Homeland star Damian Lewis has been having informal talks about going from playing a would-be terrorist on TV to leaning on a lamppost and doing the Lambeth Walk on the London stage.
The 41-year-old has a yearning to play Cockney costermonger Bill Snibson, who discovers he’s heir to a title — and fortune — in a new revival of famed 1930s musical Me And My Girl.
It’s early days and as yet there have been no formal negotiations — and no official offer.
However, I can reveal there have been ongoing private conversations between Lewis and producer Alex Armitage, who happens to be the grandson of Noel Gay, who composed Me And My Girl’s famous numbers.
‘I’ve heard the chatter as well, but there’s nothing I can confirm,’ Mr Armitage told me, adding: ‘It would be a wonderful idea to get Damian to play Bill.’
Lewis, who won an Emmy award for his performance as former marine Nicholas Brody in Homeland, trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and can certainly carry a tune.
He played the Prince and the Wolf in John Crowley’s production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into The Woods back in 1998, and he likes to tell of the Sondheim sing-alongs he and Homeland co-star Mandy Patinkin enjoy off the set.
A couple of years ago, Lewis auditioned to play Snibson in a version of Me And My Girl that director Anna Mackmin and choreographer Stephen Mears put on at Sheffield.
Lewis had the role, but his work in Los Angeles intervened. I remember hearing how well he tap-danced, and he has kept up with his dance studies. Plus, he’s had expert vocal tuition from Patinkin, who’s a musical theatre legend.
Source: Mail Online