For the fifth season cast, Ryan Phillippe initially wasn't overly interested in doing Damages, but on a phone call with producers he changed his mind after being told his character was modeled after Julian Assange, with whom Phillippe was fascinated.[32] Jenna Elfman followed in the steps of Ted Danson, Martin Short, and other well-known comic actors by playing against-type on Damages as Naomi Wal