Daniel Day-Lewis quotes

Daniel Day-Lewis is an acclaimed English actor known for his intense method acting and transformative performances. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation, he earned three Academy Awards for Best Actor. He is also famous for his dedication to his craft, often immersing himself completely into his roles. Here are 101 of his quotes:

You don't merely give over your creativity to making a film -- you give over your life In theatre, by contrast, you live these two rather strange lives simultaneously you have no option but to confront the mould on last night's washing-up.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I was a savage for so many years of my life. There was some seed of determination in me that I was not conscious of. I was mostly consciously getting into trouble and drunk.

Daniel Day-Lewis

There's nothing worse than finding yourself in a situation, a very demanding piece of work, and knowing that you're not a true ally to the person who's in charge of all that.

Daniel Day-Lewis

[re: Abraham Lincoln. ] "For whatever reason, and I can't explain why - that moment at which one is drawn into the orbit, irrevocably, of a life. I felt the tug of that orbit. I didn't know why; I was quite alarmed by it..."

Daniel Day-Lewis

You can never fully put your finger on the reason why you're suddenly, inexplicably compelled to explore one life as opposed to another.

Daniel Day-Lewis

At a certain age it just became apparent to me that this was probably the work that I would have to do.

Daniel Day-Lewis

There must've been some part of me that wanted to make my mark. But there was never a defining moment.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I come from not just a household but a country where the finesse of language, well-balanced sentence, structure, syntax, these things are driven into us, and my parents, bless them, are great custodians of the English language.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I suppose the place where I live is fairly remote, it would seem remote to some people.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I just knew at an early time in my life how important privacy was.

Daniel Day-Lewis

[re: Abraham Lincoln] "Shall we stop this bleeding."

Daniel Day-Lewis

The thing about performance, even if it's only an illusion, is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities.

Daniel Day-Lewis

The whole thing of weight, I guess it's because there is a wider fascination we all have with weight.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Many years ago, I really didn't know where the next work was coming from.

Daniel Day-Lewis

The last time I was on a small set would've been probably My Left Foot.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Everybody has to know for themselves what they're capable of.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I see a lot of movies. I love films as a spectator, and that's never obscured by the part of me that does the work myself. I just love going to the movies.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I think I have a strange relationship with time. I'm not really aware of that time passing. I don't feel that I'm wasteful with time. But I'm not aware of it passing.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I don't know what impression you might have of the way I live. I live in a quiet place. I do not live as a hermit, though other people would prefer it if I did.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I feel less often compelled to do the work than I was in the past.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I would wish for any one of my colleagues to have the experience of working with Martin Scorsese once in their lifetime.

Daniel Day-Lewis

I suppose I have a highly developed capacity for self-delusion, so it's no problem for me to believe that I'm somebody else.

Daniel Day-Lewis