Some actors say yes to every project. They appear in commercials, B-movies, indie films, and blockbusters, popping up on every screen and in the unlikeliest of places. Others are more selective, taking only those roles about which they are most passionate. They may go years without saying yes.
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Daniel Day-Lewisis renowned for his selectivity, sometimes going years without accepting a role. As a result, he has only a fraction of the titles to his credit that some other actors do. Yet as a result of this selectivity, Day-Lewis turns in phenomenal performances. When he appears onscreen, acting of the highest caliber is guaranteed. These movies show Daniel Day-Lewis at his best.
Updated on Aug 03, 2025 by Patrick Armstrong:Over the years, Daniel Day-Lewis has brought commanding performances to a variety of characters. From biopics to historical dramas, Day-Lewis has chosen roles across a variety of genres. While the costumes and language may change, what remains consistent is the method actor’s absolute commitment to the proper depiction of his characters.
The result is a filmography that, though small compared to that of many of his contemporaries, is almost unrivaled in terms of quality. In addition to his most popular films, those that dominated the box office as well as the attention of critics, the actor has appeared in several lesser-known but no less brilliant films. Here as everywhere else, Daniel Day-Lewis’s talent shines.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis are a match made in cinema heaven, their collaborationsranking amongst Day-Lewis’s best,andPhantom Threadis one of the fruits of that match. The other film upon which the two collaborated,There Will Be Blood,is the larger, more bombastic of the two films, butPhantom Theadis no less captivating because of that.
Day-Lewis stars asa ’50s fashion designer who seems to have everything he could ever want,living a life of creative passion and opulence. As all of his characters are, Day-Lewis’s character inPhantom Threadis wracked with flaws, and seeing how the actor dances around and plays those flaws against one another is part of what makes this film great.
13The Crucible (1996)
Arthur Miller’sThe Crucibleis one of the most famous and beloved plays this side of Shakespeare, and though plays and films are similar performative arts in some ways, translating a piece from one medium into the other is always a challenge. Given the critical acclaim of the original, the stakes were high when the time came to bringThe Crucibleto film.
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Fortunately, the film has something on its side: Daniel Day-Lewis. The actor plays John Proctor, opposite Winona Ryder’s Abigail Williams, and the powerful chemistry of the cast is in itself enough to recommend the film. The black and white aesthetic and Nicholas Hytner’s directiongive the period piece an appropriately harsh and solemn tone,and the film as a whole feels as cohesive as it is powerful.
12The Unbearable Lightness Of Being (1988)
Daniel Day-Lewis has received so many astounding roles throughout his career, and many have been accompanied by monologues just as astounding. As Bill the Butcher, Daniel Plainview, and so many others, the actor has been challenged to give spirit and power to a number of lengthy and complex speeches.
InThe Unbearable Lightness of Being,the opposite is the case. Daniel Day-Lewis’s skills are tested differently inthis underappreciated filmdue to its sparse dialog,forcing the actor to capture his character through looks and mannerismsmore than speeches. To the surprise of few, the actor carries out this feat with apparent ease.
11The Bounty (1984)
Given Daniel-Day Lewis’s own talent it’s unsurprising to find him starring opposite other legendary talents, but it was still early in his career when joined the cast ofThe Bounty.Featuring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson alongside Day-Lewis,The Bountylacks neither stars nor opportunities for their talents to emerge.
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Despite this film being early in the actor’s career and despite him having limited screen time within it,The Bountyafforded Daniel Day-Lewis the opportunity to demonstrate his acting chops opposite some of cinema’s biggest names. With powerful body language and careful diction,the actor turned what could have been a forgettable role into an unexpected highlight,paving the way for many more brilliant projects to come.
10The Boxer (1997)
The Boxeris less than two hours long, yet Daniel Day-Lewis spent three years training for his role. The number of well-known actors with that kind of obsessive dedication to the craft can probably be counted on one hand. His years of training paid off.When Day-Lewis boxes,he is a boxer,not merely an actor impersonating one.
This commitment creates a feeling of authenticity and immersion which would otherwise be impossible. ThoughThe Boxerhas strengths other than Daniel Day-Lewis, the method actor’s contribution arguably outweighs every other, turning a good film into a great one.
9The Age Of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese and Daniel Day-Lewis have more than one collaboration under their belts, which is unsurprising given just how effective the combination of their talents is.The Age of Innocenceis a 19th-century period piece featuring Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder.
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Based on the 1920 Edith Wharton novel, the film is precisely the kind of story one would expect, considering the time and setting.Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance is more reserved here than in some of his more popular films,but his quieter, more contemplative demeanor in no way detracts from the power of the piece.
8A Room With A View (1985)
Helena Bonham-Carter, Maggie Smith, Julian Sands, and Daniel Day-Lewishelp ground this adaptationof the E.M. Forster novel of the same name.A Room with a Viewis a classic British drama, carried by artful dialog and even more artful characterizations.
Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance as Cecil Vyse is as well-conceived and performed as one would expect, and thanks to the quality of his co-stars, it need not exist in a vacuum. On the whole, Cecil is one of Day-Lewis’s simpler roles, but here he proves himself just as capable of spinning gold from straw as he does with more complicated parts.
7My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
Co-starring a young Daniel Day-Lewis,My Beautiful Laundretteis the story of Omar and Johnny, two men whose former romance rekindles itself despite social pressures that threaten to destroy Omar’s business and tear the two men apart again.
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It’s a low-budget film, with all the problems such a situation entails, andwhile it may not be a cinematographic extravaganza, the movie triumphs.The emotional and sexual connection between Omar and Johnny is loving rather than exploitative, despite the complicated social storm in which the two are embroiled. It’s painful. It’s funny. It suffers from obvious flaws. Though not Day-Lewis’s best work,My Beautiful Laundretteis worthwhile.
6In The Name Of The Father (1993)
Daniel Day-Lewis’s affection for period pieces and historical dramas of every sort is obvious to anyone familiar with his filmography.In the Name of the Fathercarries on that tradition,the story of a father and son sharing a British prison cell for the IRA bombing of whichthey are falsely accused.
Director Jim Sheridan’s film isn’t as lavish as Day-Lewis films likeThere Will Be BloodorGangs of New York,but it makes up for that with visual and emotional intimacy. Daniel Day-Lewis’s character is arguably more grounded and conventional here than in other films, but that detracts from the quality of his performance not one bit.
5Lincoln (2012)
One privilege afforded to the greatest actors is the opportunity to work with the greatest directors. So it was that Daniel Day-Lewis received the opportunity to play America’s 16th president in Steven Spielberg’sLincoln.
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Spielberg’s talent is unquestionable, his eye for narrative pacing and dramatic moments all but unmatched, but one’s taste for the film will depend in part on one’s tolerance of patriotic sentimentality.Whatever liberties are taken with the story, Day-Lewis’s portrayal of the titular character is staggeringly effective.His Abraham Lincoln is gaunt and spindly, a man who wears the weight of his decisions in every wrinkle of his face.
