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When it comes to diversity in filmmaking, Steven Spielberg tops the list. Over many decades of being one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, Spielberg has shown that he can never be boxed into one specific genre by becoming the master in everything. From action thrillers to intense dramas to historical biopics, he has proved that nothing is beyond his reach.
One of theJawsdirector’s shining moments came inLincolnstarring Daniel Day-Lewis whose towering performance as the 16th President of the USA won him a well-deserved Oscar. While Spielberg considered Lewis to be the main force behind the film’s success, he also confessed that he was proved very wrong about how the film would be perceived at the box office.
Steven Spielberg Was Forced To Change His Opinion AboutLincoln
In a competitive industry like Hollywood, Steven Spielberg will go down as one of the most versatile and influential filmmakers who has struck the fine balance between commercial success and critical acclaim. Films likeJaws, E.T., Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, and his last featureThe Fabelmansclearly prove that the director is a master at handling diverse themes and genres.
One of his highly praised works came in 2012 withLincolnstarring the inimitable Daniel Day-Lewiswho expectedly took home an Oscar for his unforgettable performance as the titular character. However, Spielberg’s assessment of this film proved to be erroneous based on his own admission.
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TheJurassic Parkdirector who was in India back in 2013 to meet Bollywood filmmakers, spoke toThe Economic Timesabout his impressions ofLincoln’scritical reception which was to be expected. He also confessed that he was completely mistaken about its commercial viability as he believed that the film would work with a specific type of audience only.
I made Lincoln thinking our companies, Reliance and DreamWorks might lose some money. But I thought the project will have a second life in high schools in the world and the project was worth its way in knowledge and education. I thought the losses would be acceptable. The great surprise was that the film is widely profitable and that’s the last thing I would have predicted.
As it turned out, the film exceeded even the great Spielberg’s expectations and went on to become a box office winner by bringing in over $270 million (viaThe Numbers) globally in 2012. Needless to say, the director would have been extremely happy to have been proved wrong.
Daniel Day-Lewis Initially Refused Steven Spielberg‘sLincoln
Among the plethora of big league stars thatSteven Spielberghas worked with,Daniel Day-Lewisheld a special place among the director’s favorite artists. Though they have only worked onLincolntogether, the filmmaker was a self-confessed admirer of the Oscar-winning actor.
But there was a time when Lewis rejectedLincolnwhich led to the director almost casting Liam Neeson for the role. TheGangs of New Yorkactor though, ultimately signed on to portray the great American President. Recalling how things came a full circle, Spielberg stated what went down in an interview withCollider.
So, the timeline was simply that I had approached Daniel first, to play Lincoln, but he turned me down. That was about eight or nine years ago. And then, Liam and I had a very healthy flirt about possibly doing it together. And then, we both decided to do other things. And then, I came back to Daniel.
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Lewis further elaborated on why he initially took the decision to step back from this project, which even to someone of his acting stature, was an intimidating prospect.
Steven put the idea in front of me and it was not that I didn’t take it seriously, from the word go, but it seemed inconceivable to me that I could be the person to help him do this thing that he wished to do. Least of all, did I want to be responsible for irrevocably staining the reputation of the greatest President this country’s ever known.
Ultimately, Spielberg succeeded in bringing the Oscar winner on board by convincing him through a brilliant script that put the nuances of the character of Abraham Lincoln front and center, with the aspects of the Civil War being the secondary features. This was the magnet that drew Lewis into signing up for the film. The filmmaker also admitted that he would have made this a reality only if the actor had agreed.
Lincolncan be rented on Apple TV.
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
