Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Damian Lewis pays heartbreaking tribute to late wife Helen McCrory

The actress passed away from cancer in 2021

helen damian
Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
Share this:

Damian Lewis has paid a heartbreaking tribute to his late wife Helen McCrory, nine months after her death in April 2021. The Billions actor attended a poetry performance at the National Theatre, and paid a beautiful tribute to Helen, revealing that the evening was dedicated to the Peaky Blinders actress.

MORE: Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy talks filming season six without Helen McCrory

He said: "This evening is dedicated to her and it's perfect, because Helen loved the National Theatre. One person whose thunder would absolutely not be stolen was Helen McCrory." He also read a poem, Everything is Going to Be All Right by Derek Mahon.

WATCH: Billions season six trailer is here - but will you be watching?

The couple's two sons, Manon and Gulliver, were in attendance for the special evening, which included a recorded reading of Wild Geese by Mary Oliver from a previous poetry evening.

This is the first time that Damian has publicly spoken about Helen since releasing a statement following her death, in which he said: "I'm heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family. She died as she lived. Fearlessly.

damian helen poetry 5

Helen was passionate about poetry

"God we loved her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."

MORE: Peaky Blinders series six: everything we know so far

MORE: See what the cast of Line of Duty looked like at the start of their careers

Born in London in 1968, Helen studied at the Drama Centre in the nation's capital and began her career on the stage. In the 90s she began appearing in films including Interview with the Vampire with Tom Cruise in 1994.

helen mccrory pic

Helen passed away in 2021

In 2006 she starred as Cherie Blair in the award-winning The Queen in 2006. Helen was set to star as Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix but was forced to pull out due to her pregnancy. However, she returned as Bellatrix's half-sister Narcissa Malfoy in the Half Blood Prince before landing her famous role as Penny in Peaky Blinders.

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.