Oscar-Winning Film by Steven Spielberg Featuring Daniel Day-Lewis Implemented Strict Set Rules for Success

In the creation of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, the cast and crew were held to high standards of historical fidelity, largely driven by lead actor Daniel Day-Lewis. The film chronicles President Abraham Lincoln’s pivotal efforts to secure the 13th Amendment during the final days of the U.S. Civil War. Day-Lewis’s performance, along with nominations for co-stars Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones, ultimately earned the film numerous accolades and recognition.

Day-Lewis’s portrayal has solidified his reputation as one of the foremost actors to embody a U.S. President. This accomplishment aligns seamlessly with Spielberg’s cinematic legacy, renowned for crafting visually stunning and historically accurate epics; for instance, the D-Day invasion scene in Saving Private Ryan is often celebrated for its authenticity. In the case of Lincoln, Day-Lewis played a vital role in fostering a layered and believable environment for the audience.

Steven Spielberg Established Rigorous Authenticity Standards During Filming of Lincoln

At the Lead Actor’s Request, Spielberg Ensured a Historically Accurate Set

Actor Tim Blake Nelson, who portrayed New York Representative Richard Schell, emphasized the commitment to authenticity that permeated the set of Lincoln. This dedication was facilitated by Day-Lewis’s recognized method acting technique, which involved remaining fully in character throughout the production. Such a rigorous approach mandated the exclusion of modern artifacts from the set. Nelson shared with The Hollywood Reporter:

“Then working with Daniel Day-Lewis [on Lincoln] was another extreme, and how he was able to commit not only himself, but the entire production to a work ethic and to aesthetic principles in terms of the process that just heightened, not only what he was up to, but what everyone around him was up to as well. Just the fact that on Lincoln, nobody was allowed to wear T-shirts with logos on them. There were never any anachronisms on set.

You couldn’t have a paper coffee cup. You had to have something that was made of materials that would have been available in the late 19th century. So no shorts. No sneakers. Steven [Spielberg] wore a blazer every day to direct, and a button-down shirt. No iPhones, did I mention that? It just brought everything up a level. And then of course all the stuff everyone knows about him: That he stays in character, that he could only be addressed as Lincoln. And that he accomplished this in a way that somehow didn’t annoy anyone — it certainly didn’t annoy me — and it made the set a more disciplined place in a really good way. Which I think shows in the film.”

The Journey to Acclaim: How Lincoln Became a Cinematic Triumph

A Dozen Oscar Nominations and Two Wins for Lincoln

These strict on-set protocols undoubtedly contributed to the film’s remarkable success, allowing Lincoln to firmly establish itself among Spielberg’s best works. The movie grossed approximately $275 million against a production budget of $65 million, achieving an impressive 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. At the 2013 Academy Awards, Lincoln secured 12 nominations and took home two coveted Oscars.

Lincoln’s Oscar Nominations
Category	Nominee(s)
Best Picture	Steven Spielberg & Kathleen Kennedy
Best Lead Actor (winner)	Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Director	Steven Spielberg
Best Supporting Actor	Tommy Lee Jones
Best Supporting Actress	Sally Field
Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay	Tony Kushner
Best Cinematography	Janusz Kaminski
Best Film Editing	Michael Kahn
Best Costume Design	Joanna Johnston
Best Original Score	John Williams
Best Sound Mixing	Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, & Ron Judkins
Best Production Design (winner)	Rick Carter & Jim Erickson

Lincoln’s two Oscar wins—Best Lead Actor and Best Production Design—reflect the significant impact of the authenticity-driven environment cultivated on set. Such dedication to realism can be demanding, especially when working alongside Day-Lewis, but ultimately, it rewarded the project with authenticity and depth. The commitment displayed during the making of Lincoln is an exceptional standard in the film industry, often leading to outstanding results when embraced by the entire team.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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