This Is Who Played Bill The Butcher In Gangs Of New York
Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" is a who's who of acting powerhouses going up against each other in 19th Century New York. The historical drama focuses on the gang tensions of the ruthless Five Points slum, where young Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) seeks revenge after the violent gang fight death of his father, Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson). In a complex plot full of literal and figurative back-stabbing, Amsterdam crosses paths with pickpocket Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz), shady politician Boss Tweed (Jim Broadbent), dirty cop Happy Jack Mulraney (John C. Reilly), and many others. Yet, even among this sea of superstars, everyone pales in comparison to the monstrous man lurking at the center of it all.
The killer of Amsterdam's father is gang leader and aspiring politician William Cutting, whose incredibly apt nickname is "Bill the Butcher." Bill's unique look, ruthless attitude and peculiar charisma make him the automatic centerpiece of any scene he appears in, and as you can probably guess, it takes a true powerhouse of an actor to inject the character with such presence. Let's take a look at who played Bill the Butcher in "Gangs of New York."
Daniel Day-Lewis is an expert at crafting memorable characters
As it turns out, the lean, imposing figure behind the equally imposing mustache of Bill the Butcher is arguably the world's leading expert in portraying men of considerable gravitas and mighty facial hair. Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most respected actors in the world, and while he announced he'd quit acting in 2018, the man's extreme method acting style has left the world with a veritable treasure trove of movies. In fact, impressive as he is as Bill "The Butcher" Cutting, it doesn't even rank among his Academy Award winning roles (via IMDb). Though he did receive an Oscar nomination for the role, it's just one of the six times he's been nominated, and he ultimately lost to "The Pianist's" Adrien Brody (per IMDb).
If you're in the mood for checking out a Day-Lewis leading role that actually earned him an Academy Award, you're spoiled for choice, because the legendary actor has won the prestigious award for no less than three times. As such, you might want to gear up for a nice marathon of "My Left Foot" (where Daniel Day-Lewis plays the wheelchair-bound artist Christy Brown), "There Will Be Blood" (where he rocks the role of ruthless oil mogul Daniel Plainview), and the Abraham Lincoln biopic "Lincoln" (two guesses as to who he portrays in this one).