Daniel Day Lewis transforms into Abraham Lincoln

Daniel Day Lewis is playing Abraham Lincoln in Stephen Spielberg's upcoming film "Lincoln," and a new photo shows how the Oscar-winner has transformed himself into the 16th president.

Lewis, 54, was spotted at a restaurant in Richmond, Va., sporting Honest Abe's trademark beard and hairstyle. The film is shooting in the area.

Pictures: Daniel Day Lewis

Richmond native Michael Phillips was able to snap a photo of the actor and tweeted it to his followers.

The film also stars Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Hawkes, James Spader and Hal Holbrook. It's due out next year.

Tell us: What do you think of Lewis as Lincoln?

First Look: Daniel Day Lewis Sporting His ‘Lincoln’ Beard

While most of us are still gearing up to see Steven Spielberg‘s next two movies, War Horse and The Adventures of Tintin, the filmmaker himself is working on the next thing. That next thing is Lincoln, which has been filming in Richmond, Virginia and stars Daniel Day Lewis as America’s legendary 16th President. Though the film has been shooting since October, casting is still ongoing and we have yet to see any paparazzi shots of the incredibly famous cast (among them Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, John Hawkes, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, Tim Blake Nelson, David Strathairn, Jackie Earle Haley and David Oyelowo) because shooting was all indoors.

That’s about to change, though, and one intrepid college student snapped a photo of Day Lewis in a local restaurant. He’s not dressed as Honest Abe but that beard is unmistakable. Check out the image and learn more about the Lincoln shoot after the jump.