Career Timeline of Daniel Day-Lewis: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Daniel Day-Lewis built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is a highly acclaimed English actor, often regarded as one of the greatest in cinematic history. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including three Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. His significant contributions to drama were recognized in 2014 when he was knighted.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1981: Starred in Another Country

In late 1981, Daniel Day-Lewis had his big theatre break when he took over the lead in Another Country.

1982: Small Part in Gandhi

In 1982, Daniel Day-Lewis had a small part in the film Gandhi as Colin.

1982: Supported film roles in Gandhi

In 1982, Daniel Day-Lewis played in Gandhi in a supporting role.

1984: Supported film roles in The Bounty

In 1984, Daniel Day-Lewis played in The Bounty in a supporting role.

1985: Breakthrough Performances

In 1985, Daniel Day-Lewis earned acclaim for his breakthrough performances in My Beautiful Laundrette and A Room with a View.

1985: Public Notice with A Room with a View

In 1985, Daniel Day-Lewis gained further public notice with his role in A Room with a View.

1985: Critically Acclaimed Performance in My Beautiful Laundrette

In 1985, Daniel Day-Lewis gave his first critically acclaimed performance in the film My Beautiful Laundrette.

1987: Leading Man Status with The Unbearable Lightness of Being

In 1987, Daniel Day-Lewis achieved leading man status by starring in The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

1988: Starred in The Unbearable Lightness of Being

In 1988, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, gaining further recognition.

1989: Performance as Christy Brown in My Left Foot

In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis gave performance as Christy Brown in My Left Foot, winning numerous awards, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award.

1989: Return to Stage and Breakdown during Hamlet

In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis returned to the stage in Hamlet at the National Theatre, London, but collapsed during a performance and has not appeared on stage since.

1989: Academy Award for My Left Foot

In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in My Left Foot.

1989: Left Stage Mid-Performance

In 1989, during a performance of Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, Daniel Day-Lewis left the stage midway through a scene, marking his last appearance on stage.

1992: Starred in The Last of the Mohicans

In 1992, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in the American film The Last of the Mohicans, where he underwent rigorous weight training and learned to live off the land.

1993: Oscar Nomination for In the Name of the Father

In 1993, Daniel Day-Lewis received an Oscar nomination for his role in In the Name of the Father.

1993: Starred in The Age of Innocence

In 1993, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in Martin Scorsese's adaptation of The Age of Innocence, wearing 1870s-period clothing around New York City as part of his preparation.

1994: Starred in In the Name of the Father

In 1994, Daniel Day-Lewis co-starred with Pete Postlethwaite, whom he understudied at one point, in the film In the Name of the Father.

1996: Starred in The Crucible and met Rebecca Miller

In 1996, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Crucible, during which he met his future wife, Rebecca Miller.

1996: Starred in The Crucible

In 1996, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in the film The Crucible.

1997: Starred in The Boxer

In 1997, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Boxer and trained with former boxing world champion Barry McGuigan. He also watched "Prince" Naseem Hamed train, and attended professional boxing matches.

1997: Starred in The Boxer and first retirement

In 1997, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Boxer. He retired from acting and became an apprentice shoe-maker in Italy.

1998: Selective Film Choices After 1998

Since 1998, Daniel Day-Lewis has starred in only seven films, choosing roles selectively and often with several years between projects, showcasing his dedication to each role and meticulous approach to acting.

2000: Return to acting

In 2000, Daniel Day-Lewis returned to acting, after a three year absence.

2002: Oscar Nomination for Gangs of New York

In 2002, Daniel Day-Lewis received an Oscar nomination for his role in Gangs of New York.

2002: Starred in Gangs of New York

In 2002, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in Gangs of New York as William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting, hiring circus performers to teach him to throw knives and remaining in character throughout filming.

April 2005: Visiting the Gaza Strip with Médecins Sans Frontières

In April 2005, Daniel Day-Lewis visited the Gaza Strip with Médecins Sans Frontières, and criticized the occupation, describing the conditions he witnessed in an article published in The Sunday Times.

2007: Starring in "There Will Be Blood"

In 2007, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood", a loose adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel Oil!. The film garnered widespread critical acclaim, and Day-Lewis received several awards for his performance, including the Academy Award for Best Actor. He dedicated his Screen Actors Guild Award to Heath Ledger, who had recently passed away, acknowledging Ledger's inspiring performance in Brokeback Mountain.

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2007: Academy Award for There Will Be Blood

In 2007, Daniel Day-Lewis won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in There Will Be Blood.

2009: Starring in "Nine"

In 2009, Day-Lewis starred as film director Guido Contini in Rob Marshall's musical adaptation Nine, alongside a distinguished ensemble cast. The film received mixed reviews, but Day-Lewis's performance was generally praised, earning him nominations for several awards.

October 2011: Filming Begins for "Lincoln"

In October 2011, filming began in Richmond, Virginia, for Steven Spielberg's biopic Lincoln, in which Daniel Day-Lewis portrayed Abraham Lincoln. Day-Lewis dedicated a year to preparing for the role, immersing himself in research and working on his physical and vocal portrayal.

2011: Ambassador for The Lir Academy

In 2011, Daniel Day-Lewis became an ambassador for The Lir Academy, a new drama school at Trinity College Dublin.

2012: Donating Papers to the University of Oxford

In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis donated papers belonging to his father, the poet Cecil Day-Lewis, to the University of Oxford, including early drafts and letters from notable literary figures.

2012: Portraying Abraham Lincoln in "Lincoln"

In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis portrayed Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's biopic Lincoln. He spent a year preparing for the role. He read over 100 books on Lincoln, and long worked with the make-up artist to achieve a physical likeness to Lincoln.

2012: Academy Award for Lincoln

In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis won his third Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lincoln.

January 2013: Winning a Golden Globe Award for "Lincoln"

On January 14, 2013, at the 70th Golden Globe Awards, Day-Lewis won his second Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the film Lincoln.

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2015: Honorary President of the Poetry Archive

In 2015, Daniel Day-Lewis became the honorary president of the Poetry Archive, a free website containing recordings of English-language poets reading their work.

June 2017: Announcing Retirement from Acting

Prior to the release of "Phantom Thread", in June 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement from acting, marking the end of a celebrated career.

November 2017: Day-Lewis Explains His Retirement

In November 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis explained his decision to retire from acting, citing a need to believe in the value of his work and stating that audience belief alone was no longer sufficient for him.

2017: Patron of the Wilfred Owen Association

In 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis became a patron of the Wilfred Owen Association, continuing a connection that began with his father, Cecil Day-Lewis, who edited Owen's poetry.

2017: Oscar Nomination for Phantom Thread

In 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis received an Oscar nomination for his role in Phantom Thread. He also retired from acting that year.

2017: Starring in "Phantom Thread"

In 2017, after a five-year hiatus, Day-Lewis starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's historical drama "Phantom Thread", set in 1950s London. He played Reynolds Woodcock, an obsessive dressmaker. The film and his performance were widely acclaimed, earning him another Academy Award nomination.

October 2024: Return to Acting

On October 1, 2024, it was announced that Daniel Day-Lewis would return to acting after a seven-year absence. He stars in Anemone, the first film directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, with whom Daniel co-wrote the script.