One of the most highly anticipated projects that Damian Lewis will take on this year is the new Showtime drama series Billions. Brian Koppelman, David Levien and New York Times’ columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin are writing the script and executive producing. Now, stop everything, have you ever listened to Brian Koppelman’s “The Moment” podcasts? They are brilliant and available on iTunes. Very highly recommended.
Now, back to Damian Lewis… When I had the chance to have a quick chat with him back in October, he said most of his projects were still in America, and I honestly could not figure out what he was saying. It was a revelation when the news came out late October that he was returning to Showtime with a pilot for the new drama series Billions.
From Entertainment Weekly:
“Damian Lewis is returning to Showtime: EW has learned the former Homeland star has signed on to co-star in a new Wall Street drama series pilot along with fellow acclaimed actor Paul Giamatti.
The duo will headline Billions, which explores the world of high finance by following “the approaching collision between two titanic figures—the hard charging, whip-smart U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhodes (Giamatti), and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king, Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Lewis).”
At the time, I was in deep thoughts… Homeland is gone (for me — well, I have watched it, but it misses Brody big time, oh well…) and Breaking Bad is gone… Mad Men is ending this spring… then what? And… Damian Lewis comes to the rescue! Yay! He’s bringing Paul Giammati with him, too, we will be in some serious acting heaven… And, I know Damian will be amazing as this brilliant, ambitious, complicated Wall Street guy Bobby Axelrod… a type of guy that I do not particularly like. BUT, that’s exactly why I am psyched about Damian taking on that role. Because I know he will just nail it, and make Bobby believable, human and yeah probably even likable. And, he will for sure have some wardrobe, too 🙂
The recent castings are equally brilliant.
First, Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy, Mad Men) joined the cast.
From Hollywood Reporter: “Siff plays Wendy Rhoades, Chuck’s wife. After graduating at the top of her medical school class and training as a psychiatrist, she is now a highly in demand performance coach who works with some of the most powerful and influential figures in the world of high finance.
Then David Costabile (Suits, Breaking Bad) came on board!
Deadline Hollywood reports that David Costabile (Suits, Breaking Bad), will play Mike “Wags” Wagner, Chief Operating Officer for the hedge run by Bobby and is his right hand man.”
As a big Breaking Bad fan, I am over the moon about this news. David Costabile is a very talented actor who gave us Gale Boetticher, one of the most quirkiest and memorable characters on Breaking Bad. It is so refreshing that after assisting Walter White with the Blue, he will now assist Bobby “Axe” Axelrod with the Green 🙂
In the last casting news, Condola Rashad, who was in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway last year, has been cast as ‘Kate’, who is described as “a smart, ambitious young professional who is working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The filming is supposed to start sometime this month in New York and the pilot will be directed by acclaimed director Neil Burger. There has been a casting call for 10-12 year old kids that actually play football and a search for oceanfront homes in Hampton — well, where else? 🙂
Best of Luck!
