Oscar-winning actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Gary Oldman added a touch of Hollywood glamour to The Den on Saturday, drawing attention after being spotted in the stands during Millwall’s Championship derby against Charlton Athletic.
An Instagram post highlighting their presence quickly gained traction, but Millwall ensured the spotlight stayed firmly on the pitch. Alex Neil’s side delivered a ruthless performance, dismantling their South London rivals 4-0 in front of a crowd of 19,004 to climb into fourth place in the Championship table.
Football account Balldotie shared the now-viral image, captioning it: “Acting royalty at The Den, as Daniel Day-Lewis and Gary Oldman took in this afternoon’s London derby between Millwall and Charlton.”
The post continued: “You may not know, but three-time Oscar winner Day-Lewis is a massive Millwall fan. The Irishman grew up in nearby Greenwich. Oldman, alongside him, is a famed Manchester United fanatic, but grew up as a Millwall fan. He also hails from nearby, growing up in New Cross. The pair would have been ecstatic as Millwall ran out 4-0 winners to boost their promotion hopes.”
Broadcast cameras later showed the two Oscar winners applauding from the stands before kickoff. During live coverage, the commentator summed up the moment simply: “A grand occasion with acting royalty.”
Millwall struck early, taking the lead in the seventh minute through a slice of fortune created by sustained pressure. Femi Azeez whipped in a dangerous in-swinging cross that Macaulay Langstaff deftly flicked on at the far post.
As Josh Coburn bore down on goal, Charlton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski rushed out to intervene, but instead collided with his own defender, Kayne Ramsay, the ball ricocheting off Ramsay and into the net for an unfortunate own goal.
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The Lions carried that 1–0 advantage into half-time and could have been further ahead. Coburn went close when he headed over from point-blank range following another threatening Azeez delivery, while Azeez himself squandered a gilt-edged chance from inside the six-yard box after Camiel Neghli pulled the ball back across goal.
Millwall Turn On The Style To Seal Emphatic Derby Rout
Millwall maintained their grip on the contest after the interval and thought they had doubled their advantage early in the second half when Femi Azeez glanced a header home from Alfie Doughty’s cross, only for the assistant referee’s flag to rule it out for offside.
Charlton were increasingly pinned back as Alex Neil freshened his side with the introductions of Aidomo Emakhu, Mihailo Ivanovic, and Luke Cundle, raising the tempo and intensity. Emakhu in particular caused problems, forcing Thomas Kaminski into a save and helping Millwall win a succession of corners.
The pressure finally told in the 81st minute. From one such set-piece, defender Caleb Taylor climbed above everyone to power a header into the net, his third goal of the season and the moment that put the result beyond doubt.
Millwall then poured it on in stoppage time. Charlton defender Reece Burke conceded a penalty after bringing down Azeez. Camiel Neghli’s spot kick was initially saved by Kaminski, but the winger reacted quickest to collect the rebound and square for Cundle, who tapped in to complete the rout.
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Just a minute later, Millwall put the final flourish on a dominant afternoon as Emakhu capped the rout with a composed finish into the corner, sealing the club’s biggest league victory of the season.
The emphatic win marked Millwall’s fourth triumph in their last six Championship outings, underlining their growing momentum in the promotion race. For Charlton, the misery continued: their winless run against their South London rivals was extended to 14 matches, a barren streak that now stretches back to 1996.
