Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln.

The first public photo of actor Daniel Day-Lewis in character as President Abraham Lincoln.

The two-time Oscar winner stars as America’s 16th president in the Steven Spielberg-directed, DreamWorks-produced Lincoln. Day-Lewis always credits himself with fully inhabiting his roles and this now viral shot seems to prove it.  

Based on Team of Rivals, the bestselling 2005 book from Doris Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln will follow the historic leader -- the first American president to be assassinated -- as he struggles to hold the nation together in the face of the Civil War. 

Lincoln also stars Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, John Hawkes, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, Tim Blake Nelson, David Strathairn, Jackie Earle Haley and David Oyelowo. Look for it in theaters next year.