Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (born April 29, 1957) is a British actor. Born in London, he is the son of Cecil Day-Lewis, Poet Laureate of England. His mother is Jill Balcon, the daughter of Sir Michael Balcon, head of Ealing Studios.

Daniel was trained on the stage, in Bristol, but he made his film debut in Sunday Bloody Sunday in 1971. He then went back to the stage in both Bristol and London, and did not return to movies until appearing in a bit part in Gandhi in 1982. In 1984 he had a supporting role in The Bounty, but came to public notice as half of a gay biracial couple in My Beautiful Laundrette. This role was followed by a completely different character in A Room with a View in 1986. The latter two films opened in New York City on the same day.

Day-Lewis's first starring role was in 1988 in The Unbearable Lightness of Being. He returned to the stage the following year in Hamlet, but had to abandon his work after suffering from exhaustion. He has not returned to the stage again. In 1989 he starred in My Left Foot, and in 1992 in The Last of the Mohicans.

Other film roles have included The Age of Innocence, In the Name of the Father, The Crucible and Gangs of New York.

Academy Awards and Nominations