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Theatre This article is more than 8 years old Did Daniel Day-Lewis see his father's ghost as Hamlet? That is the question … This article is more than 8 years old After famously revealing that he saw his father's ghost when playing Hamlet at London's National Theatre in 1989, Day-Lewis has now denied the claims Daniel Day-Lewis as Hamlet at the National Theatre Father figures … Daniel Day-Lewis as Hamlet at the National Theatre. Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian Matt Trueman Mon 29 Oct 2012 13.07 GMT 0 Daniel Day-Lewis has put paid to one of the most infamous stage anecdotes of all time, revealing that he didn't literally see his late father's ghost when playing Hamlet. The double Oscar winner played the Dane at the National Theatre in 1989 , but quit the production mid-performance and has not returned to the theatre since. He subsequently explained that he had seen his father, the poet Cecil Day-Lewis, who died when his son was 15, standing on the stage staring at him. However, in an interview published last week , Day-Lewis insisted that he was speaking more metaphorically than literally. "I may have said a lot of things in the immediate aftermath," he told Time Magazine, "and to some extent I probably saw my father's ghost every night, because of course if you're working in a play like Hamlet you explore everything through your own experience." He continued: "That correspondence between father and son, or the son and the father who is no longer alive, played a huge part in that experience. So yes, of course, it was communication with my own dead father, but I don't remember seeing any ghosts of my father on that dreadful night!" Day-Lewis is renowned for the rigour with which he approaches roles, often immersing himself in a character's lifestyle and remaining in role even when the cameras aren't shooting. He famously trained as a butcher before Gangs of New York and caught pneumonia on set because he refused to wear modern thermal clothing. In preparation for his latest performance as Abraham Lincoln in Stephen Speilberg's biopic, he sent his co-star Sally Field text messages signed "Yours, A." After leaving the theatre during Hamlet, Day-Lewis collapsed backstage. His understudy Jeremy Northam completed the run and Day-Lewis didn't act at all for several years afterwards. The actor has often been asked about his experiences; in 2003, he told the Guardian that it was "a very vivid, almost hallunicatory moment in which I was engaged in a dialogue with my father … but that wasn't the reason I had to leave the stage. I had to leave the stage because I was an empty vessel. I had nothing in me, nothing to say, nothing to give." … as you're joining us from Canada, we have a small favour to ask. Tens of millions have placed their trust in the Guardian’s high-impact journalism since we started publishing 200 years ago, turning to us in moments of crisis, uncertainty, solidarity and hope. More than 1.5 million readers, from 180 countries, have recently taken the step to support us financially – keeping us open to all, and fiercely independent. With no shareholders or billionaire owner, we can set our own agenda and provide trustworthy journalism that’s free from commercial and political influence, offering a counterweight to the spread of misinformation. When it’s never mattered more, we can investigate and challenge without fear or favour. Unlike many others, Guardian journalism is available for everyone to read, regardless of what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe in information equality. Greater numbers of people can keep track of global events, understand their impact on people and communities, and become inspired to take meaningful action. We aim to offer readers a comprehensive, international perspective on critical events shaping our world – from the Black Lives Matter movement, to the new American administration, Brexit, and the world's slow emergence from a global pandemic. We are committed to upholding our reputation for urgent, powerful reporting on the climate emergency, and made the decision to reject advertising from fossil fuel companies, divest from the oil and gas industries, and set a course to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism and sustains our future. Support the Guardian from as little as CA$1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.