Daniel Day-Lewis addressed Brian Cox’s sharp criticism of method acting after being unintentionally drawn into the debate surrounding the HBO series Succession. The three-time Oscar winner expressed surprise at Cox’s outspoken comments.
Day-Lewis said, “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.”
He added, “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 originally criticized method acting in 2021, linking it to his co-star Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Kendall Roy on Succession. He described method acting as a uniquely “American disease.”
“He’s a very good actor,” Cox told the magazine in 2023. “And the rest of the ensemble is all OK with this.”
Daniel Day-Lewis firmly denied any negative impact on Brian Cox’s work and distanced himself from Cox’s harsh views on method acting, showing respect for his fellow actors while addressing the controversy directly.
This exchange highlights the ongoing debate around method acting and the contrasting perspectives within the acting community on its influence and value.