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Damian Lewis found therapy ‘unhelpful’


Damian Lewis found therapy to be "unhelpful".

The ‘Homeland’ star entered therapy following the sudden death of his mother in a car crash in India in 2001, but says it did little to ease his sense of pain.

The 43-year-old actor explained: "I had about three sessions, after my mother died. He was extremely good, but it was unhelpful. It didn’t add anything. I didn’t leave therapy from fear, I left from … Being an actor is a constant exploration and examination of others. Of self. Of things that motivate people.

"So you do sort of have that training [in psychology] anyway. You’re an observer. And if you’re good, you’re a sympathetic and understanding observer."

Damian added that actors have a broader responsibility than a mere entertainer.

He told The Times newspaper: "I think actors are a force for good. I think actors can be a glue. A societal glue. Their empathy, their sympathy, their … understanding of other people, their generosity of spirit, their willingness to engage, to commit, sometimes just socially … Actors can open up social occasions with their warmth, with their wit. Social measures."