Daniel Day-Lewis used to be one of the finest actors of his generation before his splendid tenure in Hollywood came to an end. He was often even referred to as one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema as well, which, let’s be honest, is not too surprising if looking at some of his best works of all time, like Lincoln.
But his era of being a driving force in the entertainment industry has come to an end now, for reasons more than one. And included in this list of reasons is one that, while on the one hand, made him a luminary, on the other, also proved to be a tiresome obsession that made him desperate to quit acting once and for all in Hollywood.
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One Trait Of Daniel Day-Lewis Compelled Him To Quit Acting
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Everybody knows the tremendous performances that Daniel Day-Lewis has delivered throughout the course of his career. However, what people don’t usually see is the sheer dedication the actor invested in his roles, which ultimately led to the epic results that people saw onscreen.
To make his portrayals the most believable, the Gangs of New York star made sure to not only embody the interests of his characters but also to learn their traits, which could notably be physically challenging to him, as well.
For example, for Phantom Threads, the actor went as far as one could: not only did he learn his character Reynolds Woodcock’s trade, but he also invented the courtier’s entire personal wardrobe. Adding to this was his trying to recreate his surroundings as per Woodcock’s as well.
As Day-Lewis said in an interview with W Magazine:
“I gave so much thought to every single detail. I was probably infuriating.”
As it turned out, Phantom Threads was the very last movie the actor did before fully retiring from acting, which further proves how this tiresome obsession made him desperate to leave the profession once and for all.
All in all, this intense attention to detail and need to delve as much as he could into his character’s personality and background — which impressively came as a result of his utter commitment — were among the main reasons why Daniel Day-Lewis ended up quitting acting in Hollywood.
Daniel Day-Lewis Felt Notably “Great Sadness” After Retiring
In the interview with W Magazine that took place back in 2017, when Daniel Day-Lewis officially announced his decision to retire from acting through his spokeswoman Leslee Dart, he shared how much he felt the need to finally “draw a line” and cease acting if he didn’t want to “get sucked back into another project.”
Continuing, he also explained how much he felt uncertain of his feelings after leaving something that he had been putting so much effort into for so long. He said:
“Do I feel better? Not yet. I have great sadness. And that’s the right way to feel. How strange would it be if this was just a gleeful step into a brand-new life? (…) When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way.”
Daniel Day-Lewis may have decided to finally put his acting career behind him to “explore the world in a different way,” but all of his incredible performances on the screens will continue to live forever, carry on his legacy, and leave an indelible mark on everyone who sees them.
