Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis, one of the most acclaimed performers of his generation, has announced he is retiring.

Citing the 60-year-old star's spokeswoman Leslee Dart, trade magazine Variety said he "will no longer be working as an actor."

"He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years," Dart said. "This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject."

Day-Lewis, a master of method acting known for being extremely selective about his roles, is the only performer to have won three best actor Oscars.

He has a yet untitled final film slated to hit theaters in December.

He earned a golden statuette for "My Left Foot" (1989), in which he plays writer and artist Christy Brown, who was confined to a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy; a second one for "There Will Be Blood" (2008), in which he plays a fierce oil man; and a third for "Lincoln" (2013).

He also earned Oscar nods for "Gangs of New York" and "In the Name of the Father."

Born in London, Day-Lewis is the son of British poet Cecil Day-Lewis and actress Jill Balcon.

He made his film debut in 1971 in "Sunday Bloody Sunday" but then turned to the stage. He appeared on screen again more than a decade later in 1982.

His strong on-screen presence and remarkable range set him apart, earning him praise from critics and audiences alike.

Some of his most memorable early roles were in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" (1988) and "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992).