On Wednesday, Daniel Day-Lewis stepped back into the London limelight for the first time in years, gracing a packed Screen Talk event as part of the 69th edition of the BFI London Film Festival (LFF). He was greeted with a thunderous ovation after signing autographs for adoring fans before the event.
Discussing his return to acting after an eight-year hiatus for the family drama *Anemone*, directed by his son Ronan Day-Lewis, and reflecting on his illustrious career, the three-time Oscar winner shared: “It truly began with a pure desire to collaborate with Ronan,” aiming to mitigate the “sadness” of potentially never sharing the screen otherwise. He described the film as an exploration of brotherhood and the reunion of estranged siblings. The aspect that intrigued him most was “the absence of the need for words,” and understanding his character’s military career arc was pivotal in embodying the man chasing his brother and his ensuing behavior.
*Anemone* follows a middle-aged man, portrayed by Sean Bean, on a journey into the woods where he reconnects with his reclusive brother, played by Day-Lewis. Samantha Morton also stars in the film. Day-Lewis had previously expressed “certain reservations about re-entering the public sphere” by starring in the film, but his son made it clear that he wouldn’t proceed unless Day-Lewis participated.
The project, from Focus Features, had its world premiere at the New York Film Festival. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Ronan Day-Lewis and was co-written by him and his father.
During a wide-ranging discussion on Wednesday, the star was queried about how he immersed himself physically in many of his roles, such as in *My Left Foot*. He shared that he approached it with “very gentle steps.” “I saw the wheelchair as a cage… and I began to work extensively with my foot,” he recounted.
When asked about his acting methodology, Day-Lewis remarked that immersion “makes sense to me,” though he acknowledged that other actors can achieve greatness without it, offering “hats off to them.” He stressed, “I still find that process a joyful endeavor. We’re playing games for a living.”
The star also contended that recent criticism of method acting has sometimes been portrayed as if it were a cult, noting that such remarks often come from those who lack a true understanding. “It invariably comes from people with little or no comprehension of what it actually entails,” Day-Lewis said. “It’s almost like some specialized science we’re involved in, or a cult, but it’s merely a way of liberating yourself for spontaneity when working with colleagues in front of the camera, allowing you to respond freely in any way you’re moved to in that moment.”
The actor emphasized that he entered *My Left Foot* without the screen experience he could have utilized. “I was clueless,” he admitted, drawing laughter. “I didn’t have a fucking clue what I was doing.”
Recalling his acting school days, he noted that theater was considered the “elite cultural form,” while film was seen as “dodgy,” and TV elicited reactions of “really?!” “It always irritated the hell out of me that we were essentially performing for a privileged few,” he remarked about such attitudes.
To more laughter, he shared how “Stephen Frears was exasperated with me,” because Day-Lewis always required something “real” to maintain the illusion and stay in the acting sphere. For instance, he would stop sweeping the floor once it was clean, much to the director’s frustration, Day-Lewis recounted.
Asked about his long-standing creative partnership with Jim Sheridan, he shared: “I met Jim, and within 10 minutes, I basically had a crush on him.”
He also mentioned on Wednesday how he “revered Marlon Brando,” among other actors. And he shared, “I had a crush on Mary Poppins. I mean, Julie Andrews,” also revealing that *Zulu* was one of his favorite films growing up.
The role that transformed his life upon viewing was Dai Bradley in *Kes*. “It remains one of the greatest performances,” he said before expressing his “admiration for Ken Loach.”
The star also discussed working with writer-director Rebecca Miller, now his wife, on *The Ballad of Jack and Rose*, and now with his son. “There was never any question about… a conflict of interest” between family and professional roles in both cases, he concluded. Both projects were “experiences that people will recall fondly,” he said.
Ronan Day-Lewis joined the onstage discussion for the final 20 minutes, sharing that the shoot for *Anemone*, much of which transpired in a shed, was “claustrophobic” but also “incredibly intimate.”
The two co-wrote the script, with Day-Lewis senior mentioning that he can’t really type. But his son also saw another advantage in collaborating with his father, explaining the familial synergy this way: “It takes the edge off because you know they will give you the benefit of the doubt,” as long as you have a good relationship. Added his father: “It was a joyful experience to have this time together.”
Ronan Day-Lewis highlighted how David Lynch has influenced him and how he shared with the legendary filmmaker an interest in “exploring darkness” without “dwelling in darkness.”
Asked about humorous moments in *Anemone*, his father said, among other things, that he found the idea of “shitting on a priest” mentioned in one scene truly “hilarious.”
Daniel Day-Lewis recently admitted he regretted announcing his retirement following his role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2017 film *Phantom Thread*. “Looking back on it now — I would have done well to just keep my mouth shut, for sure,” he told *Rolling Stone*. “It just seems like such grandiose nonsense to talk about. I never intended to retire, really. I just stopped doing that particular type of work so I could pursue other endeavors.”
The star also shared final words of advice for young actors on Wednesday, before a farewell standing ovation. “A lot of young actors, especially if they’re fortunate enough – when opportunities arise, people want to keep coming back for you. They keep seeking you out as long as the money keeps coming in,” Day-Lewis said. “And so it takes a certain steadfastness in yourself to say, ‘No, I need to do this the only way I know how.’ And I did just that, the only way I knew how.”
