Americans have chosen Daniel Day-Lewis' depiction of Abraham Lincoln in the 2012 film "Lincoln" as their favorite on-screen U.S. president, according to a recent poll.
The survey, conducted by the Foundations of Freedom, found that 27% of Americans selected the British actor's Oscar-winning performance as the top portrayal. This marks a significant lead over other actors' interpretations of presidential roles.
Trailing Lincoln, Robin Williams' portrayal of Teddy Roosevelt in "Night At The Museum" (2006) secured second place with 14% of the vote. Dennis Quaid's performance as Ronald Reagan in the 2024 film "Reagan" followed in third with 11%.
Ronald Reagan was the only commander-in-chief to appear twice in the top 10. Jeff Daniels' portrayal of Reagan in the recently released "The Brink of War" ranked fourth. Other presidents depicted in the poll's top 10 include Donald Trump, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, John Adams, George Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
"Movies are an important part of telling the story of who we are and there have been some fine portrayals of American presidents over the years," said Dave Dias, CEO of Foundations of Freedom. He added, "We hope that in the coming years there will be even more stories about our presidents so that we can keep the memory of what they did for our country alive."
The poll surveyed 642 respondents between August 24 and August 25. The results come as the biopic "Reagan" is set to return to theaters nationwide on September 25 with an extended cut featuring approximately 10 minutes of new footage, in recognition of America's 250th anniversary.