Damian wants to be first ginger heartthrob - Feb 27 2008
Damian Lewis apparently hopes to become Hollywood's first ginger heartthrob.

The red-headed British actor - who worked with Tom Hanks on Band Of Brothers - revealed the Oscar-winning star has encouraged him in his ambition.

Damian told The Independent: "Tom Hanks said to me 'You're going to be the first ever red-headed film star!'

"If people with red hair can be perceived as sexy and land romantic leads, then that has to be good for redheads in general. It's fun to be able to challenge the status quo."

The 37-year-old actor - who has two children with actress wife Helen McCrory - stars in new black comedy The Baker, about hitman Milo who retires to become a baker in remote village in Wales.

The film, released on Friday February 29, is directed by his brother Gareth Lewis.

Damian said: "We've actually had a ball working together. Maybe at the end of each working day, the Coen brothers throw knives at pictures of each other when they get home, but Gareth and I had such fun. It was like being kids again, only marginally more sophisticated. We have more expensive toys now."

Film was fabulous, says Damian - Jan 22 2008
Damian Lewis has revealed he had a great time filming new British movie The Escapist.

"It was fabulous to work on this film," says the actor, who plays self styled prison boss Rizza alongside the likes of Brian Cox and Joseph Fiennes in the film.

"I loved the cast which was assembled. Some of them I knew just from being out and about as an actor for the last few years. Some I didn’t, but everyone gelled incredibly."

He continued: "I play the king, head honcho, top dog, you know. I really rule the prison through fear and violence. But I was still able to make friends with all of them. It was a very lovely experience."

Damian, who confided he was having a "great time" at the Sundance Film Festival - which has just premiered the film - is currently based in Los Angeles filming police drama Life.

"I’m based in LA as long as people keep writing!" he said with reference to the current writer’s strike. "The show Life is a lot of fun, and I’ve been there for the last six months shooting, but I still live in Tufnell Park basically!"

Damian: I’m panic-stricken - Dec 12 2007
His US drama, Life, may be hugely successful, but Damian Lewis insists he’s still nervous.

"I’m panic-stricken," says the English actor. "You desperately want what you are in to be successful and then at the same time I am part of a machine that is much bigger than I am."

"The hours are brutalising - they work 15 to 16 hours a day here and it is part of the culture here, so no one moans about it," he adds.

"People wish we had shorter days but no one moans about it because that is what we do. I keep pointing out that we shoot six or seven pages a day in British TV and it takes 12 hours but that normally falls on deaf ears. I draw blank looks and then I shut up. We’ll be shooting here through until May."

The 36-year-old - who is next up in Martha Fiennes’s movie Chromophobia - confesses that he is enjoying the challenge of staying true to his art.

"It’s fascinating to be at the heart of the system, how it works, and the daily struggle is to retain and keep some sort of artistic fire whilst being gently bludgeoned with a telephone directory by corporate Hollywood," he laughs.

"I guess that’s part of the skill you acquire out here."

Chromophobia opens on Friday December 14.