Last Wednesday, a spokesperson for famed actor Daniel Day-Lewis announced that his upcoming film Phantom Thread will be his last.

In in interview with Arena With Seán Rocks yesterday, Director Jim Sheridan, who collaborated with the Academy Award-winning actor on My Left Foot, The Boxer and In the Name of the Father, responded to these reports. While disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to work with Day-Lewis again, Sheridan said that he believes the decision to be final.

"Oh, I think it's definite. If he says that it’s very hard for him to come back, you know," he stated, before adding, "It may be a way of Daniel Day-Lewis forcing Daniel Day-Lewis to take a decision that Daniel Day-Lewis doesn’t want to take, if you know what I mean. It’s like, I’m going to announce this and the reality will follow suit."

One can't help but admire Sheridan's ready acceptance of the sad truth. Meanwhile, the rest of us remain fixed in the denial stage of grief.

Phantom Thread premieres 2 February, 2018.