Spielberg Recalls Day-Lewis' Lincoln Comforting Him in Emotional Set Moment

Speaking during a discussion at the South by Southwest festival with Sean Fennessey of 'The Big Picture' podcast, Spielberg shared that Day-Lewis' portrayal of former US President Abraham Lincoln deeply moved him as a director.

The filmmaker described a key scene in which Lincoln addresses his cabinet on the urgency of passing the 13th Amendment. According to Spielberg, the sequence was shot in two continuous takes, featuring a four-minute speech that concluded in a close-up of Day-Lewis.

"Daniel Day-Lewis, when he's trying to explain to his cabinet the urgency of passing the 13th Amendment into Constitutional law, it was two shots," Spielberg recounted. "Both shots are moving. One shot starts at the end of the table, and is slowly moving -- it's a four-minute speech, and then, with one cutaway to David Straitharn [who played Secretary of State William Seward in the film], the camera then goes into a close-up mode and finishes on his close-up," as quoted by People.

Spielberg continued, "To this day, talking to you about that, I have never gotten over that scene or how he played Lincoln," as per the outlet.

Recalling the moment, Spielberg said the performance "humbled" him and left a lasting impact. He added that he became so emotional after the first take that he had to step away from the set.

"At the end of that scene, at the end of that first take, I had to leave the set. Daniel was worried because, as Lincoln, he looked around and the director wasn't on the set. And he asked, he calls me Skipper... he said, 'Where's the Skipper?' And I was in the other room crying," Spielberg recounted.

He added, "Mr. Lincoln walked into the room, saw me, sat down next to me, and put his arms around me. That was a moment I will never forget," as quoted by People.

At the time, Day-Lewis, who remained in character as 'Lincoln', noticed the director's absence and went looking for him. Spielberg revealed that the actor found him in another room, visibly emotional.

"He sat down next to me and put his arms around me," Spielberg said, adding that the moment remains unforgettable for him.

Day-Lewis, who announced his retirement from acting in 2017, has largely stayed away from the spotlight in recent years. However, he returned to the screen in the 2025 film "Anemone," directed by his son Ronan Day-Lewis.

In a 2025 interview, Ronan Day-Lewis also shared that Spielberg, a family friend, offered guidance and support during the making of his directorial debut, calling the experience of interacting with the acclaimed filmmaker "amazing."

"This is pretty crazy, but I got to talk a bit with Steven Spielberg, who's a family friend," he said of the filmmaker. "He checked in a couple of times, and he was really, really supportive, and we talked through things. He was asking like, 'What lenses are you using?' and stuff like that," according to People.

Ronan, 28, added, "It was pretty amazing to check in like that after a week of shooting. Obviously, he is a hero to me," as per the outlet.

- ANI