Lincoln Told Spielberg To Screw Via Classy Rejection Letter

Not only did Abe Lincoln abolish slavery, apparently he had the balls to tell Steven Spielberg to hit the bricks not once, but twice. Third time was a charm for the famed director as Daniel Day-Lewis finally agreed to the role after Tony Kushner (MUNICH) turned in his draft of the script for Lincoln.

Spielberg couldn't help himself when presenting the Best Actor Award to Day-Lewis at the NY Film Critics Circle Awards and read his first rejection letter.

Dear Steven,

It was a real pleasure just to sit and talk with you. I listened very carefully to what you had to say about this compelling history, and I’ve since read the script and found it in all the detail in which it describe these monumental events and in the compassionate portraits of all the principal characters, both powerful and moving. I can’t account for how at any given moment I feel the need to explore life as opposed to another, but I do know that I can only do this work if I feel almost as if there is no choice; that a subject coincides inexplicably with a very personal need and a very specific moment in time. In this case, as fascinated as I was by Abe, it was the fascination of a grateful spectator who longed to see a story told, rather than that of a participant. That’s how I feel now in spite of myself, and though I can’t be sure that this won’t change, I couldn’t dream of encouraging you to keep it open on a mere possibility. I do hope this makes sense Steven, I’m glad you’re making the film, I wish you the strength for it, and I send both my very best wishes and my sincere gratitude to you for having considered me.

THR