Five movies that prove Daniel Day-Lewis is the world’s best actor
It used to be that many fans of cinema claimed that Marlon Brando was the greatest actor in the world, something that Brando himself was somewhat reticent to accept. In the same light, from a contemporary perspective, Daniel Day-Lewis has had such claims levelled at him, and again, he batted away the suggestions with an air of humility.
After all, who would be so high-minded of themselves to really think themselves the best of their kind? With Day-Lewis, though, it’s hard not to think of himself as one of all-time greatest actors. He had given countless performances throughout his career that truly epitomised the craft, and his retirement in 2017 sent shockwaves through the industry.
The reason for Day-Lewis’ brilliance, though, is that he only takes on a role if he feels a personal need to interrogate his character and gain a better understanding of their outlook on the world. From there, his own knowledge and perspective of the human experience is broadened, and he can begin to live a personal life full of direction and agency.
The proof of Day-Lewis’ genius all lies in the roles, and we’ve compiled a short list of the times that he put his name in the hat of the best actor of all time. From his breakthrough role playing a striving artist via portrayals of power-mad villains, here are the undoubted best moments of Daniel Day-Lewis’ career.
Daniel Day-Lewis’ best performances:
My Left Foot (Jim Sheridan, 1989)
Earning the legendary actor his first Academy Award for ‘Best Actor’, Day-Lewis’ transformative turn as the artist and writer Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy, was nothing short of mesmerising and served as the first time the actor’s genius was recognised on an international scale, proving his sheer dedication to the craft of acting.
Day-Lewis truly immersed himself in the emotional and physical challenges that Brown faced on a day-to-day basis and detailed with striking attention the minutiae of his body movement and speech modes. A portrayal of a truly resilient and wildly intelligent man with the strength to overcome the limitations of his disability.
Gangs of New York (Martin Scorsese, 2002)
Even in the role of the villain, Day-Lewis seemed to excel, and he gave yet another remarkable performance in Martin Scorsese’s historical epic Gangs of New York as the fearsome gang leader Bill the Butcher, providing the antagonist to the film’s hero, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Amsterdam Vallon, detailing the actions of a man hellbent on gaining power in 19th century New York.
Whenever Day-Lewis is on screen, he completely dominates the audience’s attention with charisma and a truly physical acting effort. Day-Lewis’s vision of Bill is one of utter violence juxtaposed with humour and charm that makes him the perfect concoction for a terrifying monster, though the actor is also capable of revealing just a hint of vulnerability behind his character’s macho veneer, further proof of his genius.
There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
By the time perhaps Day-Lewis’ most significant performance arrived in 2007 with Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, he’d been nominated for a further two ‘Best Actor’ Oscars and finally took home his second win with his depiction of Daniel Plainview, a bloodthirsty and ruthless oil prospector during the Oil Boom of early 20th century California.
By detailing the all-consuming nature of power, ambition and greed for wealth, Day-Lewis showed the world the true meaning of acting. There’s a complexity to Plainview that bubbles beneath his intelligent and savvy exterior, a loneliness that he’s desperate to keep under wraps, and Day-Lewis slowly unravels his inner being with nuanced movements and expressions in a genuine masterclass of his profession.
Lincoln (Steven Spielberg, 2012)
Steven Spielberg had to consult Leonardo DiCaprio in order to get Day-Lewis to take on his third Oscar-winning role in 2012’s historical biopic Lincoln, in which the actor played the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. This initial hesitation is nowhere to be seen in the eventual performance, though, because Day-Lewis captured the historical figure with a striking level of authenticity and accuracy.
Not only did Day-Lewis manage to match Lincoln’s speaking voice and physicality, but he also showed his humour and intelligence even amid the pressures of the ongoing American Civil War. This film details the reality behind the myth, and Lincoln simultaneously serves as a crucial document of American history and further proof of Day-Lewis’ endless brilliance.
Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017)
Day-Lewis returned to work with Paul Thomas Anderson ten years after There Will Be Blood with his drama film Phantom Thread. The actor again showed that there’s no role that he could not extend his talents to – this time with a portrayal of an obsessive, mollycoddled, brattish dressmaker in post-war 1950s London.
Reynolds Woodcock might just be Day-Lewis’ most nuanced performance, and, sadly, it would be his last before retirement. He masterfully captured the elegance expected of a respected fashion designer, but as the narrative rolls on and Reynolds is caught in a problematic romantic relationship, his thin veneer wears away, and the little boy inside is slowly exposed to the realities of life. Once again, Day-Lewis delivered, and he ended his career with an artistic and genius flourish.
