Photo: Mike Marsland / WireImage
Following the news of his wife’s passing away at the age of 52, Billions actor Damian Lewis wrote a tribute to the late Helen McCrory for the Sunday Times, praising her skill as an actress, the strength as a partner and mother to their two children Manon and Gulliver, and her fearless sense of humor, even when undergoing treatment for cancer. “Only a few weeks ago she said to us from her bed, ‘I want Daddy to have girlfriends, lots of them, you all have to love again, love is not possessive,'” Lewis recalls. know, Damian, at least try to get to the funeral without swallowing anyone. ”
‘I have never known anyone who could enjoy life so much. Her ability to be in the present and enjoy the moment was inspiring, ‘the actor writes about the productive stage and screen actress, who is known to many people for her turn on Peaky Blinders and in the Harry Potter film franchise. “She was also not interested in looking at cloves. No real interest in self-reflection; she believed in looking outward, not inward. That’s why she could turn her light so brightly on others. ‘
“I miss her already,” Lewis writes of McCrory, whom he met in 2003 as his rolemate Five gold rings in the London Almeida Theater; the couple later married in 2007. ‘She has been shining brighter in recent months than you would think even the brightest star could have shone. In life we also had to get up to meet her. But her greatest and most wonderful act of bravery and generosity was to ‘normalize’ her death. She showed no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, and just dared us with the courage to go on and insisted that no one should be sad because she is happy. I was amazed by her. She was a meteor in our lives. ‘
The actor also recalls a surprising run-up between his wife and actress Lauren Bacall when the latter visited McCrory’s dressing room after a production of Uncle Vanya. “Thank you so much, your Sonya moved me to tears,” Bacall reportedly told McCrory. “There was an awkward pause. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I think you want Emily next door – Emily Watson, she played Sonya. “Betty was terrified, ‘Oh my god, I’m sorry!’ Helen says, ‘That’s fine, Mrs Hepburn. I’m glad you enjoyed the program. Lauren Bacall threw her head back and laughed and roared, “You’re my kind of lady. Let’s go out. ‘ And they went into the night. ‘You can read his essay in full here.