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Daniel Day-Lewis makes an unexpected return to acting seven years after his retirement

Daniel Day-Lewis makes an unexpected return to acting seven years after his retirement

Daniel Day-Lewis was spotted on a film set again this week, marking his shocking return to acting.

The Oscar winner, 67, was photographed looking almost unrecognizable as he rode a motorcycle through the streets of Manchester, England, with actor Sean Bean on Sunday.

For the scene, which was filmed for a new film called “Avelyn,” Day-Lewis wore an olive bomber jacket, black pants, brown boots and black gloves.

Daniel Day-Lewis has returned to acting, as shown in this photo of him on a film set on Sunday. / SplashNews.com
The Oscar winner, seen filming a scene with Sean Bean Sunday, retired from acting in 2017. / SplashNews.com

He also wore a white hard hat, gold glasses and a well-trimmed gray beard, contrasting with the clean-shaven look he’s sported at recent Hollywood events.

Representatives for Day-Lewis did not immediately respond when asked for comment about whether this project marks the entertainer’s official comeback as an actor.

According to a local UK outlet, Bean, 65, plays the role of an ex-soldier and “Avelyn” is set in the ’80s.

Not much information is known about Day-Lewis’ role. The film is not yet listed on his IMDB profile.

Day-Lewis, seen here filming a film in Manchester, England, has not yet made an official statement regarding his coming out of retirement. / SplashNews.com
His current film is called “Avelyn” and the main role is played by Sean Bean, here in a black jacket. / SplashNews.com
Bean reportedly plays an ex-soldier. / SplashNews.com

In November 2017, the award-winning actor shared that his decision to retire was somewhat abrupt.

“[I] “I didn’t even know I was going to quit acting,” he confessed to W Magazine at the time he was thinking about it before filming his final film, “Phantom Thread.”

“I know that [director] Paul [Thomas Anderson] and I laughed a lot before we made the film. And then we stopped laughing because we were both overcome by a feeling of sadness.”

Day-Lewis, seen here with a film crew surrounding him, gave up acting after making “Phantom Thread.” / SplashNews.com
Day-Lewis, seen here on Sunday on the set of “Avelyn” with Sean Bean, had met with Hollywood executives, sources previously told Page Six. / SplashNews.com

Day-Lewis added that he felt so ready to leave this project behind that he wouldn’t watch it.

“The fact that I didn’t want to see the film has to do with my decision to give up acting,” he explained.

“But that’s not why the sadness continued. This happened during the telling of the story, and I don’t really know why.”

Day-Lewis is an Oscar winner. EPA
In May 2023 he was seen in public again for the first time in four years. Elder Ordonez / SplashNews.com

Although she felt put off by acting for some time, Page Six exclusively reported in January 2018 that Day-Lewis wasn’t done with Hollywood just yet.

Sources exclusively told Us at the time that the “Lincoln” star had been attending meetings about production projects, with an insider explaining, “He’s trying to help a friend finance and produce a film.”

It is unclear whether “Avelyn” is one of these projects.