Daniel Day-Lewis spoofs Clint Eastwood’s RNC speech: sexy, funny or rude?

Here are some lovely photos from last night’s AFI Fest premiere/screening of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis is so beautiful, isn’t he? I don’t know why he looks so pained, though. I’m also including photos of Joseph Gordon Levitt (who plays Robert Lincoln), Sally Field (Mary Todd Lincoln) in an unfortunate dress (but I still love her) and Walton Goggins, who is actually in the film in a small role, and whom Agent Bedhead loves with all of her heart.

Obviously, DDL is getting a lot of Oscar talk. This is his first film in three years (since Nine) and he and Steven Spielberg were working on this project for years. There was some thought that Denzel Washington’s performance in Flight might put up a good fight when it came to the Best Actor Oscar race, but the reviews were Flight weren’t all that great, and while Denzel might get a nomination, I think everyone feels like this Oscar belongs to Daniel. Daniel has already started picking up awards for this role too! Two nights ago, DDL received the “Stanley Kubrick Britannia award for Excellence in Film” at the LA BAFTA event. During Daniel’s acceptance speech, he decided to have a little fun with Clint Eastwood:

In case you didn’t watch it, Daniel spoke about how happy he was that Pres. Obama was re-elected, and motioning to an empty chair, he said: “I’m so extremely grateful and glad that, taking time out of his very busy schedule, the recently re-elected president of this country was able to make it here tonight. I know as an Englishman that it’s absolutely none of my business, but I’m so very grateful that it was you… I love Clint Eastwood. This is no satirical comment on him or his politics or anything else. But I have to say, when I saw him talking to a chair in front of a room full of strangers, I thought, ‘I’ve got to try that. That’s a challenge.’ I didn’t pull it off as well as him, but anyhow, I’ve got some way to go.”

Quick question: Daniel and his American wife split their time between Ireland and New York, right? And when he married an American, he could have conceivably become an American citizen, right? So, it would be possible for him to vote in American elections…? My question is why he still identifies as an Englishman. Shouldn’t he call himself an “American by Choice”?

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.

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46 Responses to “Daniel Day-Lewis spoofs Clint Eastwood’s RNC speech: sexy, funny or rude?”

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  1. valleymiss says:

    I don’t mind Sally’s dress. I think she looks great!

  2. marie says:

    I don’t think he went through the process of becoming an American citizen so no, he couldn’t vote in our elections. He was born in England, so that’s what he identifies as, although he has dual citizenship in both England and Ireland.

    • KaitX says:

      I’m Irish but have lived in Canada for two years, doesn’t make me Canadian! Anyway, if you are of age and have no right to vote etc. I don’t think you should identify as being of that country.

  3. Mira says:

    Doesn’t he identify as Irish? He holds both British and Irish citizenship.

  4. guest says:

    You forgot to add that his American wife is Rebecca Miller, Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” daughter . Also, former husband of Marilyn Monroe.

  5. Cazzee says:

    DDL is right – he’s not a U.S. citizen, and it’s absolutely none of his business. God I wish these celebrities would just shut up about politics already.

    • fabgrrl says:

      Let’s not fool ourselves, American politics affect the ENTIRE world. Even if I wasn’t a US citizen, I sure as hell would want to know who has control of the world’s largest military.

    • Zvonk says:

      The actions of an American president can impact the whole world. George W Bush went to war with Afghanistan and Iraq, and dragged other western countries into those wars. As a taxpayer of one of those counties (and consequently paying for those wars out of my own pocket), I feel I’m perfectly entitled to have an opinion about who is elected as the next president.

    • Cazzee says:

      Of course, people are entitled to their opinions about politics, regardless of what country they are from. I certainly have strong opinions about Vladimir Putin even though I’m not Russian.

      It’s the part where celebrities feel like they are entitled to spout off to the press about their only-mildly-informed political beliefs that I take exception to. Simon Doonan wrote a great essay about this phenomenon:

      http://www.slate.com/articles/life/doonan/2012/10/celebrities_endorsing_obama_does_it_help_or_hurt.html

      It turns out Doonan’s father was a reporter for the BBC! Who knew?

      • Amy625 says:

        As a human being, the election is Daniel’s business and he’s entitled to his own opinin. Just because a celebrity talks about politics and issues doesn’t mean they are unimformed. A lot of non-celebrities don’t know anything so it’s laughable to attack celebrities.

    • pf says:

      Just because he is not an American citizen that doesn’t mean he has no right to speak up. U.S. foreign and economic policies impact everything. This is why the rest of the world pays attention to every presidential election. Either you have never lived in another country or not traveled enough to know that.

      • Raven says:

        I don’t think he was spouting off about anything. He was glad about the election outcome and then told an anecdote on his thoughts about trying something a fellow actor did. He was not disrespectful of Clint or Mitt Romney.

  6. honeychurch says:

    He’ll always be my Cecil Vyse -> -> my username 😀

  7. Kaye says:

    Walton Goggins is amazing. He absolutely controls the scene when the camera is on him.

    • Hautie says:

      He does command your attention when in character.

      And as much as I like him on “The Shield”.

      I love him on “Justified”.

    • Raven says:

      One more reason to watch this film. I love Goggins and can’t wait for the return of Justified.

  8. Eleonor says:

    his voice, his accent to me is so hot.

  9. sala says:

    Why would he identify as American-by-choice? The question and the reasoning given make no sense to me.

  10. ddl2002 says:

    Oh he was just having some fun. I hope people don’t take this too seriously. And why aren’t celebrities allowed to have an opinion, even if they aren’t American? The outcome of the US Presidential election will have an effect on global politics in a big way, so non-American citizens are not out of line in having an interest.

  11. HouseofBeatrix says:

    I am madly in love with DDL. My Beautiful Launderette turned me into into a hardcore fan.

    I’m so happy to see Sally Field in a movie again. She’s eternally cute.

  12. KellyinSeattle says:

    Wow, that’s a big forehead…he’ll make a great Abe Lincoln.

  13. Lulu says:

    That didn’t seem rude.

  14. TheOriginalKitten says:

    Is there such a thing as “graciously mocking”? 😉

    I love DDL and I LOVE Clint Eastwood-I’m glad that DDL made sure there was no strife between the two. They’re both wonderful.

    • j.eyre says:

      I agree – I think he made the point that he was just having a bit of fun. And I think CE has a pretty good sense of humor – you kind of have to when you speak to a chair at a National Convention.

      I met CE as a teenager and have admired him since. I adore DDL.

  15. V4Real says:

    Looking forward to seeing Lincoln;the trailor looks awesome. DDL is such an iconic actor.

  16. bea says:

    I could not love him anymore! Really looking forward to Lincoln.

    Clint deserves whatever he gets after disrespecting The President the way he did . He’s a racist.

  17. embertine says:

    GOGGINS

    And I have that dress, thankyousoverymuch

    *humph*

  18. zinjojo says:

    DDL in “Last of the Mohicans” is, for me, the sexiest man of all time!

    • EscapedConvent says:

      Oh yes he is! After Last of the Mohicans came out, I walked into the coffee room one day at work & the whole room was hyper-ventilating about DDL as Hawkeye. What a gorgeous man.

  19. frankly says:

    The headline could be “DDL sits on bean bag chair and eats lard from a jar with a spork…” and I would say SESSY! Gawd. I love him.

  20. Issa says:

    DDL can do no wrong in my eyes. Think he’s absolutely stunning and yes beautiful.

  21. divax says:

    Look at the length of his head! DDL is a great looking dude but it looks like his head got caught between 2 elevator doors

  22. C.Lynn says:

    It’s my understanding that you cannot hold citizenship in more than two countries. Two is the maximum most countries will recognise. Since Daniel is already a dual citizen of both Britain and Ireland, he cannot hold a third in the US. He would have to renounce his citizenship in either Britain or Ireland in order to become a US citizen. He’s probably not prepared to lose citizenship in either England (the country of his birth) or Ireland (the country of his heritage and current residence).

    You can be a US citizen and a citizen of one other country, not two.

    • LittleDeadGirl says:

      That’s actually not true, atleast in America, unless you hold some office or I believe are part of the military. I hold 3 citizenships (America, Canadian, Romanian). Most Americans seem under the mistaken belief the governement makes you give up one of your citizenships or something and I’m not sure where that rumor started but I’m kinda proof it’s false -l- I don’t know about Britian or Ireland what their policy is but in my case I hold all three citizenships and have passports in all countries so … none seem to care …

  23. Amy625 says:

    I don’t understand the comment about Daniel should consider himself an American. Marrying an American doesn’t make you a citizen.

    I thought the chair joke was funny. Maybe because of his persona but it seemed so out of character.

  24. LittleDeadGirl says:

    I think it’s fine for him to express an opinion on politics and he seemed to do to it in a somewhat polite manner but his toe kinda dipped over the line. It’s rude for him to be disrespecting an actor/director of Eastwood’s caliber. I don’t know their relationship though so maybe Eastwood thought it was funny and if he did than it’s fine but if not then it was disrespectful.