Daniel Day-Lewis transforms into Abraham Lincoln (Picture)

By: Jessica Derschowitz
Topics: Movies

Daniel Day-Lewis spotted in Richmond Va., left, and Abraham Lincoln.

(Credit: Splash News/AP)

(CBS) Daniel Day-Lewis is playing Abraham Lincoln in Stephen Spielberg's upcoming film "Lincoln," and a new photo shows how the Oscar-winner has transformed himself into the 16th president.

The "There Will Be Blood" star, 54, was spotted at a restaurant in Richmond, Va., sporting Honest Abe's trademark beard and hairstyle. The film is shooting in the area.

Pictures: Daniel Day-Lewis

Richmond native Michael Phillips was able to snap a photo of the actor and tweeted it to his followers.

The film also stars Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Hawkes, James Spader and Hal Holbrook. It's due out next year.

Tell us: What do you think of Day-Lewis as Lincoln?

12 Comments +

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by rmm26a December 3, 2011 12:23 PM EST

Isn't the actor supposed to look like the person he is portraying...just sayin'. Looks like I'll be skipping that flick...haha

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by rmm26a December 3, 2011 12:42 PM EST: Plus Steven Spielberg has become a really Sh***y director...he really sucks now (and I used to like his movies).


by Jesus_Loves_Children December 2, 2011 9:32 AM EST: Just Kidding*!

President Lincoln is thinking that Daniel Day Lewis does not look at all like him. Just kidding;

Daniel Day Lewis is mimicking President Lincoln thinking that Lewis does not look at all like him. Just kidding;

Black and white and colored photographs still have a lot of dreaming to do. Just kidding;

Daniel Day Lewis had his legs broken and stretched ten inches for the part. Just kidding;

The tables and chairs are not the same and the lighting is not on the same side. Just kidding;

Daniel Day Lewis is wondering what President Lincoln would do about the economy and Iran. Just kidding;

President Lincoln is having his feet massaged. Just kidding.

*Judy Grimes, SNL; Reply to this comment


by talkin2u December 1, 2011 7:42 PM EST: Excellent. I live here in Richmond so I hope to run into him! I'll probably be with my kids and they'll say "see Daddy, there's Ab Lincoln. I told ya he was not dead!"; Reply to this comment

by InnerView December 1, 2011 5:34 PM EST

Dan needs to work on his posture. Grow the hair a bit more, darken it, work on the cheek bones and ease up on the eye squinting and lose another 5... then maybe.

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by daniele7ster December 1, 2011 7:21 PM EST: Picky picky!


by lucifersshadow December 1, 2011 11:06 PM EST: The biggest difference I see is the hair . . . in a huge proportion of the civil war era photos, the people had rather wild hair . . . in Daniel's photo, his hair is a bit to short, and far to well groomed.


by tjcrew1 December 1, 2011 5:16 PM EST: Daniel Day-Lewis is as talented as they come.
Abraham Lincoln is as compelling of an historical figure as we've had.
I hope the script is worthy of the actor and subject.; Reply to this comment

by taxchurches December 1, 2011 5:14 PM EST

Sally Field? Ugh. Just when you thought it was safe to go to the movies again...

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by birdflight December 2, 2011 11:11 AM EST: Watch Sally Field for a 30 second change of emotions and facial expressions in one Movie called Mrs. DoubtFire. Only in this part watch her talent--Now not all actors-actresses are perfect ( have you ever tried acting? ) I have! and anyway the amount of changes that Sally does in 30 seconds at that dinner table when she finds out that Mrs. DoubtFire is her husband is amazing!

I am sure that with a great Director as Stephen Spielberg that Sally will be well directed! as I know Stephen got which actors he originally wanted for this movie--because Stephen also is wise enough to have this tie in to our upcoming elections!

So the reasons for this are perfected by Stephen to finally have a movie that will affect our country at the perfect time! I know this is what Stephen is doing and has planned! ALSO! I am sure that we will see Daniels hair change too! HA! HA! as the time in the movie progresses! toward that time frame in the civil war and Lincolns personal life and feelings and emotions--So his hair will become more scraggly --as this was a concern of another person who commented too!

Believe you me! Stephen knows that this movie will be and can be! one of the best in the history of film ( of which I have studied and acted myself too! and some directing and planning and producing of things too! like plays etc.!

So now I WILL HAVE TO WRITE STEPHEN AND TELL HIM TO DO MY SCRIPT THAT I WROTE ON THE HISTORY AND LIFE OF THE " GEORGE WASHINGTON " OF SOUTH AMERICA! SIMON BOLIVAR! FOR AT THAT POINT WHEN I SEND THE SCRIPT-- THE CURRENT WORLD HISTORY 2 YEARS FROM NOW! OF OUR WORLD AND WHERE WE ARE HEADED WILL TIE IN PERFECTLY TOO! AS WILL HIS CURRENT LINCOLN MOVIE WILL DO TOO!

ALL IN ORDER TO RE-TEACH AND REACH AND ENTERTAIN ALL AMERICANS AND PEOPLES! AS TO THE RHYME AND REASON OF WHY THINGS ARE AND HAVE BEEN THE WAY THEY ARE! ASIDE FROM IN THE AMERICAS TOO!

SO HAVING ONE MAN " SIMON BOLIVAR " LEAD MANY PEOPLE TO FREE ALL OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT OF THE TYRANNICAL RULE OF MY ANCESTORS FROM SPAIN! THE CONQUISTADORS! IS ONE AMAZING STORY! AND WHY SIMON BOLIVAR CALLED HIS NEW AREA " EL NUEVA GRANADA "! WE SPANIARDS WERE HERE 120 YEARS BEFORE THE PILGRIMS TOO! IN ALL OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST TOO! PLUS FLORIDA! AND ISLANDS NEARBY AND MOST OF THEM IN THE AREAS!

WE SETTLED MANY AREAS --LIKE SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 120 YEARS BEFORE THE PILGRIMS EVEN LANDED AT PLYMOUTH ROCK! SO--THE CURRENT POWERFUL HISTORICAL CHANGES THAT THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING IS A CHANGE THAT ALL BOILS INTO ONE POT THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A SOLID 350 YEARS EASILY!

MUCH LESS SINCE 1776 WHEN THE FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY GEORGE WASHINGTON DID WHAT HE MAGICALLY DID! WITH THE POWER OF THE GREAT SPIRIT AS OUR NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES( ESPECIALLY THE EASTERN TRIBES ) TAUGHT OUR FOREFATHERS! AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE TYPE OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE TOO!

THE 3 CHECK SYSTEM--( ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS AND THE SENATE ) BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JEFFERSON, ETC.! ETC,! KNEW OF THE TRUTH FOR MANKIND! AS DID SIMON BOLIVAR AND FOR HIS NUEVA GRANADA --WHICH CONTAINED ALL OF COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, VENEZUELA AND MOST OF PERU TOO! ASIDE FROM OTHER AREAS TOO! IT WAS AND IS ABOUT THE TRUE FREEDOM FOR ALL OF MANKIND!

AS DANIEL DAY LEWIS WILL RE-TEACH THIS SIMPLE TRUTH IN THIS LINCOLN MOVIE TOO! FOR THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD NEED TO BE REMINDED OF! TRUE FREEDOM!

FOR IT IS TIME! THE EVOLUTION OF TRUTH AND DESIRES OF FREEDOM OF PEOPLES EVERYWHERE! HAS BEGUN! FOR THIS IS THE VITAL INGREDIENT OF THE ARAB SPRING AND THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT TOO! YET EVEN MANY OF THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN IT TOO --DO NOT REALIZE THIS!

AS LINCOLN DID REALIZE THIS! DURING THE VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR OUR COUNTRY AT AND DURING THE TIME OF THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS AND OUR CIVIL WAR! THE TRUTH OF TRUE FREEDOM!

WE ALL NEED TO MOVE FORWARD IN A PEACEFUL MANNER TO CHANGE THE WORLD AS DID GANDHI IN INDIA DURING HIS TIME THERE! THE CHANGES WILL HAPPEN --AS THEY ALREADY HAVE BEGUN TO DO SO!

YET--IT IS UP TO UNIQUE PEOPLE LIKE ABRAHAM LINCOLN, GEORGE WASHINGTON, SIMON BOLIVAR, GANDHI AND EVEN JESUS! TO STEP FORWARD AND HELP THE WORLD MOVE FORWARD IN ALL AND THROE ALL THE CURRENT AND FUTURE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT WE ARE ALL CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING AND WILL EXPERIENCE!

SO A MOVIE WITH PERFECT TIMING CAN AND WILL AFFECT OUR CURRENT CULTURE AND MIND SETS TOO! THEREFORE I AM SURE THAT WE SHALL FIND STEPHENS MOVIE " LINCOLN " DEEPLY AFFECT PEOPLE! AT LEAST I HOPE SO--AS HAVE MANY OF STEPHENS MOVIES! DO SO!

THEREFORE THE BEST OF LUCK GOES TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS MOVIE! AND I AM SURE DANIELS HAIR WILL CHANGE AND SALLY'S EXPRESSIONS! TOO! HA! HA! AS MANY OF ALL OF US TOO WILL CHANGE! SOON! AND HAVE BEGUN TO DO SO ANYWAY TOO!
BIRDFLIGHT!