Daniel Day-Lewis's "Anemone" Collaboration Redefines Actor's Public Persona
TL;DR
- Directing a film with one's parent, especially a renowned actor, can transition from a playful, low-stakes endeavor to a moment of profound gravity upon commencing production.
- Daniel Day-Lewis's "retirement" from acting is characterized not by reclusion, but by a deliberate choice to avoid constant public visibility, engaging in life and work away from the camera's eye.
- The film "Anemone" explores the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland from a perspective informed by dual British-Irish citizenship and personal experience, offering an omniscient view of conflict.
- The father-son creative partnership on "Anemone" evolved organically, with the father's wish to collaborate with his son driving his return to acting after an eight-year hiatus.
- The narrative of "Anemone" centers on brothers, but the father-son dynamic and the mystery of a parent's past life emerged as significant thematic elements during the writing process.
Deep Dive
Daniel Day-Lewis's return to acting in the film "Anemone," directed by his son Ronan, signifies a deliberate artistic choice to collaborate with family rather than a simple un-retirement. This collaboration, stemming from a shared desire to create something together, highlights a nuanced perspective on an actor's public persona, challenging the perception of Day-Lewis as reclusive by emphasizing his continued engagement with life and work outside the public eye.
The film "Anemone" itself delves into themes of unfinished business and inherited trauma, specifically through the lens of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Daniel Day-Lewis portrays Ray, a former English soldier grappling with the legacy of his involvement in the conflict, a perspective that Ronan Day-Lewis notes is less commonly explored compared to narratives focusing on other sides of the historical argument. This choice to revisit the Troubles reflects a deep personal and imaginative connection for both father and son, with Ronan having grown up in Northern Ireland and Daniel having spent significant time there during its most volatile periods. The narrative's exploration of brotherhood, as exemplified by the relationship between Ray and the character Jim, and its broader theme of intergenerational transmission--what is passed down from parents to children--emerges organically from the collaborative writing process, adding layers to the exploration of war and its human cost.
Furthermore, Daniel Day-Lewis directly addresses the public's perception of his career, refuting the label of "recluse." He clarifies that his absence from public view does not equate to a withdrawal from life or connection. Instead, he frames his approach as a deliberate choice to not "live in the eye of the camera," distinguishing between public visibility and an active, engaged life. This distinction is crucial, as it recontextualizes his career choices not as an evasion of public life, but as a commitment to a particular way of working and living that prioritizes personal experience and artistic focus over constant public exposure. The father-son collaboration on "Anemone" serves as a concrete manifestation of this philosophy, demonstrating a desire to "cook something up just for the pure pleasure of working together."
Action Items
- Audit personal public visibility: Differentiate between "not in the eye of the camera" and "recluse" to clarify public perception (ref: Daniel Day-Lewis's statement).
- Create a "work with family" framework: Define 3-5 project types suitable for collaborative creation with close relatives, focusing on shared interests and complementary skills.
- Measure impact of "off the grid" periods: For 2-3 past projects, analyze the correlation between extended periods of non-public work and final output quality or innovation.
- Draft a "return to public" strategy: Outline 3-5 steps for re-engaging with public-facing work after a significant absence, addressing potential perception shifts.
Key Quotes
"For me the work is really pure pleasure I do the work because I love to do it not because I feel the need to punish myself I do something else if I needed to punish myself I love to do the work because I do it it's a game."
Daniel Day-Lewis explains his intrinsic motivation for acting, highlighting that his engagement with the craft stems from genuine enjoyment rather than any form of self-punishment. This perspective underscores his dedication to the art itself as a source of fulfillment.
"You start from scratch you begin with nothing you reduce yourself as far as possible to the state of an empty vessel which may or may not fill with something that's going to be useful."
Daniel Day-Lewis describes his acting process as a form of self-emptying, where he aims to become a receptive vessel for the character. This quote illustrates his commitment to a transformative approach, shedding his own identity to embody a role.
"Well retirement notwithstanding in October Daniel Day-Lewis appeared in a new movie he plays a man who withdraws from the world he once knew and then finds himself pulled back."
This quote marks Daniel Day-Lewis's return to acting after an eight-year hiatus, introducing the premise of his new film where his character re-engages with the world after a period of withdrawal. Mary Louise Kelly highlights the parallel between the character's situation and Day-Lewis's own public absence.
"Yeah I mean I'd sort of been thinking of it in such a kind of low stakes playful way for so long because of the way that the script came together which was just like us at the kitchen table working on it."
Ronan Day-Lewis reflects on the collaborative and informal process of writing the screenplay with his father, Daniel Day-Lewis. He describes their initial approach as playful and low-stakes, emphasizing the organic development of the script at home.
"I am not a recluse I just don't live in the eye of the camera you know I mean if you're not visible publicly you're you're deemed to be somehow retired from ordinary everyday life."
Daniel Day-Lewis clarifies his public perception, stating that he is not a recluse but rather chooses to live away from constant public visibility. He explains that his absence from the camera's eye does not equate to a withdrawal from life itself.
Resources
External Resources
Books
- "Anemone" by Ronan Day-Lewis and Daniel Day-Lewis - Mentioned as the screenplay written by father and son for their film.
People
- Daniel Day-Lewis - Actor who announced retirement eight years prior and appeared in the film "Anemone."
- Ronan Day-Lewis - Son of Daniel Day-Lewis, writer and director of the film "Anemone."
- Mary Louise Kelly - Host of the podcast "Consider This from NPR."
- Kathryn Fink - Producer of the episode.
- Connor Donevan - Producer of the episode.
- Jimmy Keeley - Audio engineer for the episode.
- Neisha Heinis - Audio engineer for the episode.
- Patrick Jarenwattananon - Editor of the episode.
- Sami Yenigun - Executive producer of the episode.
- Mindy - NPR supporter from Colorado.
- Jessie Diggins - US Olympic cross country skiing athlete and Serta brand ambassador.
- Sean Bean - Actor who plays the character Jim in "Anemone."
- Nessa - Character in "Anemone," wife of Jim and mother of Brian.
- Brian - Character in "Anemone," son of Nessa and stepson of Jim, who is in trouble.
Organizations & Institutions
- NPR (National Public Radio) - The broadcasting organization producing the podcast "Consider This."
- NPR Plus - Subscription service for NPR podcasts.
- Serta - Sponsor mentioned as the official mattress and restorative sleep provider for the US Olympic and Paralympic teams.
- US Olympic and Paralympic teams - Mentioned in relation to Serta's sponsorship.
- Focus Features - Distributor of the movie "Anemone."
Podcasts & Audio
- Consider This from NPR - The podcast featuring the discussion about Daniel Day-Lewis and Ronan Day-Lewis.
- Storycorps podcast - Mentioned for holiday editions featuring Christmas memories and a Cold War story.
- All Songs Considered - NPR Music podcast looking back at the biggest songs and albums of the year.
- State of the World podcast - NPR podcast providing global news updates.
Other Resources
- The Troubles - Historical conflict in Northern Ireland discussed in relation to the film "Anemone."
- Good Friday Accord - Agreement that ended the Troubles.
- Fourth Estate - Term used to describe the role of journalists in holding power accountable.