1 / 10
Born in London on April 29th, 1957, Daniel Day-Lewis grew up with a family of the arts. With his father, a poet, and his mother, an actress, it's no wonder that Daniel had an interest in acting since he was a teenager. He had already made his film debut at the age of 14, and within a few years, Daniel was already gaining international recognition.
2 / 10
Based off of the biographical book of the same name, My Left Foot is 1989 Irish biographical drama-comedy. Daniel portrays Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy. Daniel would receive his first Oscar ever for his performance, winning Best Actor. He also won the BAFTA for Best Actor and was nominated for a Golden Globe under the same category.
3 / 10
In the Name of the Father is a 1993 biographical drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Emma Thompson. The film is based off the true story of the Guildford Four, and was nominated for 7 Academy Awards. His role was highly praised, and he even lost 50 pounds for the part.
4 / 10
The following year, Day-Lewis starred in the historical drama film, The Crucible. The movie, which also stars Winona Ryder and Paul Scofield, takes place in 1692 over the Salem witchcraft trials. While it was not a box office success, it was recognized for many award nominations.
5 / 10
Although he normally portrays characters of the 1800s or early 1900s, Daniel took a different acting route as he played the role of a boxer in the 1997 film, The Boxer. The Irish film was nominated for three Golden Globes, including a nomination for Day-Lewis for Best Actor.
6 / 10
In 2002, Daniel starred in the Martin Scorsese directed film, Gangs of New York. He played "William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting", alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. The film grossed over $193 million worldwide, and was the recipient of numerous awards. Day-Lewis won the BAFTA for Best Actor, and was nominated for a Golden Globe and Oscar for the same category.
7 / 10
In the 2007 epic period drama film There Will Be Blood, Daniel Day-Lewis plays the role of a silver prospector, which earned him an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Actor, respectively. Like most of his films, Daniel plays an incredibly realistic figure of the late 1800s to mid-1900s.
8 / 10
In 2009, Daniel Day-Lewis starred in the romantic musical Nine. The film includes an A-list ensemble cast: Penelopé Cruz, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, and Nicole Kidman, to name a few. He learned quite a bit of Italian for the role, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor.
9 / 10
Produced and directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, Daniel flawlessly portrays the role of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in the film, Lincoln. Upon its release, it was nominated for 7 Golden Globes and 12 Academy Awards. Not surprisingly, Day-Lewis won an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA within the Best Actor category.
10 / 10
Phantom Thread was Daniel Day-Lewis' final role, as he retired in 2017. In it, Daniel stars as fashion designer "Reynolds Woodcock", who makes gowns for the upper class society. As per usual with his performances, Lewis was nominated for an Academy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Actor. Although he did not win these specific awards, the film garnered an impressive 25 total awards out of 90 nominations. Not a bad way to end your career!
As a recipient of multiple awards, English actor Daniel Day-Lewis is regarded as one of the best actors of our generation. Did you know that he was even knighted by Prince William in 2014 for his work in drama? Let's take a look at his best roles over the past decades...
Enjoy!