During his recent appearance at the BFI Film Festival, Daniel Day-Lewis spoke on an array of topics, but the one that grabbed people’s attention was his views on My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown. The three-time Oscar-winning actor’s attitude seemed to have changed about the movie (via Variety), and he said:
Quite obviously, I would not be able to make that now — at the time it was already questionable. A couple of the kids that helped me so much at the Sandymount Clinic made it clear to me that they didn’t think I should be doing it.
For My Left Foot, he won his first Academy Award in the Best Actor category for portraying Christy Brown, an Irish writer and painter who had cerebral palsy and could only control the movement of one foot. So, let’s look at what approach Day-Lewis took for playing this role, and how his current remarks about the movie are a bit debatable.
Daniel Day-Lewis Went Full Method For His Oscar-winning Role in My Left Foot
Daniel Day-Lewis went full method for My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown, and before cameras even rolled, he spent months immersing himself in the world of his character. He lived in Dublin, trained at the Sandymount Clinic, and learned how to write and paint using only his toes (via Esquire).
Here’s an overview of the movie:
His co-actors revealed how he never broke character on set either. They’d treat him as if he were the actual Christy Brown by carrying him around or feeding him. Though the film’s success was heavily tied to his performance’s authenticity, people questioned his Method acting approach.
What Daniel Day-Lewis’ Admission Says About Today’s Evolving Standards
Daniel Day-Lewis’ reflection on My Left Foot has now joined a growing list of Hollywood veterans who’ve been reevaluating their iconic performances. And mostly, it’s through the lens of representation and authenticity.
Day-Lewis’ sentiments echo Tom Hanks’ concern about his own past role in Philadelphia, where he played a gay lawyer battling Aids. Hanks expressed his thoughts about the movie to The New York Times Magazine and said:
The whole point of ‘Philadelphia’ was don’t be afraid. One of the reasons people weren’t afraid of that movie is that I was playing a gay man. We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy.
And while you can get a queer person to play a gay character, the same logic cannot be applied to every role. A big part of acting is, well, acting! Actors are paid to embody the lives that are far different from their own!
They’ve earned the merit to play these roles, and it shouldn’t be taken away from them in the name of representation. While Hollywood has become increasingly mindful of lived experience, we should still remember that actors, no matter what their background, should be allowed to act!
But what’s your take on this matter? And where do you draw the line?
You can watch My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown on Kanopy. Philadelphia is available to rent and purchase on Apple TV+ (USA).
