Daniel Day-Lewis Insisted on Being Carried to Set on 1 Film

Daniel Day-Lewis is one of Hollywood’s most legendary actors. Known for his strict adherence to method acting and his intense onscreen persona, he has appeared in many acclaimed movies. Although he officially retired from acting in 2017, his work in the entertainment industry remains legendary. One of the most notable instances of Day-Lewis’ dedication came in the 1989 drama My Left Foot. Reportedly, he insisted on being carried to and from the set in order to preserve his integrity to the method.

Daniel Day-Lewis is a dedicated method actor

Born and raised in London, Day-Lewis got his start on stage, acting in a wide variety of theatre productions. In the early ’80s, he started acting in movies, opting for small roles in films to accompany his stage work. He earned early acclaim for his roles in films like My Beautiful Laundrette and A Room with a View. And soon, Day-Lewis was receiving acclaim as one of the film industry’s most promising performers.

According to IMDb, Day-Lewis’s breakout role came in 1988, with his appearance in Philip Kaufman’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being. The following year, he starred in My Left Foot. By this point, Day-Lewis’s reputation as a method actor had made the rounds in Hollywood. The young actor made a point of remaining in character throughout the filming of every project, displaying an intensity and dedication to his work that stood alone in the industry.

Daniel Day-Lewis had people carry him around the set of the film ‘My Left Foot’

My Left Foot was a turning point for Day-Lewis, catapulting him to major stardom. It also marked the first time that his devotion to the method started making headlines. As reported by BuzzFeed, Day-Lewis, who played Christy Brown, a character with cerebral Palsy, requested that he be lifted to his car every morning and driven to the studio. From there,  the actor went to set in a wheelchair.

Assistants even have to carry Day-Lewis in his wheelchair over the cables to get to the actual filming location. At the end of the day, the process would repeat, with assistants taking Day-Lewis back to where he was staying and ensuring that his feet never touched the ground. This dedication to character didn’t end when the filming day was over. Day-Lewis reportedly asked to be shuttled to various restaurants around Dublin, where they were filming, and require that he be spoon-fed. 

Daniel Day-Lewis won an Academy Award for his work in the film

Day-Lewis has been the subject of a lot of speculation due to his method acting. While some haven’t had the best experience with him, others claim that he’s been a true joy to work with. Kate Hudson is one actor who has been open about how much fun she had working with Day-Lewis on the 2009 movie Nine. She admitted in a Hot Ones interview that she got “the best version” of Day-Lewis.

Even if some found Day-Lewis’s behavior on set over the top, he received praise for his work in the end. Day-Lewis was honored with an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work as Christy Brown, the first of his three Academy Awards. To this day, the film is widely considered to be one of his best, and a movie of great historical and cultural significance.