Daniel Day-Lewis has addressed comments made by Brian Cox, who recently criticized method acting and indirectly involved the three-time Oscar winner in his argument. Speaking to Big Issue, Day-Lewis said he was surprised to be drawn into the debate.
“I worked with Brian Cox once and somehow got pulled into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” Day-Lewis said. “Brian is a fine actor who’s done remarkable work. He’s been given a soapbox, which he shows no signs of leaving. If he wants to talk, I’m easy to find.”
The actor also dismissed any suggestion that his own working methods might have interfered with Cox’s process.
“If I thought I’d interfered with his work, I’d be appalled. But I don’t think it was like that. So I don’t know where that came from,” he added. “Jeremy Strong is an excellent actor. I don’t know how he works, but I don’t feel responsible for that.”
Brian Cox first criticized method acting in 2021 while discussing his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong, calling the approach an “American disease.” In 2023, he reiterated his stance, though he acknowledged Strong’s talent, saying the rest of the cast accepted his intense preparation methods.
Daniel Day-Lewis calmly responded to Brian Cox’s repeated critiques of method acting, clarifying his stance and rejecting responsibility for influencing other actors’ techniques.