Daniel Day-Lewis Didn't Think Twice Before Taking a Role in This 98%-Rated Forgotten Drama: "Extraordinary"

My Left Foot, a film based on the memoirs of an Irish writer and artist who was born with cerebral palsy, earned Daniel Day-Lewis his first Oscar and forever changed his approach to acting.

The actor's encounter with the script was shrouded in an almost mystical atmosphere. One evening, as dusk fell outside his London home, he found a white, glowing script on his doorstep with three words on the cover: My Left Foot.

Daniel Day-Lewis "Was Immediately Captured" by the Script of 'My Left Foot'

In an old interview with The Washington Post, Daniel Day-Lewis reminisced about the evening he read the script for My Left Foot, which blew him away:

“The evening was sort of darkening. And it was a very white script, sort of glowing on the doormat, phosphorescent. And it just arrived. I was immediately captured. The first page, as written, was one of the most extraordinary first pages I'd ever read.”

From the first line of Jim Sheridan's script, the actor was drawn into the world of a man whose body was a prison but whose spirit remained free.

Day-Lewis was drawn to Christy Brown's story because it demanded complete immersion, the utmost sincerity, and a willingness to transcend his own physical and psychological boundaries.

What Is 'My Left Foot' About?

The movie centers on the true story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with a severe form of cerebral palsy. Doctors were certain that he would never speak, move, or show signs of intelligence.

However, Christy's mother never lost faith, despite all odds and public opinion – she sensed that behind his immobile body was a living, thinking, and feeling mind. Thanks to her love, patience, and support, Christy gradually discovered incredible abilities within himself.

He discovered that the only part of his body he could control was his left leg – it was with this leg that he began to draw and paint, creating works of art.

'My Left Foot' Earned Daniel Day-Lewis His First Deserved Oscar

To create such a believable character, Daniel Day-Lewis first visited a children's clinic, where he observed people with cerebral palsy and memorized every movement, pose, and reaction.

He demanded that the entire film crew treat him as if he had a disability: he was spoon-fed and wheeled around in a wheelchair between takes. The actor even remained in character off set and traveled to restaurants and public places in a wheelchair.

Day-Lewis literally sacrificed his physical health for art – his constant awkward, contorted posture resulted in him breaking two ribs during filming.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'My Left Foot'?

• My Left Foot has 98% from critics and 92% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.8/10.

• On Letterboxd, My Left Foot scored 3.9/5.0.

Where to Watch 'My Left Foot'?

My Left Foot is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.