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‘Billions’ star Lewis reveals Obama acting tips

By AFP

30 April 2017   |   1:01 pm

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British acting star Damian Lewis on Sunday revealed that former US President Barack Obama had offered him advice in playing a charismatic hedge fund manager in hit television series "Billions".

(FILES) This file photo taken on January 10, 2016 shows British actor Damian Lewis arriving at the 73nd annual Golden Globe Awards, January 10, 2016, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. British star Damian Lewis on April 30, 2017 revealed that former US President Barack Obama had offered him advice in playing a charismatic hedge fund manager in hit television series “Billions”. VALERIE MACON / AFP

British acting star Damian Lewis on Sunday revealed that former US President Barack Obama had offered him advice in playing a charismatic hedge fund manager in hit television series “Billions”.

When asked by the BBC’s Andrew Marr if his character Bobby “Axe” Axelrod glamorised Wall Street bosses, Lewis replied: “I’m going to drop a name here and I’m going to enjoy it enormously.

“The (then) president of the United States Barack Obama did say to me a few months ago, ‘I’m loving Billions, I’m loving your character in it, I’m loving Bobby, the only problem is hedge fund managers aren’t that cool’.”

The Showtime series is loosely based on real-life prosecutor of financial crimes Preet Bharara and his battles with hedge fund manager Steve Cohen.

Lewis, who played Nicholas Brody in the television series “Homeland”, said “the one slightly romantic thing you can say about” hedge fund managers is that “they do bet against the tide.”