Daniel Day-Lewis | Biography, Movies, & Facts

Daniel Day-Lewis: Biography, Movies, & Facts

Early Life and Background

Daniel Day-Lewis, born April 29, 1957, in London, England, is a British actor renowned for his intense screen presence and meticulous preparation for roles. He is the second child of Cecil Day-Lewis, a prominent British poet of the 1930s, and actress Jill Balcon, and the grandson of film producer Sir Michael Balcon.

Acting Beginnings

Day-Lewis began acting at Bedales, a progressive school in Petersfield, England. At age 13, he secured a minor role in the film Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971). He later joined the Bristol Old Vic and Royal Shakespeare companies before landing early adult roles in Gandhi (1982) and The Bounty (1984).

Career Highlights

Daniel Day-Lewis's versatility was showcased in 1985 when he portrayed a gay hooligan in My Beautiful Laundrette and a reserved Edwardian Englishman in an adaptation of E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View. These films earned him international recognition, further boosted by his role as an adulterous surgeon in The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988).

Acclaimed Performances and Awards

Won Academy Awards for My Left Foot (1989), There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012).
Other significant films include Gangs of New York (2002).

Daniel Day-Lewis is "known for his on-screen intensity and offscreen exhaustive preparation for roles."

Editors' Note

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Summary: Daniel Day-Lewis is a critically acclaimed British actor celebrated for his intense performances and dedication to deeply embodying his roles throughout a distinguished career.

Britannica — 2025-11-05