Net Worth Ranker
What Is Daniel Day-Lewis’ Net Worth?
Daniel Day-Lewis, a celebrated English actor renowned for his immersive method acting techniques and selective approach to roles, has accumulated a net worth of $40 million. This financial standing reflects his successful career in film, marked by critical acclaim and prestigious awards.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born on April 29, 1957, in Kensington, London, England, as Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis, his early exposure to the arts was significant. His mother, Jill Balcon, was an actress, while his father, Cecil Day-Lewis, served as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom. The Day-Lewis family dynamic provided a rich cultural backdrop for his formative years. In 1968, Daniel was sent to boarding school and attended Sevenoaks School in Kent. In 1972, his father died from pancreatic cancer. Day-Lewis’s early acting endeavors included an uncredited role in “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1971) at the age of 13. His formal training commenced at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where he honed his craft, developing the skills necessary for portraying complex characters. During his student days, he honed his acting skills on the stage in plays by Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Farquer. He performed in “Frost in May,” “How Many Miles to Babylon?,” and a small part in “Gandhi” in 1982. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1984, playing the starring roles in “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Rise to Fame and Critical Acclaim
Day-Lewis’s breakthrough performances in “My Beautiful Laundrette” (1985) and “A Room with a View” (1985) brought him widespread recognition. “My Beautiful Laundrette,” where he portrayed a young gay man in an interracial relationship, is ranked #50 on the BFI’s list of the 100 greatest British films of the 20th century. These roles showcased his versatility and established him as a prominent figure in the film industry. He continued to progress his personal methods of acting, and it culminated in 1989 when he starred as Christy Brown in “My Left Foot,” which garnered him numerous awards. His commitment to his craft was further exemplified by his portrayal of Christy Brown in “My Left Foot” (1989), for which he won his first Academy Award for Best Actor. To prepare for the role, he dedicated considerable time to studying patients with disabilities at the Sandymount School Clinic in Dublin, striving for an accurate and respectful representation of cerebral palsy. His immersive approach to acting set a new standard in the industry.
Major Film Roles and Awards
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Day-Lewis continued to deliver memorable performances in films such as “The Last of the Mohicans” (1992), “In the Name of the Father” (1993), “The Crucible” (1996), and “Gangs of New York” (2002). His dedication to each role often involved extensive research and physical transformations. He prepared for the role in “The Last of the Mohicans” by undergoing rigorous training and learning to live off the land, camping, hunting, and fishing. In “Gangs of New York,” he starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio with Martin Scorsese at the helm as director. “There Will Be Blood” (2007), in which he played the ruthless oilman Daniel Plainview, earned him his second Academy Award for Best Actor. His preparation included immersing himself in the history of the oil industry and adopting a distinctive vocal style and mannerisms. In 2007, Daniel starred in what is probably his best-known film to date, “There Will Be Blood.” His performance was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews and he received the Oscar for Best Actor, among many other awards and nominations. Day-Lewis’s third Academy Award came for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” (2012). For this role, he spent a year just preparing, reading over 100 books on Lincoln, and he worked tirelessly with the makeup artists to perfect the physical look. He was determined to ace Lincoln’s voice, so he spoke in his accent for the entire shoot, even going so far as to tell the British crew members not to chat with him so that he wouldn’t fall back into his English accent. His performance garnered critical acclaim. He is the only male actor to have won three Best Actor Oscars, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest actors of all time.
Retirement and Legacy
In 2017, Day-Lewis announced his retirement from acting shortly after completing “Phantom Thread,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, for which he received his sixth Oscar nomination. His decision to retire marked the end of a remarkable career spanning over four decades. Day-Lewis lived in a Georgian farmhouse in County Wicklow, Ireland, for five years before he returned to the acting world. He announced his retirement from acting in June 2017. His commitment to his craft and the intensity he brought to each role have left an indelible mark on cinema, inspiring actors and filmmakers alike. He was featured in “Time” magazine that same month as “The World’s Greatest Actor.”
Accolades and Recognition
Throughout his career, Daniel Day-Lewis has received numerous awards and honors, including three Academy Awards for Best Actor (“My Left Foot,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Lincoln”), two Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Britannia Award for Excellence in Film. He also received nominations for his turns in “In the Name of the Father” (1993), “Gangs of New York” (2002), and “Phantom Thread” (2017). His exceptional talent and dedication to his craft have earned him widespread recognition as one of the most respected and admired actors of his generation. In November 2012, he received the BAFTA Britannia Award for Excellence in Film.
Personal Life
Daniel Day-Lewis is known for his intensely private personal life. He dated actress Isabelle Adjani for six years, and their son Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis was born in April 1995 after their split. In November 1996, Day-Lewis married Rebecca Miller, the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller, whom he met while working on “The Crucible.” They have two sons, Ronan Cal Day-Lewis, and Cashel Blake Day-Lewis. The family divides their time between their homes in Ireland and Manhattan. Despite his fame, he has maintained a low profile, preferring to focus on his work and family rather than seeking public attention. He has proved over the years he is a dedicated and complex actor who fully delves into his characters while remaining highly reserved about his private life to the point of being secluded.
