Helen McCrory joked that her husband Damian Lewis was moving on and having ‘a lot of girlfriends’ | Ents & Arts News

Actor Damian Lewis has revealed his dying wife joked about his leaving and told their children “I want daddy to have lots of girlfriends.”

In a heartfelt tribute, Lewis described Helen McCrory as “a meteor in our lives” after her death at the age of 52.

He said his “most exquisite act of bravery and generosity” was to “normalize” his death.

“She showed no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, only gave us the courage to carry on and insisted that no one be sad, because she is happy,” Lewis said.

The actress was best known for playing powerful women such as the matriarch of the Shelby family, Aunt Polly in the BBC gang drama. Peaky Blinders, Narcissa Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Home Secretary movies James bond Skyfall movie.

Lewis, who married McCrory in 2007, said in the weeks leading up to her death that she joked about her future relationships with women.

“She told us from her bed, ‘I want daddy to have girlfriends, lots of them, you all have to love again, love is not possessive, but you know, Damian, at least try to to skip the funeral without kissing someone, ‘he said.

In the Sunday Times, Lewis said his wife had “lived by kindness and generosity” and had always cared about others and “made them feel special”.

“I have never known anyone so consciously spread happiness.

“Even as she died in her final days, talking to our wonderful caregivers, she said over and over, ‘thank you very much’ in her half-delusional state.

“She always asked people how they were doing, always cared, made everyone she met felt special, like she was the only person in the room.

“Gave them his full attention.

“Made them laugh, always. There were a few funnier people – she was funny as hell.”

He said McCrory – with whom he shares two children – was “not interested in the belly button (or) …