As Daniel Day lewis looks set to become a three time oscar winner here's a list of his finest work - and some of his more extreme method acting stories.
MY LEFT FOOT
Daniel Day Lewis' first Oscar-winning performance sees him playing Christy Brown. Born into poverty in Dublin, with Cerebral Palsy, Christy is only able to control his left foot - learning to paint and write with it. The film depicts the unhappiness and loneliness in Christy's life and his limited ability to communicate wiith the outside world, but Daniel Day Lewis' performance shows that there is also a lust for life despite the hardships and hurdles put in Christie's way. To get into the role during filming as wheelchair bound Brown, Lewis refused to leave his wheelchair between scenes, in doing so he could truly experience the embarrassment that disabled people face everyday; much to the annoyance of the crew who had to move cameras out of the way to move him through . Being a fan of suffering for his roles by staying in character between takes also earned him 2 broken ribs from being hunched over in his wheelchair for an extended period of time. A brilliant film that must be seen for Day Lewis' performance, as well as an Academy-winning performance from his co-star, Brenda Fricker.
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
Set In 18th century North America during the French and Indian War, Daniel Day Lewis plays white man Hawkeye, an orphaned child of a settler family adopted by the last members of a dying tribe called the Mohicans. A hunter-warrior, educated and refined with British sensibilities but despising what the British stand for and strongly identifying with his adoptive culture. Despite this he is irresistibly attracted to Cora Munro, the daughter of a Scottish general who falls under his protection during the course of the film as he fights to save his tribe and the lives of those under his care. In preparation for the film both director Michael Mann and Daniel Day Lewis lived in the Alabama wilderness for a number of weeks, cutting their own firewood using authentic tomahawks, learning to survive like Hawkeye in the film, all while sleeping under the stars. Day-Lewis, under the calming eye of Mann, literally transformed into Hawkeye staying in character between takes and as a costar explained "Daniel would carry his gun around all the time. When he went to lunch he'd have that gun with him, when he went to the bathroom he'd have that gun with him. He's sort of not of this world, Daniel."
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Probably one of my favourite films in the world. It narrowly missed out on the Academy Award for Best Picture to the Coen Brothers'
No Country for Old Men, but Day Lewis did win for his role as Daniel Plainview, a miner turned oil baron.The film starts with a single camera, 11 minute shot of Day Lewis in a dark hole that has you captivated from start to finish. After receiving a tip that oil is buried beneath a small town, he travels there in search of riches, but instead finds a preacher, Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), who is less than happy for the oil to be taken from his land without a fight.
The film is a masterpiece. If you havent seen it, I urge you to watch it.
GANGS OF NEW YORK
Daniel Day Lewis' comeback film after a 9 year absence from the big screen. Set in New York City in the second half of the 19th century. Focusing on Amsterdam Vallon, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who returns to the notorious Five Points to avenge his father's death at the hands of Bill "The Butcher" Cutting - played wonderfully by Day Lewis.
Bill is a butcher, a criminal and the leader of the anti-immigrant 'Natives Americans' gang, who rules the five points after killing Amsterdam Vallon's father (Liam Neeson), in the opening scene of the film. The film charts how Bill becomes a father figure to Amsterdam despite what Amsterdam plans to do. Known for his devotion to roles;
Gangs of New York was no different; in preparation for his role as Bill the Butcher, Daniel Day Lewis took up a role as a butcher's apprentice. He sat sharpening his butchers knives during breaks in filming while staying in character. He famously caught pneumonia during filming after his continuous refusal to wear warmer clothes than they would have had during the period, and went as far as refusing antibiotics until he faced hospitalisation.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER
Daniel Day-Lewis and director of My Left Foot, Jim Sheridan, reunited to make this drama about Irish citizen Gerry Conlon ,who was wrongly convicted of an IRA bombing that killed five in Guildford in 1974. Gerry is sent to prison - to get into the role Day lewis spent time in solitary confinement in a prison - his family become targets, and later his father Giuseppe (played by the late great Pete Postelthwaite) is sent to prison for being an accomplice. Day Lewis again gives an outstanding performance as a man wronged by the system and is another must see in his back catalogue. The film also features fine performances from Postelthwaite and Emma Thompson.
-CHRIS
