Damian Lewis Talks Billions at New Yorker Festival

It’s quite fun playing a billionaire! I have been on more yachts, private jets, and helicopters than in my entire life in the space of the last two months.” – Damian Lewis

source: Getty Images
source: Getty Images

I know… I know! It’s already been a week but we just can’t stop talking about the weekend with Damian Lewis at New Yorker Festival! In case you missed it,  we already covered both Damian Lewis in Conversation with Lauren Collins as well as Damian Lewis reading Lawrence Wright’s new play Cleo on the blog; however, there is still too much to talk about… And since we cannot wait for Damian’s new Showtime drama Billions hit our TV screens in a couple of months now, it’s appropriate to start with what Damian talks about when he talks about Billions! Continue reading “Damian Lewis Talks Billions at New Yorker Festival”

Damian Lewis loves BOOKS, so do we! Part I

Books Are My Bag (BAMB) is a nationwide campaign in the UK and Ireland, the biggest collaboration between publishers, bookstores and authors to date, to celebrate bookstores. And it is now back October 8-10, 2015 to put wonderful bookshops on spotlight!

I found out about Books are My Bag campaign last year thanks to certain someone supporting the campaign… Thank you, Damian Lewis, for loving books, loving bookstores, and supporting Books Are My Bag!

source: midaspr.co.uk
source: midaspr.co.uk

BAMB website says “in fact, 56% of all book buying decisions are made by consumers in a bookshop and high street bookshops (both chains and independents) still account for almost 40% of books bought by consumers. Yet, many high street bookshops are under threat.”

Oh, yes, they are… they are under a real threat everywhere. Continue reading “Damian Lewis loves BOOKS, so do we! Part I”

Cleo at New Yorker Festival 2015

After the interview with Lauren Collins on Saturday, the second event for Damian Lewis at this weekend’s New Yorker Festival was a play reading of Lawrence Wright’s Cleo, with Damian Lewis playing the part of Richard Burton to Lily Rabe’s Elizabeth Taylor.

We’re all pretty familiar with “le scandale” that brewed behind the set of the filming of the most expensive production of its time, right? Lawrence Wright’s script gives us a story built around the events of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s combustible love affair during the filming of Hollywood blockbuster Cleopatra.

Damian Lewis, Lily Rabe
source: Hollywood Reporter

Continue reading “Cleo at New Yorker Festival 2015”

The Weekend: Or How Damian Lewis Rocked New Yorker Festival

damiannyerlineup

Two of my MOST favorite things, Damian Lewis and the New Yorker came together at the New Yorker Festival this past weekend. I wrote earlier here about the proud fan moment I was having thanks to Damian Lewis making not one but two appearances at my most favorite festival! Just to re-iterate briefly, I’ve been reading The New Yorker quite religiously for more than a decade now. I don’t remember how many subscriptions I gave to friends as gifts over the years and it is still one of the few subscriptions that I receive in the mail every week. And, the New Yorker Festival feels like the pages of the magazine literally coming to life for a weekend throughout the city with talks, conversations, readings, performances, panels with individuals that are at the top of their game in their respective fields — including arts, sciences, politics, sports, theater, music, literature, film, TV, food and more… As someone that attended quite a few events at the festival over the years, I can confidently say that, independent of the context, all events share one characteristic: intelligence. The festival participants are without exception endowed with some real brainpower. They are, in The New Yorker‘s own words, “some of the most talented and influential thinkers about topics ranging from politics to pop music, science to cinema, and so much more.”

Enough said 🙂 Continue reading “The Weekend: Or How Damian Lewis Rocked New Yorker Festival”

From Bill to William

“It is 1593, a time of War and plague, but mostly War. Queen Elizabeth I’s Army and the weather have seen off King Philip II of Spain’s Armarda, but mostly it was the weather.”

Bill’s opening credits immediately sets the tone. Meanwhile Queen Elizabeth is arranging to divest King Philip II of his treasures and who better to do this on her behalf than a man who knows how to make an entrance?

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The guard are watchful until they’re not, taken out by a skilful swordsman. He is past them and scampers across the floor like the Pink Panther. He spreads his cloak in the manner of Batman or perhaps Professor Snape and faces another guard who cannot get his weapon out to defend himself in time. The Queen’s most loyal takes pity on the useless guard and head-butts him into unconsciousness. In Horrible Histories fashion, you hear the thud of the heads. Nevertheless the Valiant and Bold and not a little sexy Sir Richard Hawkins leaves the guard prone on the floor and continues on his quest. Through a doorway and now the jewels are in his sight and seconds later in his grasp.

Out of the shadows comes “Phil?” King Philip II is less than impressed at being addressed by his enemy as ‘Phil’. He is even less impressed that his presence does not inspire fear in Sir Richard Hawkins, but pure cheek. They have a chat as heroes and villains are want to do when discussing the villain’s dastardly plans. King Philip calls Sir Richard “a pain in the bum hole”. Sir Richard having had enough of their conversation decides it is time to leave and is about to supplement showing us how to make a good entrance by showing us how to make a good exit. King Philip II asks him “Have you forgotten the first rule of espionage?” Sir Richard replies “No. Always hide in plain sight.” He trails off having just realised. Unfortunately it seems that Sir Richard has on this occasion been too cocky. King Philip II had one of his men hidden in plain sight within the room (disguised as a statue) and as Sir Richard turns around in time to see a weapon about so smash into his forehead all we hear is “bugger”. Sir Richard is now a hostage to be used to force the Queen’s hand and is imprisoned.

Continue reading “From Bill to William”