Daniel Day-Lewis Returns to Acting for Son Ronan Day-Lewis’ First Feature ‘Anemone’

Samantha Bergeson
·2-min read

Daniel Day-Lewis is officially back onscreen.

Seven years after the Oscar winner announced his retirement in 2017 following “Phantom Thread,” Day-Lewis is set to lead his son Ronan Day-Lewis’ directorial debut, “Anemone.” Ronan and Daniel co-wrote the script for the Focus Features and Plan B original film.

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“Anemone” is Day-Lewis’ first acting role since Focus Features’ “Phantom Thread.” The film will co-star Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green.

The official logline for “Anemone” teases that the drama will “explore the intricate relationships between fathers, sons and brothers, and the dynamics of familial bonds.”

“We could not be more excited to partner with a brilliant visual artist in Ronan Day-Lewis on his first feature film alongside Daniel Day-Lewis as his creative collaborator,” Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski said in a press statement. “They have written a truly exceptional script, and we look forward to bringing their shared vision to audiences alongside the team at Plan B.”

Universal Pictures International will distribute the film internationally on behalf of Focus.

Ben Fordesman (“Love Lies Bleeding”) is the director of photography, with Jane Petrie (“The Crown”) as the costume designer. Chris Oddy (“Zone of Interest”) is the production designer.

While “Anemone” is his first film, writer/director Ronan is an accomplished painter, with his debut international solo exhibition opening on October 2 in Hong Kong. Additional upcoming shows will be held in New York City and Los Angeles.

The “Anemone” announcement comes six months after Daniel’s “My Left Foot,” “In the Name of the Father,” and “The Boxer” director Jim Sheridan confirmed that the actor was still retired.

“He says he’s done. I keep talking to him,” Sheridan told ScreenDaily. “I’d love to do something with him again. It’d be great to see Daniel coming back and doing something because he’s so good.”

The Focus Features slate includes “Piece by Piece,” an animated biopic from Morgan Neville about the life of Pharrell Williams told through LEGOs; Robert Eggers’ reimagining of “Nosferatu,” Edward Berger’s thriller “Conclave,” and Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming crime-thriller “Black Bag.” Yorgos Lanthimos’s next film “Bugonia” with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons and Chloé Zhao’s next feature “Hamnet” starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley are also among Focus Features’ upcoming films.

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