‘She blazed so brightly’: Damian Lewis pays tribute to actor wife Helen McCrory after she dies aged 52

‘We love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives’

Damian Lewis has paid touching tribute to his wife, actor Helen McCrory, calling her “beautiful and mighty” in a Twitter note announcing her death at the age of 52 after a private battle with cancer.

“She died as she lived,” he wrote. “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, and thank you.”

After Lewis shared the news of McCrory’s death, fans and fellow actors rushed to pay tribute.

Actor and writer Mark Gatiss said: “Unbearable and unbelievable that Helen McCrory has gone. A genuine firecracker with an aching vulnerability. A wonderful actor and a wonderful woman. Thoughts with Damian and family. RIP.”

“Helen McCrory will be remembered not just for her remarkable stage and screen performances, but also for her selflessness and generosity,” comedian, presenter and actor Matt Lucas tweeted. “She and Damian were the motor driving FeedNHS, working tirelessly during the pandemic to raise millions for others. What a tremendous loss.”

“Had the good fortune to meet and interview Helen McCrory a few times,” presenter Dermot O’Leary tweeted. “A mighty talent, with always a hint of mischief. Really lovely company. Very sad news.”

“I’m devastated to learn of the death of Helen McCrory, an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman who’s left us far too soon,” wrote Harry Potter author JK Rowling on Twitter. “My deepest condolences to her family, especially her husband and children. Simply heartbreaking news.”

A stage and screen star, McCrory was best known for her roles in the Harry Potter films and the BBC series Peaky Blinders.