Daniel Day-Lewis makes Oscar history

Daniel Day-Lewis' Oscar win for his work in a historical drama also put the actor in the history books.

Day-Lewis, known for an intense method approach, which he showed in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," is the first man to win three best actor Oscars.

He's previously accepted the same honor for his work in 1989's "My Left Foot" and 2007's "There Will Be Blood."

With 'Lincoln,' a new frontier for Daniel Day-Lewis

"I really don't know how any of this happened," Day-Lewis said Sunday during his acceptance speech. "I do know that I've received so much more than my fair share of good fortune in my life and I'm so grateful to the Academy for this beautiful honor."

Among the many people he thanked on Sunday was his wife, Rebecca, whom he acknowledged has had to live with "some very strange men" over the course of their 16-year marriage.

"They were strange as individuals and probably even stranger if taken as a group," Day-Lewis said. "But luckily she's the versatile one in the family and she's been the perfect companion to all of them."

As far as what's next for Day-Lewis, it sounds like the actor is looking forward to taking a break.

"I need to ... lie down for a couple of years," he told press backstage. "It's really hard to imagine doing anything after this.