John Wayne left behind an enduring legacy; it is one that is firmly rooted in the world of Western and war movies. The late legendary actor has never declared his love for science fiction or fantasy settings, so you would not expect to see him in one. Therefore, it was a huge shock to learn that the actor once did appear in a Star Wars project, albeit not in the way you might anticipate.
But did you know that Daniel Day-Lewis did not have a strong opinion about the late, legendary American actor, who passed away on June 11, 1979?
Day-Lewis is renowned for his intense method acting style and his capacity to completely engross himself in his roles. But does he also have strong feelings about other actors in the business? In particular, he once shared he never appreciated the late John Wayne.
The Phantom Thread star has resisted the temptation to be fond of the Rio Bravo star. It, therefore, comes as no surprise to learn that he has no affection for the unusually stolid American Western icon.
Also read: “I fought hard. I fought to win”: John Wayne Invented New Kind of Dirty Fighting Style Unlike Anything Hollywood Had Ever Seen
Why Did Daniel Day-Lewis Hate John Wayne?
Given the success of his multiple Western movies, John Wayne may have amassed a sizable fan base. However, Oscar-winning actor, Daniel Day-Lewis is not on that list. Well, also note that the Gangs of New York actor once thought of himself as a fan of actors like Clint Eastwood and Gary Cooper.
He said of Eastwood:
“I used to go to all-night screenings of his movies. I’d stagger out at 5 in the morning, trying to be loose-limbed and mean and taciturn.”
Day-Lewis did not particularly like Westerns as a genre, but he did enjoy the Unforgiven actor’s share of them. Moreover, he thought Cooper’s Western High Noon was superb. But, as aforementioned, he had no particular affection for The Searchers actor.
The Crucible actor once remarked in The New York Times:
“High Noon means a lot to me – I love the purity and the honesty, I love Gary Cooper in that film, and the idea of the last man standing. I do not like John Wayne: I find it hard to watch him. I just never took to him.”
Jimmy Stewart acting in Westerns was another thing Day-Lewis did not like. He clarified:
“I love him, just not as a cowboy.”
Also read: John Wayne Humiliated an Entire Superpower After Joseph Stalin Sent KGB Assassins To Kill Him
How John Wayne Responded To Criticisms Against His Performance
It is possible that Daniel Day-Lewis was not the only one to criticize John Wayne. The late star was well aware of the criticisms directed at him, even during his active acting career.
The True Grit actor made an effort to remind people of his versatility in a 1969 interview he gave to Roger Ebert. However, he also considered the similarity between all of his characters to be a strength rather than a flaw.
“Of course, they give me that John Wayne stuff so much, claim I always play the same role. Seems like nobody remembers how different the fellows were in The Quiet Man or Iwo Jima, or Yellow Ribbon, where I was 35 playing a man of 65. To stay a star, you have to bring along some of your own personality. Thousands of good actors can carry a scene, but a star has to carry the scene and still, without intruding, allow some of his character into it.”
There is no denying that John Wayne and Daniel Day-Lewis are both incredibly skilled actors, who have made important contributions to the movie business. Off-screen, it is impossible to say if they would have gotten along.
So there you have it—a glimpse into Day-Lewis’s thoughts and his despise for Wayne. But we cannot help but admire the Silence (2016) actor’s willingness to speak out for his beliefs and offer his perspective on the film industry.
