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, widely regarded as one of cinema's greatest. He has received numerous awards, including three Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. His contributions to drama were recognized in 2014 when he was knighted.
1975: Left Bedales and applied to be a cabinet maker
In 1975, Day-Lewis left Bedales and applied for a cabinet maker apprenticeship, but was turned down.
1982: Film debut in Gandhi and theatre break in Another Country
In 1982, Day-Lewis had a small part in the film Gandhi and had his big theatre break when he took over the lead in Another Country.
1982: Supporting role in Gandhi
In 1982, Day-Lewis had a supporting film role in Gandhi.
1984: Supporting role in The Bounty
In 1984, Day-Lewis had a supporting film role in The Bounty.
1985: Breakthrough performances in My Beautiful Laundrette and A Room with a View
In 1985, 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, Day-Lewis gained further public notice with A Room with a View, playing Cecil Vyse.
1985: Critically acclaimed performance in My Beautiful Laundrette
In 1985, Day-Lewis gave his first critically acclaimed performance in the film My Beautiful Laundrette, playing a young gay English man.
1987: Leading man status with The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1987, Day-Lewis achieved leading man status by starring in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, portraying a Czech surgeon. He also began to refuse breaking character during filming.
1988: Acclaim for The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1988, Day-Lewis earned acclaim for his performance in The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
1989: Academy Award for My Left Foot
In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis earned an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Christy Brown in My Left Foot.
1989: Performance as Christy Brown in My Left Foot
In 1989, Day-Lewis gave a performance as Christy Brown in Jim Sheridan's My Left Foot. This role led to many awards including the Academy Award for Best Actor and BAFTA Award for Best Actor.
1989: Left the stage during Hamlet
In 1989, Day-Lewis played the title role in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, but he left the stage midway through a performance after breaking down during a scene. This marked his last appearance on stage.
1989: Collapse during Hamlet performance
In 1989, Day-Lewis returned to the stage in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, but collapsed during a performance. He hasn't appeared on stage since.
1992: Starred in The Last of the Mohicans
In 1992, Day-Lewis starred in The Last of the Mohicans and his character research for the film was well-publicised.
1993: Starred in The Age of Innocence
In 1993, Day-Lewis starred in The Age of Innocence. To prepare for the film he wore 1870s-period clothing around New York City for two months.
1993: Oscar nomination for In the Name of the Father
In 1993, Day-Lewis was Oscar-nominated for In the Name of the Father.
1994: Co-starred in In the Name of the Father
In 1994, Day-Lewis co-starred with Pete Postlethwaite, his former understudy, in the film In the Name of the Father.
1996: Starred in The Crucible
In 1996, Day-Lewis starred in The Crucible.
1996: Starred in The Crucible and met Rebecca Miller
In 1996, Day-Lewis starred in the film adaptation of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible and met his future wife, Rebecca Miller, the author's daughter, during the shoot. He also starred in The Boxer.
1997: Starred in The Boxer and first retirement
In 1997, Day-Lewis starred in The Boxer and retired from acting to become an apprentice shoe-maker in Italy.
1997: Preparation for The Boxer
In 1997, Day-Lewis trained for weeks with Barry McGuigan for his role in The Boxer, becoming good enough to turn professional. He suffered a broken nose and a damaged disc in his lower back during training.
1998: Selective Acting
Since 1998, Daniel Day-Lewis has been one of the most selective actors in the film industry, starring in only six films, with as many as five years between roles.
2000: Return from retirement
In 2000, Daniel Day-Lewis returned from his first retirement and resumed acting after being an apprentice shoe-maker in Italy.
2002: Starring in Gangs of New York
In 2002, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in "Gangs of New York" as William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting, directed by Martin Scorsese. He prepared for the role by learning knife-throwing from circus performers and stayed in character throughout filming, even when diagnosed with pneumonia. The film received mixed reviews, but Day-Lewis was praised for his performance, earning him his third Oscar nomination and second BAFTA Award.
2002: Oscar nomination for Gangs of New York
In 2002, Day-Lewis was Oscar-nominated for Gangs of New York.
2005: Visiting Gaza Strip
In 2005, Daniel Day-Lewis visited the Gaza Strip with Médecins Sans Frontières and criticized the occupation.
2007: Academy Award for There Will Be Blood
In 2007, Daniel Day-Lewis earned an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as an oil tycoon in There Will Be Blood.
2007: Starring in There Will Be Blood
In 2007, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in "There Will Be Blood", Paul Thomas Anderson's loose film adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel Oil!. The film was critically acclaimed and Day-Lewis received numerous awards for his performance, including the Academy Award for Best Actor, which he dedicated to Heath Ledger.
2009: Starring in Nine
In 2009, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in Rob Marshall's musical adaptation "Nine" as film director Guido Contini. He received nominations for the Golden Globe Award and the Satellite Award for Best Actor.
October 2011: Filming 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 spent a year preparing for the role, 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 entire 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.
2012: Donating Papers to the University of Oxford
In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis donated papers belonging to his father, Cecil Day-Lewis, to the University of Oxford.
2012: Academy Award for Lincoln
In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis earned an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln.
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
In June 2017, prior to the film's release of "Phantom Thread", Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement from acting.
2017: Patron of the Wilfred Owen Association
In 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis became a patron of the Wilfred Owen Association, continuing his family's association with the poet.
2017: Oscar nomination for Phantom Thread and second retirement
In 2017, Day-Lewis was Oscar-nominated for Phantom Thread. He also retired from acting for the second time.
2017: Starring in Phantom Thread
In 2017, after a five-year hiatus, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's historical drama "Phantom Thread", playing an obsessive dressmaker. The film was met with widespread acclaim, and Day-Lewis was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
October 2024: Announcing Return to Acting
On October 1, 2024, after a seven-year absence, it was announced that Daniel Day-Lewis would return to acting, starring in "Anemone", directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis.
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