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 Day-Lewis is a highly acclaimed English actor, widely considered one of the greatest in film history. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including three Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2014, he was knighted for his contributions to drama. Known for his intense method acting, Day-Lewis immerses himself deeply in his roles, often taking extended breaks between films. He is renowned for his selective and meticulous approach to choosing projects.
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1975: Left Bedales and Career Choice
By 1975, Day-Lewis left Bedales and needed to make a career choice, eventually attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
1982: Small Part in Gandhi and Theatre Break
In 1982, Daniel Day-Lewis had a small part in the film Gandhi and a big theatre break when he took over the lead in Another Country.
1982: Film role in Gandhi
In 1982, Day-Lewis had a supporting film role in Gandhi.
1984: Supported Film roles
In 1984, Daniel Day-Lewis played a role in the movie The Bounty.
1984: Role in The Bounty
In 1984, Daniel Day-Lewis took on a supporting role as the first mate in The Bounty.
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: Gained Public Notice with A Room with a View
In 1985, Daniel Day-Lewis gained further public notice with A Room with a View, in which he played Cecil Vyse.
1985: Critically Acclaimed Performance in My Beautiful Laundrette
In 1985, Daniel Day-Lewis received critical acclaim for his performance in My Beautiful Laundrette, set in 1980s London. The film is one of the BFI's 100 greatest British films.
1987: Starred in The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1987, Day-Lewis starred in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and began refusing to break character during filming. He was regarded as "one of Britain’s most exciting young actors".
1988: Performance in The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1988, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, earning acclaim for his performance.
1989: Collapsed during Hamlet performance
In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis collapsed during a performance of Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, leading him to leave the stage and eventually contribute to his decision to move to Ireland.
1989: Won Academy Award for My Left Foot
In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Christy Brown in My Left Foot. He prepared extensively for the role and remained in character throughout filming.
1989: Left Hamlet midway through performance
In 1989, Day-Lewis, playing the title role in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, left the stage midway through a performance. He broke down during a scene where the ghost of Hamlet's father appears, marking his last appearance on stage.
1992: Starred in The Last of the Mohicans
In 1992, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Last of the Mohicans. He underwent rigorous training, learned to live off the land, and crafted canoes as part of his character research.
1993: Oscar-Nominated 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, Day-Lewis starred in Martin Scorsese's adaptation of The Age of Innocence. To prepare for the film, he wore 1870s-period clothing around New York City.
1994: Co-starred in In the Name of the Father
In 1994, Daniel Day-Lewis co-starred with Pete Postlethwaite, whom he had understudied, in the film In the Name of the Father.
1996: Acted in The Crucible
In 1996, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in The Crucible.
1996: Starred in The Crucible and Met Rebecca Miller
In 1996, Day-Lewis starred in The Crucible and met his future wife, Rebecca Miller, the author's daughter, during the shoot. He also prepared for The Boxer by training and attending boxing matches.
1997: Training for The Boxer
In 1997, Daniel Day-Lewis trained extensively with Barry McGuigan for his role in The Boxer, becoming proficient enough to be considered professional. He sustained injuries including a broken nose and a damaged disc in his lower back.
1997: Acted in The Boxer and first retirement
In 1997, Day-Lewis acted in The Boxer and then retired from acting to become an apprentice shoe-maker in Italy.
1998: Selective Acting Career Since 1998
Since 1998, Daniel Day-Lewis has been very selective in his acting roles, starring in only six films with as many as five years between roles. This highlights his dedication and commitment to each project he undertakes.
2000: Returned to acting
In 2000, after taking up a new profession as an apprentice shoe-maker in Italy, Daniel Day-Lewis ended his first retirement and returned to acting.
2002: Gangs of New York Release and Acclaim
In 2002, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in "Gangs of New York" as William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting. Although the film received mixed reviews, Day-Lewis's performance was widely praised, earning him his third Oscar nomination and second BAFTA Award.
2002: Oscar-Nominated for Gangs of New York
In 2002, Daniel Day-Lewis was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Gangs of New York.
2007: Academy Award for There Will Be Blood
In 2007, Daniel Day-Lewis won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in There Will Be Blood, solidifying his reputation as a leading actor.
2007: There Will Be Blood Release and Awards
In 2007, Day-Lewis starred in "There Will Be Blood", which was critically acclaimed. For his performance, Day-Lewis won the Academy Award for Best Actor, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and multiple film critics' circle awards. During the acceptance speech at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Day-Lewis dedicated his award to Heath Ledger.
2008: Academy Award from Helen Mirren
In 2008, when he received the Academy Award for Best Actor from Helen Mirren, Daniel Day-Lewis knelt before her, and she tapped him on each shoulder with the Oscar statuette, to which he quipped, "That's the closest I'll come to ever getting a knighthood."
2009: Starring in Nine
In 2009, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in Rob Marshall's musical adaptation "Nine" as Guido Contini. The movie received mixed reviews.
October 2011: Filming of Lincoln began
In October 2011, filming for "Lincoln" began in Richmond, Virginia. Day-Lewis spent a year preparing for the role by reading over 100 books on Lincoln and working with a make-up artist to achieve a physical likeness. He also spoke in Lincoln's voice throughout the shoot.
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.
November 2012: Recognition for Lincoln and BAFTA Britannia Award
In November 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis received the BAFTA Britannia Award for Excellence in Film for his role in "Lincoln". He was also featured on the cover of Time magazine as the "World's Greatest Actor".
2012: Donation of Father's 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 literary figures.
2012: Academy Award for Lincoln
In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis received his third Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying Abraham Lincoln in the film Lincoln.
January 2013: Golden Globe Award Win
In January 2013, at the 70th Golden Globe Awards, Daniel Day-Lewis won his second Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in "Lincoln".
2014: Knighthood for services to drama
In 2014, Daniel Day-Lewis received a knighthood for services to drama, recognizing his extensive achievements and contributions to the field.
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: Recognition Among Peers
In June 2017, Michael Simkins of The Guardian noted that Day-Lewis is widely respected among his peers as a performer of "mercurial intensity".
June 2017: Announcement of Retirement from Acting
In June 2017, prior to the release of "Phantom Thread", Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement from acting.
November 2017: Interview about Retirement
In November 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis gave an interview explaining that he needed to believe in the value of his work, and lately, that hadn't been the case, leading to his retirement from acting.
2017: Patron of the Wilfred Owen Association
In 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis became a patron of the Wilfred Owen Association. His association with Wilfred Owen began with his father, Cecil Day-Lewis, who edited Owen's poetry in the 1960s.
2017: Oscar-Nominated for Phantom Thread
In 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis received an Oscar nomination for his performance in Phantom Thread.
2017: Phantom Thread Release
In 2017, Day-Lewis starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's historical drama "Phantom Thread" set in 1950s London. The film and his performance were met with widespread acclaim from critics, and Day-Lewis was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
October 2024: Announcement of Return to Acting
On October 1, 2024, it was announced that after a seven-year absence, Day-Lewis would return to acting in "Anemone", the first film directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, with whom Daniel co-wrote the script.
2024: End of Second Retirement
In 2024, Daniel Day-Lewis' second retirement from acting is expected to end, marking a potential return to the screen.
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