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Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread,” which had its first screening in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon, is a complicated and peculiar romance.

But that’s not a review, because reviews of the film starring Daniel Day-Lewis are embargoed until December 7. Instead, it’s a description that came straight from Anderson himself, who did a Q&A after the first screening at the Ayra Fine Arts Theatre with stars Lesley Manville and Vicky Krieps.

(At least for now, Day-Lewis isn’t doing anything that could be construed as campaigning.)

After saying that he considered the film a romance, because “what else would you call it?,” Anderson added, “It gets pretty complicated and peculiar, as love does.”

Also Read: 'Phantom Thread' First Trailer: Daniel Day-Lewis Reteams With Paul Thomas Anderson (Video)

“Phantom Thread” is set in the world of high fashion in London in the 1950s, with Day-Lewis starring as Reynolds Woodcock, a haute couture designer (shades of Cristobal Balenciaga and a lot of others, said Anderson). Manville plays his fiercely protective sister and chief aide, with Krieps as the young waitress with whom Woodcock becomes enamored.

It is also a film about complete obsession, with Woodcock demanding the smallest details be perfect at every moment. Asked how much of himself was in his lead character, Anderson initially demurred.

“None,” he said. “I’m a movie director. I don’t know anything about control or obsession.” Then he grinned. “It was very easy to write a lot of that kind of stuff, obsession with the work.”

And speaking of obsession, Anderson and his cast made it sound as if Day-Lewis did his typically immersive job of preparation and characterization, researching every detail of Woodcock’s livelihood and remaining in character throughout the shoot.

Also Read: Daniel Day-Lewis Says He's Retiring From Acting - Again

Anderson and Day-Lewis were in constant touch during the writing of the script, the writer-director said. While Anderson did most of the writing, the two men simultaneously researched the world of couture in the ’50s over a period of two years, sharing what they learned as the script took shape.

In addition, Anderson said, “I don’t speak English, I speak American. So he was able to correct me.”

As the film went into production, Day-Lewis continued to have a hand in every piece of clothing, every set and every prop. “Everything in the house of Woodcock is so particular, and you have to involve Daniel in that,” said Anderson. “The costume designer, Mark Bridges, couldn’t go off and do his own thing – everything in that world has to come through Woodcock.”

And he means Woodcock the character, because that’s who was on set. Talking about the times when she’d have opinions and suggestions about her own costumes, Krieps was careful to point out that she ran her ideas past Reynolds Woodcock, not Daniel Day-Lewis.

“I would go to Reynolds for his opinion,” she said. “And if he said yes, I would go to Mark and say, ‘Reynolds said yes!'”

Also Read: Watch Paul Thomas Anderson's Latest Work: Haim's 'Right Now' Music Video (Video)

The film, added Anderson, was inspired by obsessive ’40s and ’50s dramas like “Rebecca,” “Gaslight” and “Vertigo,” and by more obscure films like the 1943 Joan Fontaine movie “The Constant Nymph.” But he was careful not to model his film after them: “You remember them and you idolize them,” he said, “but then you quickly try to forget them.”

“Phantom Thread” is considered one of the final major Oscar contenders to be unveiled; at this point, the biggest remaining question marks are whether Ridley Scott can actually finish his “All the Money in the World” reshoots that will replace Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer, and whether the resulting film will muscle its way into the awards picture.

As for “Phantom Thread,” it’s something of a question mark, too – let’s just say that Anderson’s words complicated and peculiar are accurate. (The Academy didn’t really warm to “The Master” and definitely didn’t embrace “Inherent Vice,” the two films he’s made since his 2007 high-water mark “There Will Be Blood.”)

But an obsessive Daniel Day-Lewis in what he has said will be his last performance? That seems close to a lock to pick up some hardware over the next few months.

When Day-Lewis’ retirement came up in the Q&A, Anderson quickly said, “I would hope that he will reconsider.”

Added Manville, “Who knows? He could reverse his decision. If not, I’m glad to have snuck one in with him.”

117 Amazing Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Studio, From Angelina Jolie to Jim Carrey (Photos)

Actors Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney and director Craig Gillespie, "I, Tonya"

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Actress-producer Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"

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Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"

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Actress Allison Janney, "I, Tonya"

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Sebastian Stan, "I, Tonya"

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Helen Mirren, "The Leisure Seeker"

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Helen Mirren, "The Leisure Seeker"

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"Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond" Jim Carrey

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Jim Carrey, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond"

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Director Chris Smith, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond"

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Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Current War"

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Michael Shannon, "The Current War"

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Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon with actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon and Nicholas Hoult, "The Current War"

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Director Angelina Jolie, "First They Killed My Father"

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Director Angelina Jolie with producer Rithy Panh, stars Kimhak Mun, Sareum Srey Moch and co-writer Luong Ung, "First They Killed My Father"

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Writer-director Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"

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Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"

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Actress Laurie Metcalf, "Lady Bird"

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Actor Tracy Letts, "Lady Bird"

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Brie Larson, "Unicorn Store"

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Actor Sam Rockwell, "Woman Walks Ahead"

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Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci, "The Children Act"

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Writer Ian McEwan, actor Stanley Tucci, director Richard Eyre and actors Emma Thompson and Duncan Kenworthy, "The Children Act"

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Stanley Tucci, "The Children Act"

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"Outside In" director Lynn Shelton with her cast Jay Duplass, Kaitlyn Dever and Edie Falco

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Jay Duplass, "Outside In"

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Edie Falco, "Outside In"

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Kaitlyn Dever, "Outside In"

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Director Lynn Shelton, "Outside In"

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Jake Gyllenhaal, "Stronger"

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Tatiana Maslany, "Stronger"

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Miranda Richardson, "Stronger"

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"Stronger" star Jake Gyllenhaal with Jeff Bauman, the Boston Marathon bombing survivor he plays in the fiilm

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Writer Jeff Bauman, "Stronger"

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Actor Cedric the Entertainer, "First Reformed"

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Cedric the Entertainer, "First Reformed"

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Cedric the Entertainer and director Paul Schrader "First Reformed"

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Director Paul Schrader, "First Reformed"

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Actors Aaron Pederson, Abbey Lee, Matt Nable, Simone Kessell, Josh McConville and Ryan Corr, "1%"
Abbey Lee, "1%"

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Actress Simone Kessel, "1%"

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Actor Ed Harris, "Kodachrome"

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Actor Ed Harris and director Mark Raso, "Kodachrome"

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Mark Raso, "Kodachrome"

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Writer-producer Jeremy Chilnick, writer-director-producer Morgan Spurlock and producer Matthew Galkin, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Producer Matthew Galkin, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Writer-producer Jeremy Chilnick, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Writer-director-producer-star Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Director Joseph Kahn, "Bodied"

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Actress Rory Uphold, "Bodied"

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Actor Calum Worthy, "Bodied"

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Director Armando Iannucci, "The Death of Stalin"

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Director Darren Aronofsky, "mother!"

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Director Darren Aronofsky, "mother!"

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Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince and Sean Baker, "The Florida Project"

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Willem Dafoe, "The Florida Project"

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Director-star James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Director-star James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Actor Dave Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Actor Dave Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, "The Disaster Artist"

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Alison Brie, "The Disaster Artist"

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Alison Brie, "The Disaster Artist"

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Ari Graynor, "The Disaster Artist"

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Actress Jessica Chastain, "Molly's Game" and "Woman Walks Ahead"

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Actress Jessica Chastain, director Susanna White and Michael Greyeyes, "Woman Walks Ahead"

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Actress Julianne Nicholson, "Who We Are Now"

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Zachary Quinto, "Who We Are Now"

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Actor Josh Lucas, "Mark Felt"

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Selma Blair, "Mom and Dad"

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Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage, "Mom and Dad"

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Co-directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, "One of Us"

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Director Kyle Rideout, "Public Schooled"

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Judy Greer "Public Schooled"

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Actor Eddie Izzard, "Victoria & Abdul"

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Actor Ali Fazal, "Victoria & Abdul"

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Actress Elisabeth Moss, "The Square"

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Actor Terry Notary, "The Square"

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Director Ruben Ostland, "The Square"

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Actor Claes Bang, "The Square"

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Screenwriter Anthony McCarten, "Darkest Hour"

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Writer Anthony McCarten, stars Ben Mendelsohn, Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas with director Joe Wright, "Darkest Hour"

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Actor Ben Mendelsohn, "Darkest Hour"

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Actor Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"

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Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"

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Actress Kristin Scott Thomas, "Darkest Hour"

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Director Joe Wright, "Darkest Hour"

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Actor Nahuel Peres Biscayar, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"

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Actor Arnaud Valois, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"

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Director John Curran with actors Jim Gaffigan, Ed Helms and Kate Mara, writers Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen, "Chappaquiddick"

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"Chappaquiddick" director John Curran

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Kate Mara, "Chappaquiddick"

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Kate Mara, "Chappaquiddick"

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Jim Gaffigan, "Chappaquiddick"

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Ed Helms, "Chappaquiddick"

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Director Dan Gilroy, "Roman J. Israel, Esq."

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Actress Diane Kruger, "In the Fade"

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Actress Diane Kruger, "In the Fade"

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Director Alexander Payne, "Downsizing"

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Actors Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau and director Alexander Payne, "Downsizing"

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Actor Christoph Waltz, "Downsizing"

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Actress Hong Chau, "Downsizing"

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Actors Wes Studi, Rosamund Pike, direcor Scott Cooper, Christian Bale and Jonathan Majors, "Hostiles"

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Actor Simon Baker, "Breath"

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Simon Baker, "Breath"

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Director Neil Burger, "The Upside"

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Writer-director Martin McDonagh, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

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Director and co-writer Dee Rees, "Mudbound"

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Actor Jason Mitchell, "Mudbound"

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Rob Morgan, "Mudbound"

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Jason Mitchell and Rob Morgan, "Mudbound"

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Actors Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, director Dee Rees, actors Rob Morgan and Carey Mulligan, "Mudbound"

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Garrett Hedlund, "Mudbound"

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Writer-director Robin Campillo, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"

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Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, "Battle of the Sexes"

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Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, "Battle of the Sexes"

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Brady Jandreau, "The Rider"

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