Daniel Day-Lewis breaks from retirement to honour Martin Scorsese
Daniel Day-Lewis made a surprising return from retirement to present acclaimed director Martin Scorsese with the award for best director at the National Board of Review (NBR) Awards in Manhattan. The event celebrated Scorsese’s Osage epic, Killers Of The Flower Moon, which received multiple accolades, including best film and best actress for Lily Gladstone.
Attendees were stunned by Day-Lewis’s unexpected appearance at the prestigious event. The esteemed actor quit acting after his role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2017 film, Phantom Thread, and has since led a private life away from the public eye. Sitting beside Scorsese throughout the gala, Day-Lewis shared heartfelt words about the director’s profound impact on his career.
I was a teenager when I discovered Martin’s work, Day-Lewis remarked. With a light of his own making, he illuminated unknown worlds that pulsed with a dangerous, irresistible energy—worlds that were mysterious to me and utterly enthralling. He illuminated the vast beautiful landscape of what is possible in film and he clarified for me what it is that one must ask of oneself to work in faith.
Day-Lewis, who had previously collaborated with Scorsese on films like Gangs Of New York (2002) and The Age Of Innocence (1993), expressed his gratitude and referred to working with Scorsese as one of the greatest joys and unexpected privileges of my life.
Scorsese, upon accepting the award, returned the praise, calling his collaboration with Day-Lewis one of the greatest experiences of [his] life. As the crowd gasped in anticipation, Scorsese playfully added, Maybe there’s time for one more, hinting at the possibility of future collaborations. Day-Lewis, standing on the side of the stage, responded with a smile and extended his hands.
The NBR Awards are well-regarded for their meaningful pairings of presenters and honorees. The night witnessed Laura Linney reuniting with Mark Ruffalo, her co-star from You Can Count On Me, as she introduced him as the best supporting actor. Patti Smith had the honor of presenting Lily Gladstone with the best actress award, which led to a light-hearted comment from Gladstone about sitting between Smith and Day-Lewis.
However, one of the most poignant moments of the evening occurred when Michael J Fox took the stage with Davis Guggenheim, the director of the award-winning documentary Still: A Michael J Fox Movie. The crowd gave Fox a standing ovation, and the actor spoke about how Parkinson’s disease has impacted his life. Fox humorously incorporated jokes throughout his speech but emphasized that Parkinson’s has given him a platform to discuss what is possible in life.
Bradley Cooper, who received the Icon Award for Maestro, took a moment to pay tribute to Michael J Fox, mentioning how he considered him a friend while growing up, watching films like Secret Of My Success and the TV show Family Ties.
While the NBR Awards had previously announced the winners, the ceremony offered a clue to one of the biggest mysteries of the awards season. French director Justine Triet, whose film Anatomy Of A Fall won Best International Film, playfully hinted that the audience should pay attention to the dog in the movie to determine the truth behind the protagonist’s alleged crime.
Friday, January 12, 2024 – 9:10 AM
