We welcome your tribute to the beloved Helen McCrory. If you wish to leave your condolences, please click on the ‘comments’ of this post. Then scroll to the bottom of the comment section to ‘Leave a Reply.’
If you wish to make a donation, the McCrory-Lewis family has asked that donations be made to the Sir Hubert von Herkomer Arts Foundation here.
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) April 16, 2021
by Damian Lewis | The Sunday Times | April 18, 2021
Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
The star, who has died of cancer at 52, was a brilliant actress and an even better person, writes her husband.
As I sit down to write this, I can hear Helen shouting from the bed, “Keep it short, Damian, it’s not about you.”
I’ll try, but on a weekend when the papers, rightly, will be paying their respects to the Duke of Edinburgh, thousands of others around the world have been remembering m’Duchess, my Little One, royalty in her own right. And I’d like to throw in my tuppence worth …
When I say “royalty”, I am of course referring to the esteem in which Helen is held in our business. Her nickname to many was Dame Helen (apologies, Dame Helen), and although we’ll never know now whether that would have become a reality, I think secretly, we do know.
Spoiler warning: Read no further if you haven’t yet watched “The Immortal Man,” by order of the Peaky Blinders.
As viewers fire up “The Immortal Man” on Netflix, their elation at the next (but not final) chapter of the story may be tempered by the noticeable lack of some key “Peaky Blinders” characters missing from action this time around. Tommy Shelby’s (Cillian Murphy) estranged wife Lizzie (Natasha O’Keeffe) went her separate ways in season 6 of the show, as did Harry Kirton’s Finn. That extends to other familiar faces like Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons, Paul Anderson’s Arthur Shelby (although the character technically does appear in shadowy flashbacks), and even Tommy’s late love Grace (Annabelle Wallis), who has continually haunted our main protagonist as a ghost throughout the series.
Writer and series creator Steven Knight opted not to bring these characters back for the spin-off film, and for good reason, but he did make room for one beloved figure in particular. The late, great actor Helen McCrory quickly turned the Shelby family matriarch Polly Gray into a fan-favorite over the last several years. Tragically, her passing in 2021 was a heartbreaking blow to the entire cast and crew, and Knight decided to write Aunt Polly out of the show altogether for the final season. Her presence continues to linger wherever Tommy goes, however, and that proves to be the case in “The Immortal Man,” as well.
Continue reading “The Immortal Man” Includes A Perfect Tribute To Helen McCrory
Olivia Burke | LADBible | March 12,2026
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 03: Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory during a Q&A at the Premiere of BBC Two’s drama “Peaky Blinders” episode one, series three at BFI Southbank on May 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)
Peaky Blinders has made an almighty comeback in cinematic form – but for both the cast and the fans, Helen McCrory has left a void that can’t be filled.
Five years on from the death of the late and great actress, her on-screen family members who became her close friends have spoken of how they still feel the ache of her absence.
Speaking to LADbible ahead of the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Cillian Murphy opened up about the ‘massive loss’ he experienced following the passing of his on-screen aunt.
Viewers were first introduced to McCrory’s iconic character, Polly Gray, in the pilot episode of Steven Knight’s hit series, which aired way back in 2013.
Formidable, fiercely protective and gifted with an insight into what will unfold in the future, the matriarch of the Shelby family is unforgettable in more ways than one.
Continue reading Cillian Murphy pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ Helen McCrory
The Sir Hubert von Herkomer Arts Foundation is proud to present The Helen McCrory Award Fundraiser Auction, created in collaboration with Steven Robertson Art Gallery, to raise vital funds for HvH Arts, a charity founded in 2012 by Debbi Clark and Mark von Herkomer.
This special auction features artworks created in honour of the foundation’s patron Helen McCrory, a remarkable advocate for the arts who was photographed numerous times by some of the world’s leading photographers, including Charlie Gray, Jason Bell, Debbi Clark, Clive Arrowsmith, David Venni, Ian Derry, and Ray Burmiston – all of who have donated beautiful one-to-one signed images.
The auction runs from Sunday, December 7 – Thursday, December 18, 2025.
HvH Arts is dedicated to providing young people aged 5–18 with accessible, inspiring, and safe spaces to discover and develop their creativity.
At a time when arts education is increasingly squeezed out of the mainstream curriculum, HvH Arts offers children opportunities to explore painting, filmmaking, sculpture, photography, and more—guided by top practitioners and supported in a judgement-free environment where self-expression can flourish.
Your support enables HvH Arts to continue opening doors to the arts for young people who might otherwise never have the chance.
“Picasso famously said that every child is an artist. And we at the HVH Arts are passionate about ensuring that every child is given a chance to connect with and to express their inner artist in a time when funding for education is such that the arts are squeezed out of the mainstream curriculum in favour of more traditionally ‘academic’ subjects. All young people need positive outlets for their energy, and the arts can help children flourish in ways other subjects cannot. We believe Arts education opens doors to a world that too many young people don’t have many opportunities to explore and we aim to do something about this situation!”
– Helen McCrory
For more information, visit HvH Arts Foundation here.
Juliet Conway | October 28, 2025 | Daily Mail
Manon with her father Damian Lewis and brother Gully McCrory-Lewis at Burberry Show, London Fashion Week early this year
It’s been four years since the death of Peaky Blinders and Harry Potter star Helen McCrory.
Now, her daughter, Manon, 19, has spoken publicly for the first time about the beloved late star – and the deeply moving way she is keeping her memory alive.
Manon, whose father is Homeland star Damian Lewis, 54, has revealed she has taken her mother’s surname to honour her legacy and is following in her philanthropic footsteps
The London-born art student has become a youth ambassador for the Sir Hubert Von Herkomer Arts Foundation (HVH), which was incredibly close to her mother’s heart.
Helen, who died from breast cancer aged 52 in April 2021 after keeping the diagnosis secret from the public, was a patron since its inception in 2013.
The charity, run by photographer Debbi Clark, provides free art education and creative opportunities for young people from underprivileged backgrounds.
Continue reading Manon McCrory Becomes Youth Ambassador for Sir HvH Arts
