Latest from Next TV in Damien-lewis

Damian Lewis to Return to ‘Billions’

thomas.umstead@futurenet.com (R. Thomas Umstead) — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:47:46 +0000

Damian Lewis will return to Showtime’s Billions for several episodes in the drama series’ upcoming seventh season.

Lewis will reprise his role as Bobby Axelrod for six of the 12 episodes of the series, which stars Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll and Maggie Siff, according to the network. Lewis starred in the series’ first five seasons.

The network also said that Toney Goins has been promoted to a series regular in season seven.

Showtime describes season seven of the drama series as one in which alliances are turned on their heads, old wounds are weaponized, loyalties are tested, betrayal takes on epic proportions and enemies become wary friends.

Billions is executive produced by Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Beth Shacter.■

MGM Plus Secures Rights to 'A Spy Among Friends' Drama Series

thomas.umstead@futurenet.com (R. Thomas Umstead) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:54:21 +0000

The MGM Plus premium service – currently known as Epix – has acquired the rights to the scripted crime series A Spy Among Friends.

The six-episode series stars Damien Lewis and Guy Pearce and follows the exploits of two British spies, according to the service.

Based on the New York Times best-selling novel written by Ben Macintyre, the series follows friends Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby -- the latter became the most notorious British defector and Soviet double agent in history. Also starring in A Spy Among Friends are Anna Maxwell Martin, Stephen Kunken and Adrien Edmondson.

The series, produced by ITV Studios and Sony Pictures Television, will debut on MGM Plus in 2023. Lewis serves as executive producer along with Alexander Cary, Patrick Spence, Nick Murphy, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, and Peter Jaysen.

Also: Amazon’s Epix Gets New Name Minus Creativity: MGM Plus

MGM Plus head Michael Wright said in a statement: "Alex Cary has brilliantly adapted Ben Macintyre's historical novel about friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. He, along with Nick Murphy, Damian Lewis, and the remarkable cast led by Lewis and Guy Pearce, have brought to life this riveting tale of two British spies whose deep personal bond and long friendship is challenged by duplicity and deception. This series is emblematic of our new MGM+ brand and the rich, cinematic, and character-driven stories we aim to tell." ■

Giamatti, Lewis To Star in Showtime 'Billions' Pilot

Mike Reynolds — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 19:30:00 +0000

Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis have been cast to play the leads in a Showtime pilot examing the contemporary world of high finance.

Written and executive-produced by Brian Koppelman and David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Billions is a fictional drama that takes a forensic look at the world of finance by tracking the approaching collision from the hard charging U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhodes (Giamatti), and the ambitious hedge fund king, Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Lewis). Neil Burger (The Illusionist, Divergent, Limitless) has signed on to direct the drama pilot, which will be filmed in New York in early 2015.

Amidst their extensive list of credits, Giamatti and Lewis have notched Emmys for their work in premium television: the former was named the outstanding lead acfor in a miniseries or a movie in the lead role for HBO's John Adams, while the latter earned the statue for outstanding lead actor in a drama for his portrayal of Nicholas Brody in Showtime's Emmy-winning series Homeland.