Daniel Day-Lewis took a year to prepare for 'Lincoln' role

Day-Lewis, known for his reclusive nature, has done very few films in his career and likes to stay in character during the entire shooting period. Spielberg said that though he did not want to delay the film, he is glad that he agreed.

The actor-director duo spoke about their upcoming film for a Time Magazine-sponsored Q&A session in New York.

Day-Lewis, a two-time Oscar winner, said that people assume that Lincoln had a booming voice thanks to his famous oratorical skills but it was quite contrary.

"Well you look for the clues, as with any aspect of the work. You begin with the places that would have made a huge difference in his life. Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, and the counties that he came from. There are some early recordings, but no contemporary recordings -- lucky for me, so no one can say positively that it's not what he sounded like," the actor said.

 

When asked what he thought of the fact that, thanks to the lack of other Lincoln films and the prominence of this picture, he would forever be seen by Americans as the embodiment of the former president, Day-Lewis expressed considerable discomfort.

"It's a disturbing privilege. And for that very reason, I was extremely shy about taking on this wonderful task. I'm not keen on history being tampered with to a great extent, or any extent really, and I felt with this man particularly, that it might just be impossible to find the life in him that would help tell this story.

"And I hope to goodness that people that do see this film will not feel that this part of their history, which is so vital, has been misrepresented."