Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis famously retired from acting in 2017, but it looks as if he might be coming out of retirement for a brief moment if reports prove to be true. First, photos obtained by The Daily Mail showed the 67-year-old star on the set of a new movie with Sean Bean. In the photos, Day-Lewis can be seen on a motorbike sporting a salt and pepper handlebar mustache, glasses, and a helmet, as Bean rides pillion wearing goggles of his own and carrying a backpack. With the massive amount of attention paid to the photograph, Focus Featured ended up sending out a press release, ending the speculation and confirming that yes, indeed, Day-Lewis is starring in a new film. It’s called Anemone, and it’s directed by his son.
From first time feature director Ronan Day-Lewis (an accomplished painter whose debut international solo exhibition opens in Hong Kong on Oct. 2). Written by him and father Daniel Day-Lewis, Anemone will star Daniel Day-Lewis in his first acting role since Focus Features’ Phantom Thread in 2017, alongside Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley and Safia Oakley-Green. Ben Fordesman (Love Lies Bleeding) is the Director of Photography, Jane Petrie (The Crown) is the Costume Designer and Chris Oddy (Zone of Interest) is the Production Designer. The film is said to “explore” the intricate relationships between fathers, sons and brothers, and the dynamics of familial bonds.”
Focus Features Chairman, Peter Kujawski says:
“We could not be more excited to partner with a brilliant visual artist in Ronan Day-Lewis on his first feature film alongside Daniel Day-Lewis as his creative collaborator. They have written a truly exceptional script, and we look forward to bringing their shared vision to audiences alongside the team at Plan B.”
This Wouldn’t Be the First Time Daniel Day-Lewis Came Out of Retirement
Getting his start with an uncredited role in 1971’s Sunday Bloody Sunday, Day-Lewis is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of his generation. His movies have stretched across multiple genres, with his most notable roles coming by way of My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, and Lincoln, all of which earned him a Best Actor trophy at the Academy Awards. He was also nominated for the same award for his performances in Jim Sheridan’s incredible 1993 film In the Name of the Father, 2002’s Gangs of New York, and 2017’s The Phantom Thread.
It was Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie that would prove to apparently be Day-Lewis’ last appearance on the big screen, with his publicist, Leslee Dart, releasing a statement that same year that read:
“Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor. He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject.”
That being said, Day-Lewis also “retired” from acting for three years following his appearance in the 1997 film The Boxer, opting instead to live his life in Italy as an apprentice shoe-maker. Martin Scorsese managed to draw him back to his first love with Gangs of New York, a critical smash that the actor followed up with 2005’s The Ballad of Jack and Rose.