We LOVE receiving messages from fans about topics they want us to write about. And we promise we will meet all these requests in a timely manner. And, if you want us to write about a particular Damian Lewis related topic please let us know! I have to admit though the last request we have got is something else… just because it has come from the man about whom we are blogging here! 🙂 If Damian Lewis tells me, “you need to tell the world how you caught us on set” then I need to tell the world how I caught Team Axelrod on Billions set!
Well… You all know they have been shooting Billions in all boroughs of New York City as well as in the city suburbs and Long Island for the last five months or so… which means they are currently shooting the last episodes, maybe even the final episode. Social media has been an amazing source to find out about the locations Billions has used but I never really thought about going to the set until a few days ago… Mainly because the set is a work place and fans crowding the area could be a real distraction for the cast and the crew. Having said that, a specific location I find out they would use just tempts me enough along with the fact that the location is only a 15-20 mins walk from my apartment. And the weather is brilliant outside. Then why not go and take a look?
Why am I intrigued by the location? Because it is Park Avenue and 73rd street. So? OK. Do you know which fictional TV character supposedly lives on Park and 73rd? Don Draper! He lives at 783 Park Avenue that is exactly at the corner of Park and 73rd! Now I love Don Draper. We know Damian Lewis loves Don Draper. But I also know Brian Koppelman loves Don Draper. So I am genuinely thinking about whether the location is an insider joke or something… It turns out it is not 🙂
I first spot Billions posts along with trailers and equipment trucks parked on the west side of Park Avenue. The set seems deserted except for one guy checking his phone on the next block between 71st and 72nd streets. I don’t really expect to spot the cast anyway because the production probably has their trailers and trucks parked on the street as they film at some interior location. So I think they are probably shooting somewhere and I could just go ahead and take a few photos…
I walk down the block to the corner of Park and 72nd street and see that the guy who is checking his phone is David Costabile. He seems to be in his own clothes. Very casual. Then I notice the trailers have names on them. And here is the Axe trailer!
As I am standing in front of “Axe” trailer — not exactly in front of it, a bit to the right — and thinking to myself “Man, Showtime never lets us call a Damian Lewis character with his first name… Nicholas Brody is Brody and Bobby Axelrod is Axe…” And as I am lost in these deep thoughts… The impossible happens… The “Axe” trailer door opens and Damian comes out!
Ooops! I was totally NOT expecting THAT! He does not see me first. But as he walks towards Costabile, for some reason, he looks to his left:
“Oh, hey, how are you?”
The FUN part is he does not seem very surprised to see me. Maybe he’s used to seeing me at places now… Is this good or bad? Still.. he says he thinks I am “absolutely a spy” because I find him anywhere!
It turns out they are just done with the morning shoot and on their way to lunch. Then they are coming back to do more shooting in the afternoon. We chat a bit. I tell them how we, fans, are Team Axelrod all the way! And I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to tell Costabile, who is a genuinely nice person, how much I loved Gale Boetticher in Breaking Bad! And Damian telling him that fans doing “some amazing blogging” is the most delicious cherry on the cake! 🙂
It seems Damian and David have such good chemistry and made friends. It’s great to see they are hanging out together. I am just thinking there could be a business side to it, too… Seeing Team Axelrod going to lunch together reminds me of a fascinating story I read long time ago…
The story is from the shoot of the very famous 1968 science fiction movie Planet of the Apes. In the movie, there are three ape species: chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. When the actors playing the ape characters have their makeup and costumes on, it is obviously difficult to take them off for lunch so they basically go to lunch with their ape make up on. And they segregate themselves by species. Charlton Heston notes: “Not only would the apes eat together, but the chimpanzees ate with the chimpanzees, the gorillas ate with the gorillas, the orangutans ate with the orangutans, and the humans would eat off by themselves. It was quite spooky.”
Can you imagine? 🙂
So… Maybe Team Axelrod and Team Rhoades are having lunch separately as well? That’s a total speculation on my part but I am seriously thinking they may be doing it to stay in character! I really don’t know if they do it, but it makes total sense to me.
Anyhow… I was not really expecting ANY OF THIS, I would just take a few photos and leave, so I am not even asking for a photo. It is Damian who says: “Don’t you want a photo? Let’s take a photo. You need to tell the world how you caught us on set!”
So… Team Axelrod says a big HI from Billions set! BIG thanks go to my favorite Billions boys Damian and David for the fun chat and the pic! You guys are the BEST! We are on Team Axelrod all the way and can’t wait to meet you as “Axe” and “Wags” on January 17!
Then Damian and David leave and I stay on for a few more minutes and make an observation: We know from what Damian told us at New Yorker Festival that Bobby Axelrod and Chuck Rhoades do not get to see each other often in Billions. However, I see a “Chuck” trailer on the set which means they are probably shooting scenes with both guys! Now… We are all expecting a court scene at the end of the season, aren’t we? And I think this is the first hint of a court scene. The second hint is a picture that I see later in the day when I get home. A picture tweeted by Ms. Anne Doubilet from that morning shows Bobby Axelrod at Explorers’ Club, a building that is very close to the location I visit. They probably did the morning shoot over there.
Hmmm… Bobby is dressed up. He doesn’t look like he’s dressed up for a party… And we also know from the show promos and trailers that Bobby does not really dress up for work… which screams COURT SCENE if you ask me! Will we see Bobby in handcuffs at the end of the season? Can’t wait to find out!
Really nothing surprises me about Damian because there are not many actors who demand his fans if they want to take a photo! You’re lucky, he knew you again, and he wanted to make you happy in recognition to the work you do for him!
Wonderful, great Damian !!
its for all his qualities as a man and as an actor, we love Damian!
Thank you for all these beautiful stories!
Monique
Monique, thanks so much – you make our day as usual! <3 First, you are right - we have the BEST guy in this business to admire and follow! Second, you are right, I am extremely lucky! I cannot think of any other actor asking a fan to have a photo taken with him, he's amazing! And third, yes, I think you are also right that this is his way of thanking for the work which is extremely kind and gracious of him! Such a sweet sweet guy! And I LOVE it that he wanted to say HI to all fans with this picture from the set! Much LOVE <3
Such a very lucky person you are!! Were you nervous at all when the door opened? Do you call him by his first name, screen name, or Mr. Lewis? I don’t even know if my mouth would open at that point!!
And yes, he is such a wonderful man to his fans. As I’ve said before, how could anyone not LOVE Damian Lewis??
Thank you! Yes, I’ve been very lucky. I know and I am very grateful. Damian’s an extremely kind man and very gracious with his fans. I was very nervous when the door opened because it was not something I expected at all. I confess I wanted to have an invisibility cloak like in Harry Potter and disappear. But it all ended well 🙂 Him saying “Let’s take a photo. You need to tell the world how you caught us on set” was very sweet.