EXCLUSIVE: Daniel Day-Lewis' Retirement Secrets Revealed — And The Role That Drove Triple Oscar-Winner Over the Edge
Daniel Day-Lewis revealed what led to his retirement and the intense role that pushed him over the edge.
July 29 2025, Published 11:30 a.m. ET
Daniel Day-Lewis once declared: "I need to believe in the value of what I'm doing." And RadarOnline.com can reveal it was Phantom Thread, the 2017 drama that earned him his final Oscar nomination, that left the legendary actor convinced that he no longer could – sealing the retirement of one of the world's greatest actors.
Day-Lewis, now 67, shocked the industry when he announced his retirement shortly before the release of Phantom Thread, his second collaboration with director Paul Thomas Anderson.
'He Looked Haunted And Broken'
Day-Lewis said he was done with acting following his retirement.
While the public was told it was simply "time for him to step away," sources close to the film's production now claim the truth was far more taxing: the role of Reynolds Woodcock – a fastidious, emotionally cruel dressmaker – pushed Day-Lewis beyond his limits, personally and professionally.
A longtime crew member who worked on the film said: "He just couldn't shake Reynolds. The production was claustrophobic, and so was the role. You could see it grinding him down day by day. By the end, he looked haunted and broken."
Day-Lewis's Final Film Was A 'Pressure Cooker'
Day-Lewis played obsessive designer Reynolds Woodcock in 'Phantom Thread.'
It was also affecting his relationships and family. The film was shot inside a townhouse in London's Fitzroy Square, which doubled as both set and living quarters.
"It was an invisible shoot," said another source, "but it felt like a pressure cooker. And Daniel was living that character nonstop."
The actor plays Hawkeye in 'The Last of the Mohicans' (1992).
Day-Lewis's approach to acting – total immersion to the point of transformation – is as revered as it is extreme. He remained in a wheelchair throughout My Left Foot (1989), ate prison rations for In the Name of the Father (1993), and learned to hunt and skin animals for The Last of the Mohicans (1992).
His unyielding commitment brought him three Best Actor Oscars – for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012) – and a reputation for being the most intensely dedicated performer of his generation. But with Phantom Thread, something changed. The atmosphere on set, said one insider, was "miserable."
'The Whole Thing Was Draining'
The movie star ended his remarkable career with his 2017 retirement.
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They added: 'It wasn't just Daniel. The whole thing was draining. He was channeling this controlling, icy man, and we all felt like we were working for Reynolds."
Another crewmember noted Day-Lewis, who often isolates himself to remain in character, struggled with the sustained emotional coldness of Woodcock. "He was difficult to approach. You didn't know if you were talking to Daniel or Reynolds."
Day-Lewis was nominated for Best Actor at the 2018 Oscars for 'Phantom Thread.'
But those close to the actor believe that on Phantom Thread, the method collapsed under its own weight.
An insider said: "He knew it would be his last role before we even wrapped. He told a few of us quietly. Said he couldn't do it anymore – not like this. That something had broken during the shoot."
Since then, Day-Lewis has maintained his distance from Hollywood, living mostly out of the public eye. But this year, he made a brief return for Anemone, a low-budget ensemble drama directed by his 26-year-old son. Whether that counts as a comeback or a final favor remains unclear.
Still, for many in the industry, Phantom Thread marks the moment the actor's devotion tipped into self-destruction. One producer said: "That role didn't just take something out of him – it finished him."
