Damian Lewis has opened up on how he handles grief after his late wife Helen McCrory tragically died of cancer in 2021.

The Homeland actor, 54, said: ‘There’s a well-known psychological state in grief, or post any sort of trauma, which is called the manic defence.’

He continued: ‘I have the manic defence in a very pronounced way, which is that you affirm life. 

‘So in amongst the inevitable days of being in a heap on the floor bawling your eyes out, there is your manic defence, which is like, ‘Come on, live life, move forward, and reaffirm life’.

Damian, who has two teenagers with Helen and was married to her for 14 years, added: ‘Life is there for the taking, to be lived.

‘Especially when you have two children – making sure they have a sense that everything is not over.’

Damian Lewis has opened up on how he handles grief after his late wife Helen McCrory tragically died of cancer in 2021 (pictured in March 2024) 

The Homeland actor, 54, said: ‘There’s a well-known psychological state in grief, or post any sort of trauma, which is called the manic defence’ (pictured in 2020) 

Peaky Blinders actress Helen died from breast cancer in April 2021 aged just 52, and had kept her diagnosis a secret as she continued to work.

At the time Damian admitted he felt ‘physically drained’ after Helen’s death.

He explained that after putting all his focus into ‘living the best possible life’ while Helen was alive that he felt ‘wiped out’ after his wife tragically died.

He told The Guardian: ‘For four or five months, you’re physically drained. Helen was ill for four and a half years.

‘They say that the first day of diagnosis of an illness that could be terminal is the first day of your grief.’

Damian is now dating Alison Mosshart, who has been with for two years, after they were first spotted together in the summer of 2022. 

Damian spoke about the qualities his children Manon, 18, and Gulliver, 16, had inherited from their mother in a sweet tribute to Helen in The Times, as he opened up on the absence her death had left in their lives.

He said: ‘She’s left our beautiful children, Manon and Gully, too early, but they have been prepared for life.

The Homeland actor, 54, said: ‘There’s a well-known psychological state in grief, or post any sort of trauma, which is called the manic defence’ (pictured February 2020)

He continued: ‘I have the manic defence in a very pronounced way, which is that you affirm life’ 

‘They have in them the fearlessness, wit, curiosity, talent and beauty of their mother. She has exhorted us to be courageous and not afraid.

‘As she said repeatedly to the children, “Don’t be sad, because even though I’m about to snuff it, I’ve lived the life I wanted to”.’ 

When Helen died, he revealed in a social media post that she had urged him to find love again, telling him and their son and daughter that she wanted ‘Daddy to have lots of girlfriends’.

He wrote: ‘She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love 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.’

Romance blossomed with Alison, 46, who has fronted The Kills since 2001, the following year. It isn’t clear how they met but it came in the same year that he announced he was to pursue his pᴀssion for music. 

His debut album, Mission Creep, was released in June 2023, which gave him a ‘sense of comfort’ because it included lyrics paying tribute to his late wife.

He has since returned to acting and his latest performance, resuming his role as Henry VIII in BBC’s Wolf Hall, earned him his third Emmy nomination and fourth Golden Globe nomination.

He is also set to star in a Second World War drama, Pressure, which follows the Normandy invasion.

He will play Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, and was seen filming on Camber Sands beach in East SusSєx last year.