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Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis

Actor, also writer · Born April 29, 1957 (69) · Greenwich, London, England, UK

3 Oscars · 2 Golden Globes · 4 BAFTA Awards · 3 other major award bodies

Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (born 29 April 1957) is an English and Irish actor. Often described as one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema, he is best known for intense method acting portrayed with eccentric characters in auteur films. He is the recipient of numerous accolades including a record three Academy Awards for Best Actor as well as four BAFTAs, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Golden Globes. In 2014, Day-Lewis received a knighthood for services to drama. Born and raised in London, Day-Lewis excelled on stage at the National Youth Theatre before being accepted at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which he attended for three years. Despite his traditional training he is considered a method actor, known for his constant devotion to and research of his roles. Protective of his private life, he rarely grants interviews and makes very few public appearances. Day-Lewis shifted between theatre and film for most of the early 1980s, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company and playing Romeo Montague in Romeo and Juliet and Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Playing the title role in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London in 1989, he left the stage midway through a performance after breaking down during a scene where the ghost of Hamlet's father appears before him—this was his last appearance on the stage. After supporting film roles in Gandhi (1982) and The Bounty (1984), he earned acclaim for his breakthrough performances in My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), A Room with a View (1985), and The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988). He earned three Academy Awards for Best Actor for his roles as Christy Brown in My Left Foot (1989), oil tycoon Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood (2007), and Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln (2012). He was Oscar-nominated for In the Name of the Father (1993), Gangs of New York (2002), and Phantom Thread (2017). Other notable films include The Last of the Mohicans (1992), The Age of Innocence (1993), The Crucible (1996), and The Boxer (1997). He retired from acting twice, from 1997 to 2000 when he took up a new profession as an apprentice shoe-maker in Italy, and from 2017 to 2024. In 2025, he starred in and co-wrote Anemone, directed by his son Ronan. Description above from the Wikipedia article Daniel Day-Lewis, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 29, 1957 (69)
From
Greenwich, London, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26

What are Daniel Day-Lewis' films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 98th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
22%
Bonds
21%
Self
21%
Power
13%
Society
9%
Survival
8%
Ideas
7%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 6 · Dark 13

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 10 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 19 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 6

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 4 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 16

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 11 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 11 of 21 analyzed roles.

Hero
11 of 21
Shadow
5 of 21
Ally
2 of 21
Mentor
1 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Trickster
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Melancholic
14
Romantic
6
Contemplative
7
Bittersweet
5
Other
16

How their films linger

Bittersweet13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Daniel Day-Lewis' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Daniel Day-Lewis' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

36 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Anemone(2025)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Ray Stoker

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump(2020)

    as Abraham Lincoln

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Phantom Thread(2017)

    Script Consultant · as Reynolds Woodcock

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Maggie's Plan(2015)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Lincoln(2012)

    as Abraham Lincoln

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Access to the Danger Zone(2012)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Nine(2009)

    as Guido Contini

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • There Will Be Blood(2007)

    as Daniel Plainview

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Ballad of Jack and Rose(2005)

    Music Score Producer · as Jack Slavin

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Abby Singer(2003)

    as Daniel Day-Lewis (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Gangs of New York(2002)

    as Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Forever Ealing(2002)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Boxer(1997)

    as Danny Flynn

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Crucible(1996)

    as John Proctor

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • In the Name of the Father(1993)

    as Gerry Conlon

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Age of Innocence(1993)

    as Newland Archer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Last of the Mohicans(1992)

    as Hawkeye

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Eversmile New Jersey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Dr. Fergus O'Connell

  • My Left Foot(1989)

    as Christy Brown

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Stars and Bars(1988)

    as Henderson Dores

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Unbearable Lightness of Being(1988)

    as Tomas

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Nanou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Max

  • A Room with a View(1986)

    as Cecil Vyse

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Insurance Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Kafka

  • My Beautiful Laundrette(1985)

    as Johnny Burfoot

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • My Brother Jonathan(1985)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jonathan Dakers

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • The Bounty(1984)

    as John Fryer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Corner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Gordon Whitehouse

  • Gandhi(1982)

    as Colin

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Frost in May (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 4 episodes · as Archie Hughes-Follett

  • How Many Miles to Babylon? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Alex Moore

  • Artemis '81 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Library Student

  • Shoestring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as DJ

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Alex

  • Sunday Bloody Sunday(1971)

    as Child Vandal (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Gordon Whitehouse

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 35 titles from 1965 to 2025; peak year 1992.

Biggest box office

Lincoln (2012)

$275M worldwide

Highest rated

In the Name of the Father (1993)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19652025

Peak 1992 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 15 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 6 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting34 of 35: 31 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score86thWriting2 of 35: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 35: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleMusic1 of 35: 0 only music, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 35: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

35 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s3 · acting1980s15 · acting1990s5 · acting2000s6 · 6 acting · 1 crew2010s4 · 3 acting · 2 crew2020s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 76% of 17 roles
8494

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

3 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 4 BAFTA Awards, 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 4 other major awards from 31 major nominations, 1990–2018.

WinNomination
  1. 2018
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Leading Actor
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor
  2. 2013
    • Oscar, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Leading Actor
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actor
  3. 2010
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  4. 2008
    • Oscar, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Leading Actor
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actor
  5. 2005
    • Berlinale award, won
  6. 2003
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actor
  7. 1998
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
  8. 1994
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor
Show 2 earlier years
  1. 1993
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor
  2. 1990
    • Oscar, won · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Actor

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Daniel Day-Lewis' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 85th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Divisive2
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump (2020)

98th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

In the Name of the Father (1993)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 85/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 90, detractors 61. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Daniel Day-Lewis' work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore16 titles7–82 · median 48 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles19–65 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity15 titles15–81 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs15 titles18–63 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles15–75 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Daniel Day-Lewis work with?

People who share at least 2 of Daniel Day-Lewis' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jim Sheridan shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers