Publish date: 2024-08-03

Retired actor Daniel Day-Lewis made a surprise appearance at Thursday night’s National Board of Review Awards gala to honor Martin Scorsese with the best director award.

Scorsese and Day-Lewis previously worked together on 1993’s “The Age of Innocence” and 2002’s “Gangs of New York,” but if it were up to Scorsese that wouldn’t be their last collaboration. The legendary filmmaker teased that “maybe there’s time for one more” film together during his acceptance speech.

“Thank you, Daniel. To receive this honor presented by Daniel is just an honor in itself,” Scorsese said to the crowd at Manhattan’s 42 Cipriani. “We did two films together and it’s one of the greatest experiences of my life, I must say. Maybe there’s time for one more. Maybe! He’s the best.”

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Day-Lewis, who retired from acting in 2017, called working with Scorsese “one of the greatest joys” of his life.

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“I was a teenager when I discovered Martin’s work. With a light of his own making, he illuminated unknown worlds that pulsed with a dangerous, irresistible energy. Worlds that were mysterious to me and utterly enthralling. He illuminated a vast, beautiful landscape of what is possible in film,” he said while presenting the award to the “Killers of the Flower Moon” director. “One of the greatest joys and most unexpected privileges of my life was to find myself one day working with him. I’m grateful to the National Board of Review for so justly recognizing the supreme, inimitable artistry of this man. To every person who works in the crucible of the imagination, he is a living treasure as a man and as a filmmaker I love and revere.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” was the big winner of the night, taking home prizes for best film, director, outstanding achievement in cinematography for Rodrigo Prieto and best actress for Lily Gladstone, who won a Golden Globe just a few days prior.

“This isn’t real. This isn’t real. Daniel Day-Lewis, did that just happen?” Gladstone said in her acceptance speech after receiving a standing ovation and being introduced by Patti Smith. “Of course, this not a dream. That was Patti Smith and Daniel Day-Lewis. It means the world to me to have a boundary breaker like you speak on my behalf tonight.”

She added, “It’s very unreal, honestly. I just want to share my heartfelt thanks to the National Board of Review for supporting me and breaking some boundaries, too. There’s some pretty historic things going on with this when Marty decided to make the film the way he did. To be recognized not only in your company, but in our brilliant cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, this is a night to celebrate our whole cast, and that just makes this all the more meaningful and humbling to be up here. So thank you all, National Board of Review, for seeing me and seeing us and our film.”

Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” followed “Killers of the Flower Moon” with three wins. The heartwarming drama set at a boys’ prep school during winter break won best actor for Paul Giamatti, supporting actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph and original screenplay for David Hemingson.

See the 2024 National Board of Review winners below:

Best Film: “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Best Supporting Actor: Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”

Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”

NBR Icon Award: Bradley Cooper

Best Original Screenplay: “The Holdovers” — David Hemingson

Best Adapted Screenplay: “Poor Things” — Tony McNamara

Breakthrough Performance: Teyana Taylor, “A Thousand and One”

Best Directorial Debut: Celine Song, “Past Lives”

Best Animated Feature: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Best International Film: “Anatomy of a Fall”

Best Documentary: “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”

Best Ensemble: “The Iron Claw”

Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Director Chad Stahelski and stunt coordinators Stephen Dunlevy and Scott Rogers, “John Wick: Chapter 4”

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