In a dramatic shift from his famously private life, Daniel Day-Lewis has decided to return to acting, agreeing to star in Anemone, the debut feature directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. The film marks Daniel’s first performance since his decision to step away from the screen following Phantom Thread in 2017.
The project began as a quiet collaboration: father and son quietly writing together, exploring themes of family estrangement, memory, and reconciliation. Over time, momentum built—and the decision to bring Daniel back into the fold took on a weight that neither could ignore. Day-Lewis has spoken of regret over the permanence implied by his retirement announcement and gratitude for the chance to reengage with the craft alongside his son.
In Anemone, Daniel plays Ray Stoker, a recluse living in isolation until his brother Jem, played by Sean Bean, shows up and presses him to reconnect with family he had retreated from. The setting is spare and tense, and the film’s atmosphere is one of quiet pressure, secrets, and emotional weight. Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green round out the cast, contributing to a world that is intimate but haunted.
The film premiered during the 2025 New York Film Festival, where its arrival generated a buzz not only for its narrative but for the story behind its creation. Day-Lewis appeared at the premiere alongside Ronan and his wife Rebecca Miller, marking one of his rare recent public appearances. His presence reignited hope that the choice to retire had not been a final farewell, but a long intermission.
Early reactions have praised the rawness of Day-Lewis’s performance—reporters say the intensity and depth are unmistakable, even after years offscreen. Some critics argue the film leans heavily into emotional heaviness, while others celebrate the willingness to confront messy familial legacies. The consensus is that the film would be a curiosity even without the comeback story—but with Day-Lewis returning, it becomes cultural event material.
In interviews, Day-Lewis has admitted that the label “retired actor” may have been a misstep. He framed it as a decision born from a desire to step away from public pressures, not from disinterest in storytelling. Working with Ronan has offered him a sense of purpose bigger than any individual role. Ronan, now in his mid-20s, has said he never intended to ask his father back—but once the script took shape, the film demanded his presence.
For film fans and industry watchers, Day-Lewis’s return feels like the reintroduction of a force long thought absent. The thought of his method, his dedication, his depth of character work coming back to life is palpable. Whether Anemone becomes a critical darling or a polarizing work, the fact that a legendary actor chose to return on his own terms, for a deeply personal film, is already making headlines.
