo on all your hard work these 11 years.

My journey in becoming a contributing member to Fan Fun is best told the first of our Fan Stories. I still remember my first meeting with Damianista at a little café in midtown Manhattan in December 2015. She picked my brain about the world of Wall Street and hedge funds so she would be fully prepared for the premiere of Billions in January 2016. I was so happy to lend whatever knowledge I had to help her with her magnificently detailed recaps. Making the “fin-speak” more understandable to her readers was very important to her. When she came up with the idea of a Billions: Glossary, I was only too happy to contribute simple explanations of words and phrases that were being bandied about by Axe, Wags and the rest of the Axe Capital gang.

My first post in April of 2016 was not a recap, but a “Defense of Bobby Axelrod”. I felt at the time that I needed readers to get a different perspective about the actions Axe took on 9/11. That post was well received, and in the second season, Damianista asked me to be a weekly contributor and “From the Trader’s Desk” was born.

Writing about and analyzing Billions, and in essence Wall Street was something I didn’t realize I would love. Breaking down trades and moves, dissecting the different relationships, and of course bringing my (and Axe’s) love of heavy metal music to my posts was a joy! Out of the 39 episodes I recapped, I was able to sneak in 21 Black Sabbath/Ozzy song lyrics! (And as a nod to Gingersnap, I used Iron Maiden lyrics a few times as well.)

Damianista and Fan Fun also let me have some of my favorite experiences and memories. Damianista and I got to ask the cast of Billions questions at the Paley Center in December 2016.

We also (along with The Tail that Wags the Dog) got to meet Wags aka David Costabile at a Q&A in Greenwich Village in June 2018.

We also attended the Billions Casino night in April 2019 where we got to meet Dollar Bill (Kelly AuCoin) and Bryan Connerty (Toby Leonard Moore).

And the cherry on the sundae? Damianista and I attending the Super Fan screening of the S3 Billions finale also in June of 2018. I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with co-creator Brian Koppelman and chat about our mutual love of Black Sabbath.

I will never be able to thank Damianista enough for bringing me along for those rides.

Along the way we wrote our “Best of Billions” weekly with Gingersnap in the lead; we cast ourselves in Billions; we talked about our wishes and expectations for the upcoming seasons; and perhaps my favorite post to write: Bobby Axelrod – a Man and his Music, where I would breakdown the metal songs in the previous season, and try to predict the heavy metal band shirt Axe would wear in the upcoming one. (And I did get it right in Episode 3 of Season 8!)

This year Damianista was kind enough to ask me to put my useless Tudor knowledge to use in weekly recaps of Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light. It seemed fitting since Wolf Hall is what started it all for me. Lady Tudor from court and my “fun facts” posts were so easy and fun for me to write.

Whether it has been our recaps of Charlie Crews and Life, our Desert Island Discs, or our Proust Questionnaires, being a part of this community has enhanced my life in so many ways.

I would be remiss if I did not mention how kind and supportive Damianista and Gingersnap were when I was ill in the summer of 2017. Their reaching out and checking in on me meant more than words can convey.

So dear readers, let’s raise a glass to 11 years of a wonderful community, and raise a second glass to another 11 more.

Holliedazzle

Well, time sure does fly. It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 years, but it’s not hard to see all 11 of those years in the collective work and progress this blog has made.  I still remember vividly stumbling across the blog in a google search for Damian, reading the articles and thinking “wow, this blog is really thoughtful and deep.” It was so much more than an average fan account or site. The tone was there from the start, and over time, it has really blossomed into something special. I am so grateful that a long-winded comment about my observations about Damian’s acting opened the door to writing my first articles.  I feel very proud to say I am part of this team, and frequently share my admiration and love for this team with my friends and family.

Damian-business aside, I am also super grateful for the friendships that have come from this whole thing. Getting to know these people has been a treat, and I sure hope I get to meet some of them in person one day.  They’ve seen me through good times and bad, supported me personally and as an entertainer, and provided this wonderful creative outlet.   They’ve also inspired me to “swing big” in life. What if Damianista hadn’t trespassed onto a set all those years ago? The risk can definitely be worth it, in some cases.

Can’t wait to see what the tall one, as we, get up to in another 11 years.

Author: Damianista

Academic, Traveler, Blogger, Runner, Theatre Lover, Wine Snob, Part-time New Yorker, and Walking Damian Lewis Encyclopedia :D Procrastinated about a fan's diary on Damian Lewis for a while and the rest is history! View all posts by Damianista