Daniel Day-Lewis Wants Brian Cox to Stop Slandering Method Acting

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A public disagreement has erupted in the UK regarding Method acting, with acclaimed British actors Sir Daniel Day-Lewis and Brian Cox at the center of it. Cox has repeatedly criticized Day-Lewis’s acting approach in interviews, largely because he’s frustrated with Jeremy Strong, a co-star on Succession who also uses the Method. Now, Day-Lewis, who is currently promoting his son’s film Anemone, is asking Cox to stop. In an interview with The Big Issue, Day-Lewis explained that he once worked with Cox on the 1997 film The Boxer and unintentionally got pulled into this argument. He acknowledges Cox as a talented actor who has been given a platform to share his opinions, but seems willing to address the issue whenever Cox is ready to discuss it.

There’s speculation that Daniel Day-Lewis might respond to comments made by his former co-star, Brian Cox. Cox has criticized Jeremy Strong’s acting style, calling it intensely irritating and comparing him to Day-Lewis. While the “Method” – an acting technique emphasizing emotional realism – originated with Konstantin Stanislavski, it’s often popularly understood as an actor taking their role too seriously, staying in character constantly and becoming difficult to work with. Cox believes Day-Lewis retired at 55 because the demanding process was unsustainable. He acknowledges that while Strong’s dedication produces exceptional results, it can be draining for everyone else, as he told Seth Meyers in 2021 and again in a 2022 interview with Deadline.

Cox believes Jeremy Strong’s intense acting method stems from his time assisting Daniel Day-Lewis. He explained to Variety in 2023 that Strong likely picked up these techniques while working with Day-Lewis. However, Day-Lewis himself strongly disagrees with the idea that he influenced Strong’s process. In an interview with The Big Issue, Day-Lewis said he would be horrified if he thought he had interfered with Strong’s work, but he doesn’t believe he did. He praised Strong as a talented actor but stated he feels no responsibility for how Strong approaches his craft.

Daniel Day-Lewis also defended the Method, saying he disliked how often it was misunderstood. He felt no critics discussing it actually understood its purpose or how it functioned. He explained his approach was to fully immerse himself in a role, rather than engage in superficial or attention-seeking behavior on set, as some people seem to expect from actors. Brian Cox is known for readily sharing his opinions, and everyone anticipates his response to this discussion.

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2025-11-04 00:54