Daniel Day-Lewis Responds to Brian Cox's Criticism of Method Acting
Daniel Day-Lewis addressed Brian Cox's vocal criticism of method acting after being unintentionally involved in the dispute. Speaking to Big Issue, the three-time Oscar winner expressed surprise at Cox's harsh stance.
“Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” Day-Lewis said. “Brian is a very fine actor who’s done extraordinary work. As a result, he’s been given a soapbox… which he shows no sign of climbing down from. Any time he wants to talk about it, I’m easy to find.”
He added that he would be upset if he had interfered with Cox's work but did not believe that was the case.
“If I thought during our work together I’d interfered with his working process, I’d be appalled. But I don’t think it was like that. So I don’t know where the f–k that came from. Jeremy Strong is a very fine actor, I don’t know how he goes about things, but I don’t feel responsible in any way for that.”
Cox's Criticism of Method Acting
Brian Cox initially criticized method acting in 2021 while discussing his co-star Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Kendall Roy in the HBO drama Succession. He attributed Strong’s intense performance to the influence of Day-Lewis’ famous method acting technique, which he described as a distinctly “American disease.”
“He’s a very good actor,” Cox said in 2023. “And the rest of the ensemble is all OK with this."
Summary
Daniel Day-Lewis publicly rejected Brian Cox’s method acting criticism, emphasizing respect for his colleagues and distancing himself from the controversy sparked by Cox's remarks.