Steven Spielberg: Working with Daniel Day-Lewis is life-changing experience
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Actor Daniel Day-Lewis (left) and director, Steven Spielberg (right), pose for a portrait in New York on Sept 4, 2012. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
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Cast member Daniel Day-Lewis (left) and director Steven Spielberg (right) arrive for the closing night Gala Screening of Lincoln at the AFI Fest in Hollywood, California, on Nov 8, 2012. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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Lincoln cast member Daniel Day-Lewis poses during a photocall to promote the movie in Madrid, on Jan 16, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Actor Daniel Day-Lewis portrays Abraham Lincoln in the film Lincoln in this publicity film image. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
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Actress Sally Field and Daniel Day-Lewis appear in a scene from Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
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Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln looks across a battlefield in the aftermath of a terrible siege in this scene from director Steven Spielberg's drama Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
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Actor Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln in a scene from Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
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Actress Sally Field and Daniel Day-Lewis in a scene from Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
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Daniel Day-Lewis poses with the best actor award backstage that he won for his role in Lincoln at the 2013 Critic's Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, on Jan 10, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Daniel Day-Lewis, winner for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama for Lincoln, poses with his award backstage at the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on Jan 13, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Daniel Day-Lewis accepts the award for outstanding male actor in a leading role for Lincoln at the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Jan 27, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Daniel Day-Lewis celebrates after winning the Best Actor award for Lincoln at the British Academy of Film and Arts (BAFTA) awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London, on Feb 10, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis (left) and director, Steven Spielberg (right), pose for a portrait in New York on Sept 4, 2012. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: AP
Cast member Daniel Day-Lewis (left) and director Steven Spielberg (right) arrive for the closing night Gala Screening of Lincoln at the AFI Fest in Hollywood, California, on Nov 8, 2012. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Lincoln cast member Daniel Day-Lewis poses during a photocall to promote the movie in Madrid, on Jan 16, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis portrays Abraham Lincoln in the film Lincoln in this publicity film image. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
Actress Sally Field and Daniel Day-Lewis appear in a scene from Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln looks across a battlefield in the aftermath of a terrible siege in this scene from director Steven Spielberg's drama Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln in a scene from Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
Actress Sally Field and Daniel Day-Lewis in a scene from Lincoln. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: DREAMWORKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
Daniel Day-Lewis poses with the best actor award backstage that he won for his role in Lincoln at the 2013 Critic's Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, on Jan 10, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Daniel Day-Lewis, winner for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama for Lincoln, poses with his award backstage at the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on Jan 13, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Daniel Day-Lewis accepts the award for outstanding male actor in a leading role for Lincoln at the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Jan 27, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Daniel Day-Lewis celebrates after winning the Best Actor award for Lincoln at the British Academy of Film and Arts (BAFTA) awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London, on Feb 10, 2013. The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps director Steven Spielberg took to bring the film to life. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
No Daniel Day-Lewis, no Lincoln, says director Steven Spielberg.
The casting of the titular role in the movie about the American president, Abraham Lincoln, was one of two crucial first steps he took to bring the film to life. Says the 66-year-old film-maker: "The first was to get a great, great screenplay based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's book and the second step was to find an actor to play Abraham Lincoln. For me, it was always Daniel Day-Lewis."
Without the actor's participation, Spielberg adds, he would not have made the film, which opens in Singapore on Thursday. "I would probably have turned the script over to HBO and done a miniseries and I would have just produced."
He says of Day-Lewis, 55: "I have worked with many fine, wonderful actors who all bring different values to their characters. Everybody has a different technique and I don't care how anybody gets to where he needs to go.
