How Keane gave us Brody and How Brody gave us Axe *UPDATED*

Lodge Kerrigan’s beautiful film ‘Keane’ starring Damian Lewis received a 4K restoration thanks to Grasshopper Films and had special screenings at several movie theaters in the U.S in summer – fall 2022. I was very lucky to be at the Film at Lincoln Center’s screening in August 2022 followed by a a Q&A with Lodge Kerrigan and Damian himself. The 4K restored ‘Keane’ is available for streaming on AppleTV. So… why don’t we talk today about how this critically acclaimed movie caused a chain reaction in Damian’s career? 

Join me!

Continue reading “How Keane gave us Brody and How Brody gave us Axe *UPDATED*”

Lamenting Nicholas Brody

Prologue: This is a LONG, RAW, and EMOTIONAL piece that I had written on December 21, 2013, almost a week after Nicholas Brody died on Homeland. Just because it is long, raw and emotional, I thought I would not share it on Fan Fun with Damian Lewis. On the other hand, this is the first ever piece that I wrote about Nicholas Brody — so, in some way, this is the piece that started it all! So, why not share it with fans that love that amazing character as much as I do? Just so you know, I am at a much better place now 🙂 But I still can’t let him go… Continue reading “Lamenting Nicholas Brody”

Happy Birthday, Homeland (Or How Brody Turned My Life Upside Down)

At a recent dinner party, we played a game where everyone had to talk about three things they thought changed their lives. I had two moments from my early life: one being the Live Aid concert back in July 1985 (I was 13!) that got me thrilled that the whole world, all of us, were watching it together, and the other was a political assassination of a journalist in Turkey in January 1992 (I was 20!) that taught me that a state can get rid of citizens that insist on looking for the truth. And the third moment I mentioned was Homeland. Because I was a regular academic attending to my own thing until a certain “pesky Brit” disguised as an American POW showed up and turned everything upside down! Homeland made me a Damian Lewis fan for life and I launched a blog in his name almost a decade ago. Go, figure!

Homeland, the show that started it all, premiered on Showtime on October 2, 2011, exactly thirteen years ago today. Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Homeland (Or How Brody Turned My Life Upside Down)”

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis at the 2012 Emmy Awards

“I don’t really believe in judging art. But I thought I’d show up just in case. Turned out alright.” – Damian Lewis

We had Prime Time Emmy Awards Ceremony last Sunday. I have not been watching for the last several years since there was no nominee, a TV show or an actor, that I would root for. But the event marks such a personal moment in my life that I would love to take you all back to 2012 Emmy Awards and re-live Homeland‘s BIG MOMENT!

Well, it all starts with the nomination. Homeland scores BIG in Prime Time Emmy  nominations  – it is not just a record number of nominations for Showtime and but also the highest for any freshman series that year!

Entertainment Weekly asks Damian how he feels about his nomination just after the Emmy nominations are announced.

“I’m really thrilled. Over the moon. I was asleep. So I was just getting some extra zzzzs and I woke up with my phone buzzing next to my head.”

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Marry, Shag, Banish – Damian Lewis
Characters Version

It’s game time! Growing up I loved watching 70’s/80’s game shows. Remember these catch phrases?

“Come on down!”
“Survey says…”
“No whammies, no whammies, no whammies…and STOP!”
“I’d like to buy a vowel.”

And I’m in heaven with the recent revivals of Match Game, Celebrity Family Feud, and To Tell the Truth. I even DVR old Match Game episodes from time to time to watch my favorite panelists Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly like I did when I watched reruns as a child.

If it’s a game, you can count me in! I often host Bunco round-robins, hold Whiz Spades tournaments, and throw Mexican Train Dominoes events.  I am no emcee–I have to be in on the action and playing.  Games are great fun, whether spending family time together or as an added bonus to your dinner party with friends. Even drinking games like Never Have I Ever and Marry, Shag, Kill are hysterical to play.

Which brings me to Marry, Shag, Kill (our version is Marry, Shag, Banish to an Island).

Continue reading “Marry, Shag, Banish – Damian Lewis Characters Version”