Daniel Day-Lewis at the 2013 Golden Globes
Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who won a Golden Globe for his turn as Abraham Lincoln in the Steven Spielberg film 'Lincoln' last week, insists that he doesn't mean to create an "air of mystery" surrounding him.

The 55-year-old actor said the reason he focuses so much on every role is because he finds embodying a new character a "huge pleasure of discovery".

He explained: "I didn't go looking for that [mystery tag], it was not my intention to create a specious air of mystery about what I do. But what's misrepresented is the fact I take a long time [preparing for each character] because I enjoy the work and it pleases me to take time over it.

"It's pure joy. It's a huge pleasure in discovery. It's a game, and I've never thought to obscure that fact. But that image persists of some sort of lonely, strange figure going about an unholy business."

Daniel has sworn never to reveal his training secrets but he worries people's gossip will turn the reliable methods into something resembling a "Satanic ritual", rather than appreciating his hard work.

He added to Time Out magazine: "I've been reluctant to talk about how I work because I don't feel one should talk about it. But the problem is a lot of other people then talk about it and by a process of Chinese whispers it sounds like some strange Satanic ritual is taking place, with the whole thing about immersion and the method and the weight of those terms."