Daniel Day-Lewis

The 'Lincoln' star, who has two children - Ronan, 14, and Cashel, 10 - with wife Rebecca Miller, has revealed his kids were clueless about their father's occupation as an Oscar-winning actor until recently.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, he said: "They didn't even know what I was doing until a couple of years ago. In fact, my 14-year-old boy was asked what I did and he said, 'I think he's in construction'. That's how much they know!"

The 55-year-old star also admits he has an "old fashioned" parenting style, sharing the same values as his own mother and father before him.

He said: "I think I'm quite old fashioned. My parents believed in certain things, which I do too, and I want my children to also. But there's no guarantee they will."

Daniel - who is being tipped to win his third Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal as American president Abraham Lincoln - stayed in character throughout the entire film shoot and grew to love the historical figure, but says one downside to the role was having to wear make-up.

He explained: "I was in complete denial.  It hadn't occurred to me I was going to need any make-up, so it came as a bit of a shock. I've tried to avoid using make-up over the years.

"I spent probably an hour and a half in the make-up chair every morning."