Daniel Day-Lewis Responds to Brian Cox on Method Acting Debate
Daniel Day-Lewis expressed frustration over being drawn into an unexpected dispute about Method acting involving Brian Cox. The 68-year-old actor shared his thoughts in a recent interview with the U.K.'s Big Issue, explaining that he was "inadvertently" pulled into the discussion after Cox made comments about the acting style.
Origins of the Debate
The controversy started when Brian Cox, 79, mentioned in a 2023 Variety interview that his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong began exploring Method acting after his time working with Day-Lewis.
Day-Lewis on Cox’s Remarks
“Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,”
“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.”
Day-Lewis made these statements while promoting his new movie Anemone. He and Cox previously collaborated on the 1997 film The Boxer.
Cox’s Perspective on Method Acting
Brian Cox suggested that Day-Lewis’ all-consuming approach to acting influenced Jeremy Strong, who was Day-Lewis’ assistant for some time. He also implied this immersive style contributed to Day-Lewis’ extended break from acting.
“Of course, Jeremy was Dan Day-Lewis’ assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan,”
Cox said regarding Strong’s dive into Method acting.
Summary
Daniel Day-Lewis feels that Brian Cox has unnecessarily pulled him into a public debate about Method acting, emphasizing his willingness to discuss it but critiquing Cox for using the platform excessively.
Author’s summary: Daniel Day-Lewis distances himself from Brian Cox’s comments on Method acting, highlighting the unintended conflict while affirming his openness to dialogue on the subject.