Author: JaniaJania

Another Turn: Homeland Fanfic
Chapter 1

Actors sometimes don’t know what they’re doing posing for pictures together. There they are, a part of a cast, at some event, posing with their cast mates, all to do their bit to promote their project and get folks excited about seeing it and them on the screen. Little do they realize, one actor posing with another actor, even on opposite ends of the pose, even when the characters those actors play in that particular project don’t have any time together on screen or intersect at all really in that project, can spark all sorts of ideas in those of us on the other side of the fourth wall.

Such a thing happened to this viewer upon seeing Damian on one end and Costa Ronin on the other in a promo shot from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. You see, Costa Ronin as Yevgeny Gromov in Homeland, Season 7, created the worst hell imaginable for Carrie Mathison. The same Carrie Mathison who Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody had loved so untenably in Seasons 1 – 3 of Homeland. Brody, Carrie’s one true love and the father of her child, and Gromov, her most recent and most violent nemesis on stage together? How could such a juxtaposition not light a match on the imagination? A fanfic must be written! And it was. Here’s Chapter One of a multi-chapter treatment, with a chapter posted every Friday till it’s done. A window into what it might have looked like had Brody and Gromov intersected in Homeland and Brody and Carrie had another turn.

Continue reading “Another Turn: Homeland Fanfic Chapter 1”

Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod: Part II

In Part I of this two part post, I attempted to convey the ways in which Damian is adding subtlety to a character that, on surface, may seem pretty black and white. In short, he’s having Bobby dole out the cruelty and megalomania in a gradient of doses while adding bits of endearing behaviors so that we don’t write him off completely as straight-up evil.

Now for some speculation on the origins of Axe’s personality.

Continue reading “Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod: Part II”

Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod: Part I

Billions Season 4 gave us a lot to talk about. Not least of which is Bobby Axelrod’s progression as a character. Join me as I look at some ways that Damian has left his unique mark on this character.

Continue reading “Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod: Part I”

Billions at Showtime’s “For Your Consideration”

Last night, Billions took center stage for Showtime’s Emmy consideration panel. “For Your Consideration” is a campaign rally where the goal is to get the story of a show, its actors and showrunners, into the minds and hearts of folks making Emmy nominations. In the crowd of shows, you gotta make yours stand out and cast members Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, Maggie Siff, and Asia Kate Dillon along with showrunners David Levien and Brian Koppelman did just that in a vibrant conversation with Jake Tapper where they were asked questions about their show and characters.

You can hear the conversation at least for the next few hours on the show’s Instagram. (If you’re like me and need your child to show you how to work instagram stories, some tips to save you the embarrassment: Works only on mobile, click the avatar. The desktop version has some cute stills and gifs from the event but not the live video.) No worries if you don’t get it, that’s what we’re for! Here, I’ll transcribe some of the conversation. Continue reading “Billions at Showtime’s “For Your Consideration””

Throwback Thursday to London, The Goat, and Meeting Damian Lewis

Damianista’s Note: JaniaJania and I were extremely lucky to see Damian Lewis in Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? and meet with him after the performance exactly two years ago. So, on the second anniversary of this fabulous experience, why not join JaniaJania today on a trip back? Enjoy!

The times I can see Damian in person are few and far between. It was at Damianista’s urging, i.e. pretty much taking me by the hand and flying me out to NY, that my first “sighting” and “meeting” even happened. (I have no idea what those quotes mean or why I used them, just go with me here) I vacillate often between “I’d be fine if I never saw him in person again, good riddance to that level of stress-filled gut-wrenching fangrl angst” to “Fine, I’ll see him on stage or something, but no reason to talk to him privately, is there? Can’t we be normal people for once and just go home and not talk to him?” to “OMG, when are we going to see him again, in what circumstances, for how long, can we possibly have it go longer, and what if…etc. etc. etc.” Truthfully, I spend about equal parts brain energy on those three states of fangrl-ness. Quite similar, in fact, to the brain energy allocation of an average 17 year old girl around prom time. Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to London, The Goat, and Meeting Damian Lewis”