Damian Lewis on Sweet Chaos, Songwriting and Stepping from Screen to Stage

Send us Fan MailMost people know Damian Lewis for his acclaimed performances on screen, but over the last few years he's been building another side to his creative career through music. In the latest episode of The MarshyCast, Damian joined me to discuss his new album Sweet Chaos and the UK tour that follows, including a stop at Portsmouth's iconic Wedgewood Rooms. One of the first things I wanted to explore was how his background as an actor influences his songwriting. Does he write from his own experiences, or does he approach songs in the same way he approaches a character, stepping into somebody else's story? Damian shared a fascinating insight into how those two creative worlds often overlap. That naturally led to another question. As an actor, you're bringing someone else's script to life. As a songwriter, every lyric comes directly from you. Damian reflected on the unique satisfaction of performing words he's written himself and how different that experience feels from acting. We also spoke about collaborating with renowned songwriter Guy Chambers, whose experience has helped shape some of Britain's biggest records. Together, they explored not only how songs are written, but how they evolve into performances designed to connect with live audiences. With the release of his latest film Pressure arriving alongside the tour, Damian faces a busy autumn of film premieres, interviews and live performances. We discussed the challenge of balancing both worlds, before looking ahead to his show at the Wedgewood Rooms, one of the South Coast's most beloved live venues with a rich musical history. To round things off, we played a quick word association game, with Damian sharing his immediate thoughts on several of the actors he's worked alongside throughout his remarkable career. It's a conversation about creativity, performance and why, no matter the medium, telling great stories remains at the heart of everything he does. 🎧 You can hear the full conversation now on The MarshyCast, available on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. Find me on all social media @paulswampymarsh