Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln: Has There Ever Been A Safer Bet For Best Actor?

Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln: Has There Ever Been A Safer Bet For Best Actor?

As February looms, there is only one thing on the mind of film lovers and industry types alike: The Oscars. When The Academy Awards are doled out  on the 24th, there's perhaps one truly safe bet, and it's Daniel Day Lewis to pick up Best Actor in a Leading Role for his turn as America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln.

He'll be helped along by the emotive storyline; after all, Lincoln is considered an American hero. But, having been nominated for 11 awards, including Best Director, you can garuntee at least 5 awards for the Spielberg Epic. 

Lewis, however, believes the part should have gone to an American actor. He tells the Daily Mirror newspaper, "I was very aware of the responsibility involved as I didn't want to be the person who desecrated the memory of the most loved president America has ever known... It seemed like an outlandish idea to take someone who grew up in south east London and make him President of the United States... I'm not an American citizen so I don't have the right to be president."

Spielberg himself wouldn't change the choice of Lewis, though, as he considers working with him a life changing experience. "I have worked with many fine, wonderful actors," begins Spielberg, "who all bring different values to their characters. I have learned how they arrive at those very private and personal moments of consolidation where they are really able to imprint on a character, to deliver the message, convince us they are that person. 

"Everybody has a different technique and I quite frankly don't care how anybody gets to where they need to go. But I will say that I think Daniel and Tom Hanks are the two actors who I have had life-changing experiences with as a director."