Spielberg reveals tearful scene with Daniel Day-Lewis during 'Lincoln' filming

Steven Spielberg has shared a rare, emotional behind-the-scenes moment from his 2012 film Lincoln, revealing that star Daniel Day-Lewis comforted him while still in character as the 16th U.S. president.

Speaking at South by Southwest with Sean Fennessey of The Big Picture podcast, the 79-year-old director recalled filming the pivotal scene in which Abraham Lincoln urges his cabinet to pass the 13th Amendment, formally abolishing slavery.

"Daniel Day-Lewis, when he's trying to explain to his cabinet the urgency of passing the 13th Amendment into Constitutional law — it was two shots," Spielberg said. 

"Both shots are moving. One shot starts at the end of the table, and is slowly moving — it's a four-minute speech — and then, with one cutaway to David Strathairn [who played Secretary of State William Seward], the camera then goes into a close-up and finishes on his face."

The scene affected Spielberg so deeply that he had to leave the set afterward. "At the end of that first take, I had to leave the set. 

Daniel was worried because, as Lincoln, he looked around and the director wasn't on the set. And he asked, he calls me 'Skipper'… he said, 'Where's the Skipper?' And I was in the other room crying," Spielberg recounted.

He added, "Mr. Lincoln walked into the room, saw me, sat down next to me, and put his arms around me. That was a moment I will never forget."

The director said Day-Lewis’ performance continues to resonate with him nearly 14 years later. "To this day, talking to you about that, I have never gotten over that scene or how he played Lincoln," Spielberg said.

Day-Lewis, 68, who retired from acting in 2017, has remained mostly out of the spotlight but appeared in the 2025 film Anemone, directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. 

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Ronan recalled how Spielberg provided guidance ahead of his directorial debut. 

"He checked in a couple of times, and he was really supportive… asking about lenses and other technical details. Obviously, he is a hero to me," Ronan said.

The heartfelt story offers a rare glimpse into the emotional bond between one of cinema’s greatest directors and one of its most dedicated actors, a moment that Spielberg says he will never forget.