Damian Lewis Leaves 'Billions' After 5 Seasons; Co-Creator Talks About His Exit

KEY POINTS

Damian Lewis confirmed via Twitter that he's leaving "Billions" after five years as lead Bobby Axelrod
Lewis thanked series co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien as well as the cast and crew
Koppelman suggested that the actor could return to the show in future episodes

Damian Lewis broke his silence on his exit from Showtime's "Billions" following his five-season run as cutthroat venture capitalist Bobby "Axe" Axelrod.

Lewis took to Twitter following Sunday night's Season 5 finale, to thank the network, series co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the cast and crew.

"Thank you @SHO_Billions, thank you @briankoppelman [and] @DavidLevien. A pleasure and a privilege to play Axe for 5 seasons with some of the smartest, funniest most talented cast and crew I've worked with. I'll miss the 'Billions' family," Lewis tweeted.

He added, "Yep, some jobs are more than just a job…. Love."

Thank you @SHO_Billions thank you @briankoppelman @DavidLevien. A pleasure and a privilege to play Axe for 5 seasons with some of the smartest, funniest most talented cast and crew I’ve worked with. I’ll miss the Billions family. Yep, some jobs are more than just a job…. Love.
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) October 4, 2021

The Season 5 finale of "Billions" saw Axe settling down in Europe away from the clutches of the law but without his fortune.

Koppelman revealed to Entertainment Weekly that "for a variety of reasons," Lewis started discussing his potential exit from the show with the producers three years ago. According to the show co-creator, the British actor wanted to spend more time with his family in England. Lewis' wife, actress Helen McCrory, died of cancer in April.

Despite Lewis' exit, however, Koppelman suggested that the actor could return to the show in future episodes.

"The goodbyes on 'Billions' and the hellos on 'Billions' are never permanent; nothing is etched in stone. But that said, Damian's time as a regular on 'Billions' has come to an end," Koppelman told EW.

"The guy delivered for us in such an incredible way," he continued. "What he did in making Bobby Axelrod an icon is really remarkable. Knowing the conditions in which he performed, traveling back and forth to England for years to be with his family, it's impossible to imagine just how hard and focused that guy worked. We feel really honored and lucky to have had five years of being able to know that Damian Lewis was Bobby Axelrod. But, again, not saying it's goodbye forever."

According to the co-creator, Lewis' exit from the series presented "the opportunity for a lot of storytelling that's compelling to us."

Showtime just dropped the trailer for "Billions" Season 6. Also starring in the series are Asia Kate Dillon, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Condola Rashad, Kelly AuCoin and Jeffrey DeMunn.

"Billions" will return to Showtime with Season 6 on Jan. 23.