Damian Lewis praises his ‘meteor’ wife Helen Mccrory
Actor Damian Lewis has paid tribute to his wife Helen Mccrory, describing her as "a meteor in our life", following her death at the age of 52.
The actress was best known for playing powerful women such as Shelby family matriarch Aunt Polly in the BBC gang drama Peaky Blinders,
Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter films and the home secretary in James Bond film Skyfall.
Lewis said his wife had "lived by the principle of kindness and generosity" and always took an interest in others and "made them feel special".
Writing in the Sunday Times, he said: "I've never known anyone so consciously spread happiness.
"Even when dying in her last few days, when talking to our wonderful carers, she repeatedly said, 'thank you so much' in her half-delirious state.
"She always asked people how they were, always took an interest, made each person she met feel special, as though they were the only person in the room.
"Gave them her full attention.
"Made them laugh, always. There were few funnier people - she was funny as hell."
Lewis said that in the weeks before her death his wife had joked about his future relationships with women, saying that "love isn't possessive".
"She said to us from her bed, 'I want Daddy to have girlfriends, lots of them, you must all love again, love isn't possessive, but you know, Damian,
try at least to get though the funeral without snogging someone'," he said.
He said that Mccrory was "not interested in navel-gazing (or) self-reflection", and passed her positivity on to others.
"Helen believed you choose happiness," he said.
"I've never known anyone able to enjoy life as much.
"Her ability to be in the present and enjoy the moment was inspirational. Nor was she interested in navel-gazing. No real interest in self-reflection; she believed in looking out, not in.
"Which is why she was able to turn her light so brightly on others."
Mccrory was born in Paddington, London, to a Welsh mother and Scottish father, and was the eldest of three children.