Daniel Day-Lewis Returns in First Film Since Retiring Eight Years Ago
'Anemone'
A first look at the Oscar winner in his new father-son project, Anemone
Daniel Day-Lewis is stepping back into the spotlight after an eight-year absence with Anemone, a new Focus Features drama set to make its world premiere at the 62nd New York Film Festival (Sept. 26–Oct. 13).
The three-time Academy Award winner stars opposite Sean Bean in the feature directorial debut of his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, with the father-son duo co-writing the screenplay.
Set in Northern England, Anemone follows a suburban man (Bean) who ventures into the woods to reconnect with his estranged hermit brother (Day-Lewis). Bound by a mysterious and troubled history shaped by political and personal violence, the two men navigate a relationship both tender and fraught. The film also features Samantha Morton and Samuel Bottomley, with widescreen cinematography by Ben Fordesman.
The official synopsis calls Anemone “an absorbing family drama” and “an emotional powerhouse” that blends small, intimate moments with sweeping, cinematic gestures on the road to an unlikely familial redemption.
This marks Day-Lewis’ first role since 2017’s Phantom Thread, which he announced would be his final film before retiring from acting. At the time, he stated, “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. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject.”
In a later interview with W magazine, Day-Lewis reflected on the decision: “The impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do … I need to believe in the value of what I’m doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isn’t.”
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Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation, Day-Lewis is the only male performer to win three Oscars for Best Actor, honored for My Left Foot (1989), There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012). His body of work also includes In the Name of the Father, The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, and The Last of the Mohicans, each marked by his intense commitment to character and method acting.
Anemone not only signals Day-Lewis’ return to the screen, but also marks a rare family collaboration, adding an intimate layer to one of the most anticipated premieres of the fall festival season. Focus Features will release the film following its NYFF debut.
