Daniel Day-Lewis was virtually unrecognizable at the premiere of his new film, Anemone, which he co-wrote with his 27-year-old son, Ronan. The legendary actor donned a black suit for the occasion, along with a white shirt and gray tie to complete the outfit. He looked worlds away from his usual appearance, thanks to his silver-colored hair and black-rimmed glasses. Ronan, who directed his father in the film, showcased his laid-back style in a black suit and red shirt, complete with Converse sneakers.
Daniel has remained out of the public eye for almost a decade, aside from the occasional appearance at film events. He announced his retirement in 2017 after winning the Best Actor Oscar for Phantom Thread, marking his third Academy Award win. "Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor. He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years," his representative shared in a statement at the time.
"This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject." The recluse then came out of retirement to support his son's filmmaking dreams, and stars in Anemone as a troubled recluse who shares an uneasy reunion with his brother. Daniel explained to Rolling Stone that his desire to collaborate with Ronan was the catalyst that brought him back to Hollywood.
"I had some residual sadness because I knew Ronan was going to go on to make films, and I was walking away from that," he said. "I thought, 'Wouldn't it be lovely if we could do something together and find a way of maybe containing it, so that it didn't necessarily have to be something that required all the paraphernalia of a big production?'"
It wasn't until Ronan threatened to back out of the project that Daniel gave in and decided to lend his talents to the flick. "It was just kind of a low-level fear, [an] anxiety about re-engaging with the business of filmmaking," he explained.
"The work was always something I loved. I never, ever stopped loving the work. But there were aspects of the way of life that went with it that I'd never come to terms with…there's something about that process that left me feeling hollowed out at the end of it."
Daniel continued: "It was only really in the last experience [with Phantom Thread] that I began to feel quite strongly that maybe there wouldn't be that regeneration anymore. That I just probably should just keep away from it, because I didn't have anything else to offer." The 68-year-old shared that while working with Ronan, his passion for acting returned, and that it was "just pure joy to spend that time together with him".
Daniel is a proud father of three: he shares his eldest son, Gabriel-Kane, with his ex-girlfriend Isabelle Adjani, and his sons Ronan and Cashel with his second wife, Rebecca Miller. While Gabriel-Kane is a model and musician, Cashel is intensely private and prefers to create his musical compositions out of the spotlight. Ronan is a Yale University graduate, as well as a talented painter and director.