10 Actors Who Retired Way Too Early

The crème de la crème, the cream of the crop, and the straw that stirs the drink. Whatever accolades you wish to hoist a pond the dual citizen dynamo (British and Irish for those keeping score at home) they probably won't do Daniel Day Lewis justice.

He is seen by many as not only arguably the greatest actor of this generation, but also one of the greatest actors of all time. A winner of a record three Academy Awards for best leading actor, and nominated for another three, DDL is often seen as the quintessential method actor, and the one that often comes to mind when thinking of the concert. Films like Gangs of New York, There Will be Blood and Lincoln are a few in several that come to mind when thinking of his genius.

After winning the Oscar in 2012 for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, many thought that it was the third of many more awards to come. He was nominated for the sixth time for his role of Reynolds Woodcock in the 2017 period drama, Phantom Thread, deciding to walk away from acting prior to the film's release. A clear-cut choice for number one on this list, because of his lofty resume and the fact that he's an anointed knight, here's to hoping this retirement is a short lived one.

While some of these entries have long since passed away, this isn't the case for all. With movies still being a huge part of the culture, and television becoming bigger than ever with the help of streaming services, perhaps some of these retired performers will be given an offer they can't refuse and grace us with their talent.