Daniel Day-Lewis has officially come out of retirement after eight years for his role in the upcoming movie Anemone.

Anemone was released on October 3 and is directed by Daniel Day-Lewis’s son, Ronan Day-Lewis. The film explores hidden secrets and buried resentment that rise to the surface as two estranged brothers (played by Sean Bean and Daniel Day-Lewis) reunite in a cabin in the woods.

In an interview with The New York Times, Day-Lewis opens up about his decision to return to acting and how he felt his statement was “daft”:

“I was advised against making it by family and friends – I was at a very low ebb. Not because of the work that I’d just done, but because of those doubts about my capacity to be part of that public world, which seemed more vivid than ever.”

Day-Lewis continued, stating that he felt privileged to act while simultaneously feeling burdened. “I thought, for everyone’s sake, I should just make myself scarce after this. But of course, what’s required of you is to crawl away and die quietly, and I should have done that.

“I brought it on myself, just like I brought on myself the same degree of scorn and derision for now coming back to it,” says Daniel Day-Lewis. The chance to work with his son proved too big an opportunity, which ultimately led to Daniel Day-Lewis’s first role in eight years.

Daniel Day-Lewis’s Tumultuous Career

Daniel Day-Lewis had a highly celebrated career and over four decades of accolades, including his first Oscar win in 1989 for his role in My Left Foot. He also won Oscars in 2008 for There Will Be Blood and in 2013 for one of his memorable roles as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln.

One thing that made Day-Lewis stand out was his intense commitment to each role, even living as the character off-set. Coming out of an eight-year hiatus, he is starring and co-writing the 2025 film Anemone alongside his son.

Unfortunately, the reviews aren’t what he’d hoped after returning, and the film currently sits on a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many are stating that Day-Lewis is simply too big for some roles, including his latest one. If fans of the actor are after one of his many blockbusters, then it appears Anemone is not the film for you.

For fans of Day-Lewis, his return could signal more projects in the future, as he has stated he “never intended to retire”. While his first film since retiring may be met with mixed reviews, Day-Lewis could just end up adding a fourth Oscar to his shelf with his next big project.