Showtime’s Billions was led by a thrilling duo in Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti, but Lewis had his reasons for leaving the hit drama after season 5.

Summary

• Damien Lewis left Billions after five seasons, impacting season 6 and changing the direction of the show. Bobby Axelrod's story wasn't finished as he returns in season 7.
• Lewis' departure aligned with the end of his contract and his desire to spend more time with his family in England. The decision was part of a long-standing plan.
• Billions faced challenges in season 6 with negative reviews and a loss of what made the show compelling after Lewis' departure. However, Lewis returned for season 7 to tie up his storylines.

In 2021, many fans wondered why Damien Lewis left Billions, with his character of Bobby Axelrod exiting the series after five seasons. His departure ended up significantly impacting season 6 and changed everything about the show from that point on. Prior to the change, Bobby Axelrod, the self-made billionaire hedge fund manager from Yonkers, and Chuck Rhoades, the justice-at-all-costs-seeking U.S. Attorney, butt heads time and again as Rhoades leads the charge against financial corruption in America by repeatedly attempting to make an example out of Axelrod.

Ultimately, Rhoades gets the upper hand for good by the end of season 5, but the ever-elusive Axelrod still manages to avoid prosecution by fleeing to Switzerland with a couple billion dollars to spare. However, what came next for the pair of rivals was less clear, as Damian Lewis revealed that he wouldn't be returning for season 6, partially due to a tragic loss in his family in real life. It altered the course of the series going forward and Billions had to bring in a new nemesis for Rhoades, although it turned out that Axelrod's story wasn't finished. He returns in season 7 and gets involved in the plot once again.

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Why Damien Lewis Left & What Happened To Bobby Axelrod

In an unexpected twist, Bobby Axelrod’s escape to Switzerland ends up aligning with Damian Lewis’ departure from Billions itself. The New York Times Interviewed Lewis shortly after season 5’s finale and revealed his exit had actually been in the works for “several years.” The former Homeland actor also made sure to emphasize that, while the passing of his wife, actress Helen McCrory, was not a deciding factor in why he left Billions, the decision formed "part of a long-standing plan to spend more time with his family in England" [via LA Times].

According to Damian Lewis, this neatly dove-tailed with the end of his five-season contract and feeling like Bobby Axelrod’s arc was complete. “It’s difficult to keep mining, creatively,” Lewis said, adding, “We know who [Axelrod] is.” Given this satisfying narrative conclusion for the character, it became clear that it was the right time to leave.

How Damian Lewis' Departure Affected Showtime's Billions

Even though Showtime and Billions’ showrunners prepared for Damian Lewis’ departure, they most likely had no idea how severe the consequences, like season 6’s reception, would be. Billions transitioned into season 6 with Billions season 5 guest star Corey Stoll promoted to a series regular as Michael Prince, another self-made billionaire who finds himself at odds with Chuck Rhoades. Unfortunately, Season 6 received the worst reviews of Billions' run, although some of that was a reflection of review bombers causing ratings problems for IMDb and other sites. Still, it was undeniable that Billions lost a lot of what made it so compelling after Damian Lewis’ Bobby Axelrod left.

Damian Lewis Returned For Billions Season 7

For those who had negative feelings about the Billions season after Damian Lewis departed, good news came in February 2023. It was announced that Bobby Axelrod would be returning to Billions in the upcoming season 7. Lewis showed up in six of the final season episodes and his return helped Billions story come full circle and tie up his storylines. However, most of the episodes he appears in are small appearances, almost cameos along the way. Luckily, with just two episodes left before the series finale, Axelrod finally returns to the United States to try to help Chuck stop Mike Prince from his ultimate plans.

Axelrod returns because Prince dared to threaten Wendy, and then when Chuck calls for help, it is time to bring the original giant back to Billions to make sure that everyone knows who really runs this show. His attack on Prince when he showed up is brutally dominating, and it is clear that, even if Prince thinks he can win the presidency, he has a huge enemy in Axelrod, who always holds all the cards. This led to the final chess battle between Axelrod and Prince, and the ending that Billions deserves - one that has been set up since it started. Damian Lewis had to return to Billions because Axelrod always had to be involved in the end.

Billions

Billions is a drama series created for Showtime that follows hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod's quest to accumulate power and wealth, often leading him to utilize unscrupulous tactics. The one man standing in his way is U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades - who will do what it takes to ensure Axelrod is brought to justice. The series is based on several real-world cases featuring dramatizations and embellishments for entertainment purposes.

Release Date

January 17, 2016

Cast

Maggie Siff , Toby Leonard Moore , Frank Harts , Malin Akerman , Paul Giamatti , Melissa Joyce , David Costabile , Damian Lewis , Daniel K. Isaac