Swagger of a Kingpin: Bobby Axelrod

So much to think about, so much waiting in the wings. Seems a good time to step back and take stock. The recently released Billions trailer showed us a tantalizing taste of Damian Lewis’ Bobby Axelrod, an outspoken arrogant hedge-fund king who seems to think himself above the law. The trailer got me reeling with anticipation, and it also got me thinking…about the ways in which Damian has played his roles and about the differences between stage actors and those focused on working on film. Of how stage actors who get to be on film, so OFTEN, take an audience by surprise, making us say “Whoa, who was THAT?” And of how exactly they do that. Continue reading “Swagger of a Kingpin: Bobby Axelrod”

It’s Time to Make Billions. It’s Time to Meet Bobby Axelrod. A First Sketch.

source: showtime
source: showtime

It was last October but it really feels like yesterday that we found out about Showtime ordering a pilot for a new drama series Billions starring Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. Then we followed the pilot shoot in New York closely in January and held our breath until the cable network finally picked Billions as a series in March.

And… Look where we are now! Billions is currently coming to life in casting sessions and table reads. Season 1 shoot is starting in New York this week and will last about six months. Moreover, the first series teaser is out and it does exactly what it’s supposed to do — teasing us and raising a billion questions whose answers we will constantly look for when Billions hopefully hits the small screen in early 2016! Continue reading “It’s Time to Make Billions. It’s Time to Meet Bobby Axelrod. A First Sketch.”

Billions Season 1 Teaser: Bobby Makes Money, Chuck Follows Bobby!

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

Well, we all know NEXT for Damian Lewis is the NEW Showtime Drama Series Billions that he is headlining along with Paul Giamatti. Damian Lewis takes on the role of Bobby “Axe” Axelrod —  “a brilliant, ambitious hedge-fund king” and Paul Giamatti is Chuck Rhoades, “a hard-charging, whip-smart U.S. Attorney.” If this is not acting heaven, what is?

And, completing this acting heaven is some extraordinary talent, including Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, David Costabile, Condola Rashad, Leonard Toby Moore, and Kelly Au Coin.

Brian Koppelman, David Levien and the New York Times’ columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin are writing the script and executive producing. Neil Burger, who is also an executive producer of the show, also directed the pilot episode.

This is what David Nevins, the President of Showtime, said about Billions when the network picked the show as a series. Continue reading “Billions Season 1 Teaser: Bobby Makes Money, Chuck Follows Bobby!”

It’s TIME… Let’s Make Some Buzz for Billions!

source: standard.co.uk
source: standard.co.uk

A casting call tweet from @CastingAbout the other day is a clear call to action. We’d better start buzzing about NEW Showtime Wall Street Drama Billions!

castingabout

So, Billions is currently casting for Season 1. If you happen to be in New York, and want to contribute a small part… well, why not? Continue reading “It’s TIME… Let’s Make Some Buzz for Billions!”

Desert Island Discs with TBkWrm

Music evokes emotions and memories in all of us.  It can stir up the urge to flee a room if the piece of music evokes bad memories. It can get us bouncing up and down as we enjoy ourselves or it can relax us. Following on from Damian and Damianista, it’s my turn to do Desert Island Discs.

Song 1 – ‘It’s my life’ by Bon Jovi

This song is Charlie Crews. It is loud and outspoken as he is. It demands your attention. Charlie Crews loses 12 years of his life through wrongful imprisonment for the triple homicide of his best friend, his (best friend’s) wife and one of the couple’s children.  Constance Griffiths eventually arrived on the scene several years into his sentence to take up his case. She manages to have his conviction quashed and Charlie once again walks the streets of LA as a free man…and a Detective of the LAPD. Charlie is determined, despite the terms of his release, it should be mentioned, on catching those who actually killed his best friend and family. He leaves everything financial in his life to his right hand former cell mate and accountant, Ted. Charlie faces all of the problems that come with the fact that the outside world had moved on, whilst his daily life for 12 years consisted of having the crap beat out of him and not really going anywhere or developing as a person. Laterally, Ted and Constance’s presence in Charlie’s life as he approached the end of his prison hell will have helped him, but Charlie shows the mark prison left on him as he has no problem ruffling the feathers of anyone who gets in his way on the outside. The sort of people that most people would be terrified of defying or facing up to. Charlie quite likes going against what is seen as the natural order.  In fact, the more feathers he ruffles the happier Charlie seems. Though admittedly all those women might help too…

Source: /images.tvrage.com
Source: /images.tvrage.com

“Like Frankie said, I did it my way.” Continue reading “Desert Island Discs with TBkWrm”