Damian Lewis Leaves ‘Billions’ in Season 5 Finale

Billions star Damian Lewis has left the building. In the Season 5 finale, the Emmy-winning actor concluded his run on the Showtime series, as his character, hedge fund billionaire Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, fled New York City to escape legal troubles.

Executive producer Brian Koppelman took to Twitter to bid farewell to the former series protagonist after the episode aired, writing, “What an incredible joy to spend five years working so closely with @lewis_damian ! @DavidLevien and I are beyond grateful to you, Damian, for the work, of course, and the fellowship, and for all you sacrificed to come do this with us.”

In April this year, Lewis lost his wife, British actress Helen McCrory, who died of cancer.

“There’s an opportunity for me to return,” the Emmy winner told the New York Times on Sunday. “But for now, broadly speaking, Axe has been vanquished.”

In the meantime, Showtime dropped a Season 6 trailer teasing the fallout of Axe’s departure. Although it may be missing a familiar face, the preview hints that the drama series’ latest installment — which premieres on January 23 — will be just as high-stakes.

In Axe’s absence, billionaire Mike Prince (Cory Stoll) is set to take the lead, alongside Daniel Breaker’s character, Scooter, who was introduced as Axe’s rival in Season 5 and has been promoted to series regular. Although Prince has ascended in Axe’s absence, New York Attorney General Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) isn’t finished with him just yet.

“This is the first battle in the new war I’m waging against the criminally rich,” Rhoades tells his father in the teaser.

Billions also stars Asia Kate Dillon, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Condola Rashad, Kelly AuCoin, and Jeffrey DeMunn.

Scroll up to watch the first teaser for Billions Season 6, which premieres on Showtime on January 23.

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