Born and raised in London, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most prominent English actors in all of Hollywood. In an impressive career spanning decades, he has received multiple accolades including a knighthood for his contribution to the arts. The now-retired star is best known for his intense method acting and immersive screen-presence that would transport the viewers into the storyline.
To imagine Hollywood without the star would be like an incomplete rainbow, but such an event almost took place had it not been for Robert De Niro and his $29 million movie.
Daniel Day-Lewis On Why He Made He Became A Hollywood Actor
The recipient of four Oscars, four BAFTAs, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globes, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis is widely hailed as one of the greatest actors the world has witnessed in the history of film. A versatile, exceptional, dedicated, and impressive actor, Day-Lewis has left an indelible mark on the entertainment world.
However, the now-retired star was once not entirely keen on starring in American movies, for growing up in the UK American movies were looked down upon and frowned upon. And that might have nearly happened had it not been for Robert De Niro‘s movie Taxi Driver.
In an interview with the New York Times, the star recalled,
“It was a real illumination. I saw ‘Taxi Driver’ five or six times in the first week, and I was astonished by its sheer visceral beauty. I just kept going back — I didn’t know America, but that was a glimpse of what America might be, and I realized that, contrary to expectation, I wanted to tell American stories.”
It was, thus, the beauty of American cinema and culture that helped him decide to turn to Hollywood.
Daniel Day-Lewis Was Attracted To American Philosophy Of ‘Infinite Possibilities
Trained in the grand theatrical arts and Shakespearean classics, the Lincoln star grew up believing in the grandeur of theatre and classics. In a society where American and Western movies weren’t considered ‘movies’, his perception changed after watching American movies like Taxi Driver.
In the interview with the New York Times, he stated,
“Where I come from, it was a heresy to say you wanted to be in movies, leave alone American movies. We were all encouraged to believe that the classics of the theater were the fiery hoops through which you’d have to pass if you were going to have any self-esteem as a performer.”
It wasn’t until he witnessed the Land of the Free through the movies that his perception began to change.
“The great tradition of liberalism in England is essentially a sponge that absorbs all possibility of change. America looked different to me: the idea of America as a place of infinite possibilities was defined for me through the movies.”
And thus, determined to make his world, he went on to star in multiple award-winning movies, that continue to awestruck viewers with his remarkable acting and authentic portrayal.
Taxi Driver can be rented on Apple TV.
Source: New York Times
