Daniel Day-Lewis Responds to Brian Cox’s Comments on Method Acting
Daniel Day-Lewis responded to Brian Cox after being unexpectedly drawn into the “Succession” star’s outspoken criticism of method acting. Speaking with Big Issue, the three-time Oscar winner said he was surprised by Cox’s remarks.
“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 while working together, he never felt his process interfered with Cox’s approach:
“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.”
Background on the Dispute
The tension arose after Brian Cox criticized method acting in 2021, referencing his “Succession” co-star Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Kendall Roy. Cox linked Strong’s approach to Day-Lewis’ devotion to method acting, calling it a distinctly “American disease.” He repeated similar views in 2023, saying:
“He’s a very good actor, and the rest of the ensemble is all OK with this.”
Summary
Day-Lewis dismissed Cox’s criticism as misplaced, praising his talent while expressing confusion over being dragged into the debate on method acting.
Author’s Summary: Day-Lewis firmly but calmly rebuffed Cox’s method acting critique, making clear respect for his colleague while distancing himself from the dispute.