10 Intriguing Insights Into Phantom Thread

Renowned director Paul Thomas Anderson shifted his focus to the world of fashion—and, for the first time, moved away from California—in Phantom Thread, the Oscar-nominated movie featuring Daniel Day-Lewis (in what is said to be his final performance) as a meticulous 1950s fashion designer. He becomes entangled in a power struggle—and a mushroom-related conflict—with his new lover, played by Vicky Krieps. Dive into these 10 decidedly unconventional details about Phantom Thread. 

1. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS INVENTED HIS CHARACTER’S NAME.

The name “Reynolds Woodcock” was conceived by Daniel Day-Lewis—and yes, it’s intentionally a playful nod to male anatomy. Before Day-Lewis’s creative input, Paul Thomas Anderson had been using the far less suggestive placeholder name “Arthur Dapple, Jr."

2. THE STORY WAS (IN PART) INFLUENCED BY PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON AND MAYA RUDOLPH’S RELATIONSHIP.

The pivotal subplot where Alma (Vicky Krieps) cares for Reynolds during a severe illness was partly inspired by an event in Anderson’s personal life. When the director fell ill, his wife, actress and comedian Maya Rudolph, tended to him. Anderson shared, “At one point, my imagination ran wild, and I thought, ‘She’s looking at me with such care and tenderness ... wouldn’t it suit her to keep me in this weakened state?’ That moment sparked an idea—a blend of mischief and humor that could reflect the dynamics of long-term relationships and the shifting balance of power within them.”

3. DAY-LEWIS PLAYED A ROLE IN THE COSTUME DESIGN.

Day-Lewis actively participated in designing both the outfits Reynolds Woodcock wore and the gowns he created. For the dresses, Day-Lewis occasionally selected colors or fabric swatches for costume designer Mark Bridges. Woodcock’s personal wardrobe was curated in a realistic, everyday manner: A variety of clothing was purchased, and, according to Bridges, Day-Lewis chose outfits based on what he “felt suited the scene at that moment.” (The iconic blazer-over-lavender-pajamas ensemble was entirely Day-Lewis’s creation.)

4. A CHARACTER IN THE FILM IS INSPIRED BY A REAL-LIFE WOMAN WITH A HEARTBREAKING STORY.

Barbara Rose (Harriet Sansom Harris)—the intoxicated client whose dress Reynolds and Alma remove in a striking scene—is modeled after the real-life Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. Hutton, who inherited $50 million on her 21st birthday, married seven times, including a brief union with Cary Grant. The marriage portrayed in Phantom Thread, to the notorious playboy Porfirio Rubirosa, lasted merely two months.

5. THE FILM IS DEDICATED TO JONATHAN DEMME.

Phantom Thread pays tribute to the late director Jonathan Demme, a close friend and mentor to Anderson. Demme passed away on April 26, 2017, coinciding with the final day of filming for Phantom Thread.

6. VICKY KRIEPS WAS UNAWARE OF WHO SHE WAS AUDITIONING FOR.

Anderson stumbled upon actress Vicky Krieps while renting a German film she starred in on iTunes. (“I was shocked anyone even noticed it,” Krieps remarked. “It was on iTunes for just a week. Yet he found it!”) Misreading an email from her agent, Krieps assumed it was a student filmmaker seeking to collaborate with her—not Paul Thomas Anderson. She only realized her mistake after submitting her audition tape. 

7. YOU CAN EMULATE REYNOLDS AND CYRIL WOODCOCK’S STYLE—IF YOUR BUDGET ALLOWS.

Reynolds Woodcock’s tailored suits are sourced from Anderson & Sheppard, a prestigious Savile Row establishment that has outfitted Prince Charles, Cary Grant, and Day-Lewis’s father, Cecil Day-Lewis, the former UK poet laureate, over its 112-year legacy. His magenta socks are from Gammarelli, a Rome-based designer renowned for crafting attire for bishops and popes. These socks sell for approximately $25 per pair. For those aspiring to dress like his sister Cyril Woodcock, London tailor and designer Thomas von Nordheim offers the perfect inspiration.

8. DAY-LEWIS REPLICATED A BALENCIAGA GOWN TO GET INTO CHARACTER.

Day-Lewis, renowned for his dedication to Method acting, immersed himself in the role of Woodcock by studying vintage fashion show footage, mastering sewing techniques, and crafting a Balenciaga sheath dress from scratch. His wife, director Rebecca Miller, “has worn the dress,” he noted. “It’s quite beautiful.” 

9. THE FILM APPROACHED ITS FASHION ELEMENTS WITH GREAT CARE.

Several of the seamstresses in Woodcock’s atelier are portrayed by actual seamstresses. One of the gowns they create, the wedding dress designed for Princess Mona Braganza (Lujza Richter), was tailored to the actress’s exact measurements, despite never being shown on screen.

10. REYNOLDS WOODCOCK’S HOUSE IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE.

The London townhouse featured as Woodcock’s residence is located in Fitzroy Square, designed by the celebrated neoclassical architect Robert Adam. For devoted Paul Thomas Anderson fans with substantial funds, the five-story, seven-bedroom property was listed for just over $20 million as of January.