Damian Lewis Pays Tribute To Late Wife, Peaky Blinders Actress Helen McCrory

Last week Helen McCrory, the actress famous for a career full of complex roles and alarmingly honest performances, passed away from cancer at the age of 52.

The tragic news was announced by her husband, fellow actor Damian Lewis. '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,' he wrote on Twitter.

'She died as she lived. Fearlessly. 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.'

Now, Damian has shared his further thoughts on his wife's passing in a piece for The Sunday Times, which was shared widely over the weekend by Helen's many fans and peers.

'I've never known anyone so consciously spread happiness,' he wrote. 'To say "please" and "thank you" and "you're so kind" as much as she did. Even when dying in her last few days, when talking to our wonderful carers, she repeatedly said, "thank you so much" in her half delirious state.'

He added that she always made people 'feel special, as though they were the only person in the room... gave them her full attention. Made them laugh, always. There were few funnier people — she was funny as hell.' He also wrote that she worked to 'normalise' her death in her final months and encouraged him to find love again. 'She's shown no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, only armed us with the courage to go on and insisted that no one be sad, because she is happy,' he wrote.

Helen has long been one of this country's most busy and versatile actresses. She has starred in television hits like period drama Anna Karenina, in which she played the eponymous literary heroine alongside Damian, in True, Dare, Kiss with Richard Gere, and only last year impressed with an impactful performance in ITV's Quiz.

She also played Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, was Cherie Blair in Peter Morgan's 2006 film The Queen, starred with Kate Winslet in A Little Chaos, appeared in Bond film Skyfall, and enjoyed huge success in theatre in plays like Medea and The Deep Blue See. But her most famous role was, without doubt, as Aunt Polly in beloved BBC series Peaky Blinders. She had been expected to reprise this role in the next series.

She and Damian - who married in London in 2007 - have two children, Manon and Gulliver. Their last joint public appearance came virtually, when they discussed their work raising more than £1 million to send NHS staff hot meals during the pandemic.

'Since we launched the campaign, we’ve received messages of appreciation for NHS workers from people across the country, which we’ve shared with them,' she said on Good Morning Britain.

'For those working with infectious diseases, these messages of kindness and gratefulness – it’s about the safest hug you can give an ITU worker at the moment. It’s important for them to know, when they’re knackered, that they’re not alone and we’re thinking of them.'

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