You might remember Daniel Day-Lewis for his Oscar-winning performances in My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, or Lincoln. But on a Thursday afternoon in April 2018, it wasn’t his acting that had people talking—it was his trusty flip phone. Specifically, a Motorola Razr. Journalist Karen Han spotted the legendary actor on a train in New York City, casually scrolling through his old-school device. "Daniel Day-Lewis is on my train and casually just looking at his flip phone," she tweeted. A few minutes later, she provided photographic evidence for the skeptics.
Twitter, as you can imagine, lost its mind over this revelation. "Of course he has a flip phone," quipped user @MaxThegGirl. "@GastronautJones added, "When you said flip phone, I needed no evidence." And let’s not forget the witty take from @TheSavagePen: "It’s method acting training for his next film [in] which he plays a commuter in 2007." Meanwhile, @IntoTheCrevasse summed up the collective disbelief: "My man out here using a [darn] Razr in the year 2018?"
for everyone who asked for pictorial evidence pic.twitter.com/D4rHXPljZp
Read also:Katie Holmes And Jamie Foxx Are They Really Engaged — karen han (@karenyhan) April 5, 2018
Why Daniel’s Flip Phone Choice Has Everyone Talking
For a guy who’s spent decades embodying some of the most powerful figures in history, Daniel’s decision to rock a flip phone is nothing short of refreshing. Some Twitter users couldn’t help but swoon over the 60-year-old screen legend. "There was always this thing about him in movies, and I likened it to him playing powerful people," one user gushed. "But here on the subway train… uh, it’s still there!" Even Hollywood heavyweights like Rian Johnson, director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, chimed in. "Wonder how many people just did a quick shopping search for flip phones," he joked. "Besides me."
What Was Daniel Doing on That Flip Phone?
Now, here’s the million-dollar question: what exactly was Daniel doing on his phone? In this era of smartphones and endless distractions, it’s hard to imagine anyone willingly opting for a flip phone—especially someone of Daniel’s stature. Was he sending texts? Playing Snake? Or maybe just checking the time? Whatever it was, it’s safe to say he wasn’t fielding film offers. After all, the three-time Oscar winner had already announced his retirement from acting back in June 2017. In a cryptic interview with W magazine later that year, Daniel hinted that the decision to retire came to him during the making of his final film, Phantom Thread.
Daniel’s Reflections on Acting and Life Beyond the Spotlight
When asked about his decision to retire, Daniel admitted to W magazine that he wasn’t entirely sure why he’d made the choice. "I haven’t figured it out," he confessed. "But it’s settled on me, and it’s just there. Not wanting to see the film is connected to the decision I’ve made to stop working as an actor. But it’s not why the sadness came to stay. That happened during the telling of the story, and I don’t really know why… I need to believe in the value of what I’m doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isn’t." So, if using an old-school flip phone brings Daniel joy, more power to him. Motorola’s probably loving the free publicity!
