Well, honestly, I did not think I would make this post. But I am making it, and you know what, it is writing itself! 😀
JaniaJania wrote about our London trip earlier here but then I did another one in May with Lewisto who had given me a London trip for my birthday back in January. We planned it as a week long immersion in London’s history, culture and food. We also planned to see The Goat and do the stage door for a quick hi to Damian; however, we did not think he would have time for a chat and so there would be no need to blog about this trip.
I WAS WRONG 😀
Some of you may know Gozde whose wonderful fan story we published a few months ago here. We met thanks to Damian on Twitter two years ago, clicked immediately, met in London, and stayed in touch since then. So I let her know that I would be in London and we made plans to meet for drinks. I am now leaving it to her to share the story that made this post possible!
“Damianista was in London a few weeks ago for Damian’s latest play The Goat, or Who’s Sylvia. I was leaving the town next day for my holidays and she only had an hour to have a quick coffee. So we met right before the play at the Haymarket and sat at a bar close to the theatre. Of course our main subject was our beloved Damian like in olden days. While she was updating me about the latest news, all of a sudden, her face lit up, her gestures changed and she got up to greet a very good friend of hers. Her friend smiled back and approached her to talk. This friend was, of course, no one but Damian! They looked like friends for 40 years. (Damianista’s note: “friends for 40 years” is a Turkish saying meaning “buddies.”)
And me: I was a sculpture sitting shyly with a frozen smile. I couldn’t believe he was there just a couple of steps away from me. I was just watching their chat and trying to find the courage to go and say hello and tell him “hey Damian, we have met because of you and cannot thank you enough for being the reason for this great friendship” but I couldn’t. I was glued to my chair! Also it would have been a crime to go between good old friends 😀 While he was leaving, he spared me a big smile and waved! Even this gesture was enough for my heart to come out of my mouth…
Damianista came back smiling ear to ear with shining eyes and trembling hands. We were now sitting across from each other and I was thinking if there existed a thing called “coincidence.”
So… Oh yeah Damianista is just a girl, too… sometimes 😀 And, Gozde, I’d better believe in the power of coincidences! I cannot thank you enough for choosing the time and place for drinks as well as taking the time to share the story!
The funny thing is, a second before Damian appears, I am telling Gozde he was playing golf earlier in the day at BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am in Surrey and a second later he is there in front of me 😀 Damian in fact knew I would come back in May with my husband but did not know when. So I tell him we are seeing The Goat that evening and will come say hi at stage door after the performance. What he says next makes this post possible: He has friends visiting tonight so he will entertain them and then go out to dinner with them. He will certainly say hi but will not have time for a chat tonight. So why not come tomorrow? Well, who would not skip a “hi” tonight for a “chat” tomorrow? And so the ear-to-ear smile! 😀
Stage dooring on an evening you do not see the play is an interesting experience. We arrive a few minutes before the curtain call and find out they have the play on speaker — probably to let the theatre staff know what is going on inside — and hear Martin asking Stevie:
“I am asking you… What did she ever do?”
We hear the applause and fans start to show up at stage door in a few minutes. It is a fun crowd. A few couples, several young women, a very friendly mother (a recurring character in this post whom I will call “mom”) and daughter, a young guy, and us. You decide who is chatty, chattier and chattiest as you go! 😀
Damian usually leaves later than other actors because he has visitors but it is the other way around tonight. He does not make us wait at all. He appears at the door, leaves his bag on the floor and starts taking selfies with people. When someone asks whether the goat in the play was real, he first thinks she is asking if Martin is really having a relationship with the goat but the question is about the goat Stevie drags to the stage being real or not. We learn it is a real goat that died in 1970s and was taxidermied. “Why would they taxidermy a goat?” I want to ask, but I am distracted by a certain Damian Lewis:
“Come on, Bahar! Your man wants to take our photo.”
Damian knows my man well. Krista, whose wonderful fan story we shared here, has recently pointed out in a private message:
“I mean what man can tell Damian ‘she broke up with Kevin Costner for you!'”
YEP, no man but my man! 😀 😀 😀 I am so glad Lewisto was able to tell Damian how much he loved the play and his performance. And he did not stop there and wrote the longer version of his thoughts about The Goat here.
Mental note for self: Do you really need to smile THIS BIG? Learn how to smile politely 😀
The mom, who is a lovely LOVELY lady, tells Damian she saw him die in Homeland but then he came back. Damian kindly asks her whether she was really watching since he came back only as a dream, and I could not help share I have never seen that horrific execution scene. And lo and behold we get into a loop: Damian tells me I have to see it, and I tell him “I will not see it.” He says it is an amazing scene and I say “yes, but I will not see it.” And he says I have to see it. “Look, Damian”, I say, “I know Helen was not able to watch Homeland because of the torture and what not that happened to you in the show.” He nods. “She knows it is a movie but even then she cannot watch it. It is the same with me. I LOVE BRODY and cannot bear to see him die. It is very sad.”
Damian does not give up.
Damian: “It is sad for all of us.”
Me: “It is sad for all of us. But it is sadder for me.”
Lewisto jumps in to help Damian understand. He says he never saw me not finishing my pasta and skipping dessert before the day Brody died. Moreover, he highlights the fact that I certainly cried more than Carrie 😀 Well, I don’t know if Damian is now thinking I am crazier than he originally thought, but for me, Season 3 ends HERE.
Talking about Brody, I ask Damian which Homeland poster he donated to Sohana Research Fund‘s Silent Auction at Silver Butterfly Dinner. Yeah! I bid on the signed Homeland poster (without even seeing what it is exactly!) Damian kindly donated to the auction and won it! Damian cannot believe I won it because he has no idea you can sit in your living room in the US and bid in an auction taking place in London. It turns out he has posters for all three seasons and I can choose! But I choose to let him choose because it is MORE fun this way: I suspect it will be Season 3 — as you can imagine, it is my least favorite of the three, but it seems Damian thinks it is the best poster since it has all three signatures on it! Well, I will report back whenever I get my poster. Which one is YOUR favorite?
UPDATE November 22, 2017: It’s finally arrived. I have no idea if Damian remembers our talk at The Goat stage door but I cannot thank him enough for choosing to give me my favorite season. Brody now lives in my study!
Back to the stage door: The mom jumps in to ask Damian what project he will be doing next and the conversation turns to Billions. And I mention I ran a half-marathon wearing a Billions hat. But, of course, being the sportsman that he is, Damian is interested in the half-marathon itself! When did we run? Last weekend. Where did we run? Brooklyn. Did we run together? Yes. How nice we finished in Coney Island, he took his kids to Lunapark!
It was very nice! In case anyone is interested (or not), this is me, after I finished Brooklyn Half, the largest half-marathon in the US, on Coney Island Beach with my medal — every finisher gets one 😀 It is hard to spot my Billions hat but it is there!
But the mom wants to know what Damian will be doing between The Goat and Billions.
“I am going to have a summer.”
You cannot help smile hearing this, since, in his words, you find a man who is looking forward to his summer. And when you think about it, Damian has not had a real summer since 2011, the year he started filming Homeland. I am sure there were long weekends and all but he was constantly working for the last 6 summers! So we wish him and family a very enjoyable summer with a lot of rest, fun and laughter.
Oh, and the envelope! Well, Damian is used to getting envelopes from me. Not that he has ever asked us to report anything but I love giving him updates about the blog probably because I am a believer in accountability even when it is not required. Besides, I know he always reads my notes. So I summarize what is in the note highlighting our “Fan Stories” project and give him one story as an example. This is Agnes’ story because first, the story is beautiful, second, Agnes planned to go see The Goat but had to cancel due to illness and I so wanted to have her and Damian “meet” in a different way. And, more importantly, Lewisto adds, the story attests to how Damian’s art touches other people’s lives. Well, I will NEVER forget Damian’s reaction. He does not say much more than he is humbled every time he hears something like this but you sometimes do not need words to understand. His eyes tell it all.
Before he leaves, I thank Damian for his time and for telling me to come today so we have a chat. And I could not help tell him about my friend Gozde that we met thanks to him and that she was too starstruck to get out of her chair and say hello!
“Bless her.”
Indeed.
After Damian leaves, we stay at stage door to say hi to the rest of the cast. It turns out Jason Hughes is not only a brilliant actor, but also left-handed like me! I tell him the two of us, as privileged members of 10% of the world population, are bonded forever 😀
Archie Madekwe knows me the moment I introduce myself since we tweeted back and forth a couple of times. Pay attention to this young man! He is going places and I know I will brag about seeing him in his West End debut in years to come.
And the one and only Sophie Okonedo! JaniaJania and I missed her at stage door in April. It turns out she lives in Sussex so leaves right after the play almost every night to catch her train. I completely understand since I had a 2.5 hour one way commute for 5 years and chose to go back home every night! It makes a huge difference. But, lucky us, she is staying in London that night! She is so down-to-earth and has the sweetest smile ever.
While Lewisto is taking our picture Sophie asks him whether he wants a picture, too. I have since been joking Sophie asked my husband for a picture! And Lewisto, in fact, kicks me out of their picture saying he wants his own personal photo with Sophie 😀 Well, I knew he fell for her in The Crucible on Broadway but I think The Goat sealed the deal!
And, after the picture, believe it or not, Sophie just gets on her bike and disappears in the dark.
This is the BEST stage door experience I have ever had in my life. Lovely cul-de-sac. Beautiful weather. People hanging out and chatting. And BIG thanks go to the Fab Four for bringing The Goat to life on stage, for their time, for their smiles and hugs, and for the priceless autographs. Hmm, one could be slightly more priceless than others 😀
Another great piece (not because I was one of the contributors:-)) but I loved the part at the backstage. I am so envy you guys; I will hopefully see the Goat play soon (only 10 days left – time is ticking) but I am worried, I will get frozen at the backstage as well and won’t be able to say anything! Thanks for sharing these stories:-)
Thank you for reading and, hey, for being a part of it! You are THE REASON this post has become possible! By the way, what 10 days? Saturday is the last performance, so hurry hurry!!! You can tell Damian you were the “frozen friend” 😀 😀 😀 In case you cannot see The Goat, I will come to London whenever Damian does a play next and I will take you to the stage door myself! Oh yes I will do it. Big hugs and kisses, thanks for being a friend! <3
Hey, Gozde, I just realized that I forgot to say “Thanks!” to you and to give you courage and I noticed your mistake. The last performance is on 24 June. So hurry up! And courage! I will be frozen, sweating and trembling with you from afar! <3
You two should meet! You are originallt from the same part of the world, both of you are living in London, both of you are in hospitality business and both of you need a bit courage for stage door! ❤️
I will be very happy to meet her in person 🙂
And I owe an answer to your earlier comment – will write back as soon as possible
I would be very happy to meet with you too Tsvetanka:-) We are all DamPals! I thought the play will continue throughout next week? Shame because I have a packed schedule this week:-( I was thinking I can see the play sometime next week! I think you need to hold both of us’ hands and take us to the back stage door next time Damianista – not sure when he will decide to be on stage again… Guess another 2 years – at least!
Well, it may be as early as next year but I doubt it. He said he did not want to take a long break from stage ever again (6 years between The Misanthrope and American Buffalo) and kept his word and did The Goat only two years after American Buffalo. So, a new play in two years is likely to happen! For selfish reasons, I would LOVE Damian to do Wolf Hall for BBC next year — not that I know anything about where the project stands but I have read Hilary Mantel is finishing the third book. OK, I am marking my calendar for spring 2019! I will certainly hold your hand and will take you to stage door. Love you! <3
Hallo Zusammen,
was für ein Erlebnis !! Fantastisch, man kriegt schon allein vom Lesen Eurer Erlebnisse die pure Gänsehaut. Super !! Vielen Dank, dass Ihr uns an diesem Glück teilhaben lasst.
So viele Zufälle gibt es gar nicht. Das ist von einer höheren Macht gesteuert und gewollt. Ich kenne ein Sprichwort mit dem Wortlaut: „ Was Du suchst, sucht Dich! „.
Treffender könnte es hier nicht stimmen.
Hochinteressant finde ich auch die Info, das Helen die Serie nicht anschaut, weil sie die Folter-
szenen nicht ertragen kann. Wer hätte das gedacht.
Ich bin auf jeden Fall einmal mehr wieder vollends begeistert von Eurem Beitrag.
Vielen, vielen Dank dafür und ganz herzliche Grüße aus Deutschland !!
In English (Google-Translate):
Hello everybody,
What an experience!! Fantastic, I get the goose bumps already from reading your experiences. Great!! Thank you for sharing this happiness with us.
So many coincidences do not exist. This is controlled and wanted by a higher power. I know a proverb with the wording: “What you are looking for is looking for you!” It could not be more appropriate here.
I also find the interesting information that Helen does not look at the series,
Scenes can not stand. Who would have thought.
I am definitely once again fully inspired by your contribution.
Many, many thanks for this and very warm greetings from Germany!
You cannot imagine how happy your kind words have made me – THANK YOU for reading and for your support!
As much as I love the power of coincidences, I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe being at the right place at the right time is not totally random and, yes, it feels like it is dictated by a higher power.
I completely understand Helen. Yes, it is a movie but still you have to see the person you love in pain. It should be hard seeing that even when you know it is a movie. But I also know she does not like violent movies, shows etc in general. I think my reference to Helen convinced Damian about why I will not be able to watch the execution scene ever, but maybe he is thinking I am crazier than he originally thought. Either way: I will not see it and that is final 😀 😀 😀
Bravo, Damianista! I really admire your courage and I really envy for your childlike sincerity! Your smile shows everything, so please keep it!!! It’s priceless!!! <3
Last night I watched the play for the third time (thank God I bought an extra ticket by mistake 😀 ) I was sitting right in front of Damian, and I was so delighted by his presence and so…, and I thought to myself I could not go to the stage door and say, "Hi!" I just could not do it. I am helplessly shy and introverted. Every time I leave work at night around ten I think, "God, I hope to see him, I hope to see him!" And the next moment I'm like: "God, I hope I will not see him!" 😀 – because I know that I won`t do anything and I will be sorry for a long time. I know this is stupid, but I'm helpless 🙁 Maybe it's not just a shame, it might be some stupid vanity… You know… what should I say to a handsome and smart man like him? Yes, it is a dumb vanity! It is a nightmare! It's not easy to be a crazy fan, but the hardest is to be a dump, vanity fan 😀 The verses of Diane Warwick's wonderful song just came to my mind –
“If you see me walkin'
Down the street…
(DON`T) Walk on by…”
Thank you for the lovely piece and pitchers! <3 <3 <3
Thank you for reading, your constant support and also for UNDERSTANDING me! You know what, my husband was reading your comment this morning, and he said “Tsvetanka understands you.” YES, we have never met in person but I think words are powerful enough to get to know a person well, and you have really figured me out: “Childlike sincerity.” Yes, I agree that is what I have in me. It seems to me that some part of me has never grown up and that part comes forward from time to time! And, you are right, my smile is certainly a reflection of that!
Hmmm, you made the BEST mistake ever!!! So happy you got to see the play three times! What row were you? Row A? We were Row C! I exactly know that feeling of being delighted by his presence, but we need to work on your shyness!!! As I have told Gozde, next time, and I KNOW there will be a next time, in case you do not make it to stage door on your own, I will take you there!!! PROMISE! 😀 And, no, I do not think it is shame or vanity. You are just a kind person that is probably thinking you should not take his time. I completely understand it — as I told JaniaJania earlier, because she is so much like you —even though I would not be able to do it even if I tried… True, Damian is a smart and a handsome man. But, after all, he is a man, he is a human being and he is not testing anyone’s IQ or anything. Just saying <3 Big hugs and kisses <3
How can I not understand such a friendly, warm, and unpretentious person like you! Your sincerity grabbed me from the first moment! I love smart and fun people like you who do not take themselves too seriously. I envy your students. Many greetings to your wonderful and understanding husband! I envy about that too 🙂 I guess you two are the best friends and you’re a great team together. This is a real blessing!
As a huge Michael Jackson-fan, I met many fans over the years, both in real life and virtually. Some of them were normal people, but there were some so arrogant and supercilious, which is ludicrous. For some of us, it was difficult to get a concert ticket even in Romania or Turkey and others could afford to attend almost every concert of the European tour and they looked at the others from high. I`m saying this in relation to your concern not to offend someone because you were twice in London. Trust me, decent people are decent people, no matter how many times they can afford to go to a theater or whatever. Even more – you are spreading with those of us who can`t see Damian as “closely” all these wonderful parts of him, and I think this is more valuable and memorable than any advertising and media broadcast! As I said before, he must be very proud and happy to have you!
I was at row – C seat -10, so you know what the feeling is…
Just before the show, an Irish man who was sitting on my right side asked me: “Is the play good? You’ve seen it before, right?” I looked at him suspiciously (and I thought – Hmm … Are they going to arrest me because I’m here for the third time?) I nodded confused “Yes, I’ve seen it before, it’s very good!” He asked me: “How many times have you seen it – two?” Then I lied guiltily,… stumbling… “I’ve seen it once.” (I guess I will fail on a polygraph exam 😀 ) He caught my confusion and said, “Oh, it’s hard for you to understand my Irish accent.” And I said, “No, I understand you… it is… just my speaking English is not good enough and I’m not good with the numbers.” 😀 He gave me a smile and left me alone.
Yes, I know he is a human being, and I can see how affable and sensitive he is. By the way, many actors overexposed their sensitivity, but not Damian. He may by sensitive, even subtle, and at the same time that enormous man`s vigor appears and overcomes everything, and that boyish, playful and vivid spirit – all that comes so natural. I may not use the right words, but you got it.
I got lost… 😀 Anyway… Yes, there is that point I should not take his time but I also think that he as an actor would be pleased to know that people appreciate his work. So, among other things, the language barrier is a big obstacle for me. GOOGLE helps me a lot with writing, but when it comes to a face-to-face conversation I will fail disgracefully 🙁 The best I can do will be to speak with a fun word order and to gesture desperately as a native from a comedy, or even worse – all my English will disappear. So, it’s all in your hands to let Damian know that the natives love him 😀
Now seriously: The next time (if I manage to survive here) I will count on your PROMISE. Many thanks, and hugs, and kisses, my dear friend and my sister “in Damian”! <3
Hear, hear! –> “I`m saying this in relation to your concern not to offend someone because you were twice in London. Trust me, decent people are decent people, no matter how many times they can afford to go to a theater or whatever. Even more – you are spreading with those of us who can`t see Damian as “closely” all these wonderful parts of him, and I think this is more valuable and memorable than any advertising and media broadcast!”
Thank you <3 You make my day, week, month and year. Seriously! I admit I really hope Tsvetanka is right that Damian is proud and happy to have us. But these friendships are so precious and this beautiful community we have built together is such a major part of my life now that I don't think I can be happier. I am grateful. Thanks so much!
Thank you, friend! You cannot imagine how much your note means to me. THANK YOU <3
You understand my marriage as much as you understand me. Lewisto is a true partner-in-crime. I would never have started this blog without his support and encouragement. You are absolutely right. It is a true blessing. I am very lucky.
I really hope you are right that Damian is proud and happy to have us. But the friendships I have here are so precious and this beautiful community we have built together is such a major part of my life now that I don't think I can be happier.
I completely understand your story about Michael Jackson fandom. Having grown up in Turkey, as a teenager, I would not even dream about seeing, say, a Duran Duran concert --- I was a devoted fan! Other fans affording every MJ concert is one thing but seeing themselves as superior for being able to do that is another. Wow. Seriously... what kind of person does that?!?!
I certainly know the feeling and the view from Row C and I LOVE the story with the Irish man. But how come he knew you saw the play before? How did he feel it? I wish you had asked him. Incredible!
Please do survive in London! It is a great place and I really hope you will be very happy there! And, by all means, count on my PROMISE! This is the kind of promise I will certainly keep at all costs!!! And you underestimate yourself big time. Your English is perfect, and you are a very good writer. Read your note, you are a wonderful story teller. And, hey, English is not my native tongue, either and I certainly have an accent. But who cares? And talking about your writing, you know we always want to have guest bloggers here --- just saying!!! 😀 BIG HUGS AND KISSES <3
It is a shame we haven’t met before Tsvetanka; I would have joined you in one of those plays so I won’t be on my own and we would have encouraged each other to go and say hello to him. Maybe we should meet tomorrow night after the play at the back stage?;-)
Oh, so sorry I could not answer in time! I do not carry my phone with me during my work. I write here after I go home. Tomorrow – 23 and another – 24 I am a night shift, but we are late because there are not enough girls and we end up working after 10 pm. My manager has no way to give me a day off – she did not give me even when I asked her more than a week in advance. I will not tell what equivals I did with the last two tickets to be able to watch the play: D Here is my number 07871588883 – tomorrow I will be able to answer by 4:30 in the afternoon. You can also write me a facebook message.
I guess whatever you did to use those last two tickets would be a lovely story for this blog if your manager were not a Damian Lewis fan 🙂 LOVE YOU <3
Gozde – Not only would my heart have come out of my mouth, but I have tinkled in my pants a little if that happened to me, coincidental cafe meeting or stage door meet-n-greet.
Damianista – Your hands still tremble? How many times have you met Damian? I think I’ve lost count. Is it 7? I do think you need to smile that big because it is a wonderful photo, which I commented to Lewisto “ohhhhmmmeeeggerrrdddd” on his blog post. Hilarious line: “I don’t know if Damian is now thinking I am crazier than he originally thought…” Made me LOL His eyes always tell it all, don’t they? I don’t think I realized you met the entire cast, very cool. P.S. You win for the chattiest 🙂
First of all, THANK YOU for encouraging me to write about this trip. You know I was a bit worried even after the stage door that it would be too much to write about a second trip. I sort of felt guilty about being able to go to London two times. But you convinced me and the reactions that I have got since this morning (twitter, facebook, comments on the blog and a few emails that I have received) prove you right. Thank you!
Well, Damianista is a girl, too, after all… sometimes! I get very excited very quickly: my hands tremble and my legs shake (not only with Damian, it happened with Bryan Cranston, too, for example) — only before and after. When I am talking I am very relaxed. I cannot explain the chemical reaction in my body but it is what it is.
Damian may seriously be thinking I am crazier than he originally thought but again you need to be a little crazy to do this — I mean the blog — anyway. It is like a pre-requisite!
Do I win the chattiest? Yay! I thought Damian was chatty, I was chattier, the mom was the chattiest! What a lovely woman. And you know what I probably cannot change my smile even if I tried… So I have to live with people being able to count all my teeth 😀
haha:-) I know what you mean and I must say he is hundred times more beautiful in real life than on TV. He is actually very tall and have this amazing charisma which I felt even from my chair watching him. And he was so humble and down to earth; smiled and waved at me like he knew me… Bless him and bless me:-)
Love this story and yes, LEFTIES ROCK!
Thank you! Yeah, we lefties are special, aren’t we? 😀
A great post, allowing me to relive a bit of my time in London with you too. Love that he clued you in on when he’d be able to chat longer. He does such good work taking care of us, doesn’t he?
As I said on your hubbie’s post, I absolutely LOVE the pic of him listening intently to every word you say. You have his ear, lady, and if that’s not enough to bring on a big smile every single time, I don’t know what is. 😀 You get my vote too: the chattiest! <3<3<3
Thank you! Oh, he does, HE DOES! The fun thing is that I did not say a word about a chat. I am not in his mind so I have no idea why he clued me in. He may have assumed, knowing me, that I wanted to chat. GOOD. Hehe. And now that you are saying it, I am looking at that pic in a different light. Well, he is really listening, isn’t he? Yep, it is impossible not to smile BIG <3 <3 <3
I have said this before, but now I know it’s true: THIS is the reason I need to travel with you! 🙂
I love this post so very much!! And, I love that you did not tell me this story when we met last month. Reading it here was just like being there!
I am so happy for you, but these encounters are becoming so common now, aren’t they? :0
I love the back and forth regarding the Brody death scene! Priceless!!
The photos of you and that amazing smile of pure joy and happiness are just wonderful.
I truly hope DL does a play on Broadway so that we can do the stage door thing EVERY NIGHT!!
Thank you <3 It was really priceless to get into a loop with Damian about Brody. I don't know if he can comprehend what one character is single-handedly capable of... I know I am not alone in my feelings about Brody 😀
Damian doing Broadway would be EPIC! I would certainly go bankrupt but you know what --- quoting some popular Billions language --- WORTH IT 😀
Cynthia, one of our readers, said if/when Damian comes to Broadway we should organize a Fan Fun night with many fans seeing the play together. Can you imagine how much FUN that would be??? This Broadway thing should happen!!!
I “devour” your posts, it’s a real treat, and God your smile is wonderful, a true smile, which illuminates your whole face! I think that if I were in your place I could not smile because a The sight of Damian, my heart would stop !! HE is really beautiful, I would love to see him on stage, but I am in France, and ‘is more complicated !!! Luckily I have my DVDs I watch,themt without stopping! I watched the death of Brody, it’s very sad, but it must be remembered that it is cinema, and know how to enjoy the expression of Brody’s face, his eyes and savor the great actor Damian is !!!
Monique, we cannot thank you enough for “devouring” our posts, your constant support and enthusiasm. You are WONDERFUL! Thank you for your kind compliment, too, haha, OK, now that you are all saying I have a wonderful smile — yes, it is a true smile reflecting happiness — I am keeping that! 😀
Damian agrees with you completely about the death scene. He thinks it is an amazing scene and I am sure he is killing it. And I know it is cinema, I know, but I still cannot see it. Confession: I have not been able to see any execution scene ever. I just can’t. And, with Brody, it is certainly impossible. So there will always be a few minutes of footage with Damian that I will never see.
It was certainly a heart breaking scene. I have cried a thousand tears and I was telling to myself this cannot be true, they cannot kill the protagonist! If they kill him, Homeland would come end, someone will save him…. but that was it.. It was such a striking scene. I hated it – I still do! If I take my emotions out of it though, it was a great scene – technically:-)
Yes, of course…. technically… acting… filming… And I guess that was what Damian was trying to tell me when he said “amazing” about the scene. But, no, I am not buying it 😀
I cannot believe
a) that we could do without this great, great story and
b) that you don’t know you have a beautiful smile
Thank you so much for both (a) and (b) and for reading us and for your constant support <3
The first time I watched Homeland I watched through to the end. The second time I couldn’t even watch season 3 at all. That gut clenching feeling, knowing what’s coming, and not only the execution, but watching Carrie draw Brody back in “just once more, we’re almost there”. When she leaves him at the border, he’s the only one who mentions love. At the Tower of David when he asks her man to tell her where he is, he’s told “Carrie knows where you are.”
They are reunited but they never kiss again. At the “unsafe” house in Iran she tells him that “one of the reasons I was put on this earth was for our paths to cross”. Brody is drawn to her, that is the sanest thing he’s heard in a long time. Yet no embrace. I did eventually watch the season finale when I bought the DVD to hear the commentary. Ganza was very proud of “restraint ” in the scene. As a viewer I wanted catharsis after the emotion Damian’s Brody had pulled from me. Then to watch Carrie cooperate with Lockhart et al. The star was poignant but small comfort.
I don’t blame her. It’s a work of fiction and she’s true to character. It’s everything she’s ever said about herself. In the following seasons crumbs are dropped but the only real tribute is paid to Nick by Javadi. He’s moved the remains to the resting place of Martyrs. It’s been painful to watch Brody practically ignored.
Well, none of her lovers fare any better but I love Brody.
But then she took a bullet for him, and she chose to have his child, too. Not that Carrie is a flawless character, she is flawed, and that probably makes her, in my opinion, one of the best fictional characters, and probably the best female character on TV. I believe she LOVED Brody. But, yeah, I always thought about what I would have done if I had been in Carrie’s shoes, and yeah, I would have done some things differently 😀 OMG. I can stay here and talk about Brody forever! <3
I wouldn’t go so far to say that Brody has been ignored. He’s there in Frannie. And he’s there is everything Carrie has done since then, every one she’s been with since then has been colored by her experience with him. He was THE love of Carrie’s life. And, yes, he’s not alive anymore, but we see the repurcussions of her experience with him in every choice Carrie now makes.
She has his child. What higher tribute can a woman make to a man she loves? Yes, they gave Javadi all the good stuff to say about Brody, but that was just a writerly compromise because having Carrie say all those things would be redundant and saccharine. Anyone who doesn’t feel the impact of Brody on Carrie hasn’t been watching the same show I have.
I know folks wanted Carrie to be more of a typical woman, who would be willing to put everything aside, all the work she’s ever done away, to be with the man she loved. And, she was was willing to do that. But she also had the mission in her mind, (of her own making, true) to SAVE him. She didn’t just want him happily after, she wanted him SAVED so there could be a happily ever after. And she did everything in her power to make that happen. Any other catharsis in the story would have been false. Anything else would have been pandering to conventional expectations of a woman character.
Before Brody, Carrie saw herself as incapable of real connection, she was unwilling to even allow it to happen. Brody pulled a switch in her that made it possible. He changed her. And you can see that transformation in her character since he’s been gone. It’s not being ignored.
Also, the embrace in the safe house was him resting with her, finally resting for real, his head in her lap, and she sat still for a minute, more still than she’s ever been able to sit before or since, and gaze at him. No, they didn’t have sex. But that moment WAS an embrace of sorts, and spoke volumes for those willing to hear.
The story was a tragedy in ever single way. The fact that it was a tragedy is what made it the most poignant and unforgettable love story I’ve ever seen.
Wow, this isn’t even a post about Homeland and here we are talking about it anyway. 🙂
JaniaJania, I have just read my thoughts about Carrie word for word! 🙂
I seem to have offended though I did not intend it.
Oh, never! It’s just that every one of us here LOVES Homeland and, in particular, Carrie and Brody love story <3
No offense taken. We all have different readings on all of Damian’s work. We can all agree on one thing though: it’s all worth talking about!
I never said Carrie didn’t love Brody or that she should have made different choices and I certainly didn’t want her to be more conventional.
I, in fact, said I would have made some different choices should I have been Carrie 😀 So sorry if I got anything wrong.
No, it is obvious that it was I who got offended. I apologize sincerely. The blog is a joy in my life.
We are among friends here. What apology? Having you here is a joy! ❤️ Thanks for all your support!
lol…… more excellent adventures with Damian
Thank you so much – it was a lot of fun 🙂
After seeing Mr Lewis’ tweet about you, I believed once more even the sky is not an acceptable limit for you my dearest friend:-) You did it! You are a great encouragement to all of us; after being part of your story, I have seen once more, there is nothing we cannot achieve:-) Long live Damianista!!! hip hip hooray!!
Thank you, Gozde, both for your beautiful friendship and your constant enthusiasm and support! You can imagine I was totally over the moon yesterday and I am not sure I have come back to planet Earth yet 🙂 We already knew Damian was reading us, because he told us, but his tweet was very sweet and it feels very good to know that the work we have been doing is appreciated by the man who names the blog! 😀 Long live Damian Lewis and Damian Lewis fandom!
Big hugs and kisses from London to Turkey (whereever you are right now) This tweet deserves another blog piece;-)