3 Best Movies to Watch by Damian Lewis

1. Wolf Hall, 2015

Claire Foy (The Crown), Damian Lewis (Homeland), and Mark Rylance (Dunkirk) star in this highly-acclaimed period drama about the rise of Thomas Cromwell as he goes from being the son of a blacksmith to becoming an important figure in British history.

The miniseries is made up of only six parts, despite being based on two famous books that span thousands of pages. The result is a dense, fast-paced and compelling historical drama, where each frame manages to look like a delicate painting. And all that is very difficult not to binge in one take.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Bernard Hill, Damian Lewis, Jessica Raine, Mark Rylance

2. Billions, 2022

Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis (Homeland) star opposite each other as a prosecutor and a billionaire suspect in this well-crafted drama. Axe is a venture-capitalist who lost his business partners in 9/11 and who is widely appreciated in the public eye for his charity work. He comes under scrutiny from a ruthless and unusual public prosecutor (Giamatti) after allegations of insider-trading. The two alpha-male types go head-to-head which makes for an immensely watchable fight.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Asia Kate Dillon, Clancy Brown, Condola Rashad, Corey Stoll, Damian Lewis, Dan Soder, Daniel Breaker, David Costabile, David Strathairn, Jeffrey DeMunn, John Malkovich, Kelly AuCoin, Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Giamatti, Toby Leonard Moore

Rating: TV-MA

3. A Spy Among Friends, 2023

Based on true events, A Spy Among Friends tells the story of Kim Philby (Guy Pearce) and Nicholas Elliot (Damian Lewis), best friends who worked for MI6, that is until Philby defected to the Soviet Union. Subject to inquisition and intense scrutiny, Philby and Elliot test the strength of their friendship against growing political turmoil.

The series starts slow and the dialogue, while smart, can get heavy-handed. But if you give it some time, the payoffs are rewarding. The sets are immersive as it spans different eras and countries; the actors are charismatic as they present enigmatic layers for us to unfold; and the particulars of espionage manage to feel freshly shocking in a story told many times before.

Artful, well-performed, and gripping, A Spy Among Friends is a great watch for fans of voluble but intelligent thrillers.

Genre: Drama, War & Politics

Actor: Adrian Edmondson, Anastasia Hille, Anna Maxwell Martin, Damian Lewis, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, Gilly Gilchrist, Guy Pearce, Karel Roden, Lucy Akhurst, Lucy Russell, Monika Gossmann, Nicholas Rowe, Stephen Kunken, Steven Elder, Thomas Arnold

Director: Nick Murphy

Rating: TV-MA