Daniel Day-Lewis Says Brian Cox Dragged Him Into Method Actor Debate, Denies Claim That He Taught Jeremy Strong: ‘I Don’t Feel Responsible in Any Way’ for How Strong Acts on Set

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/daniel-day-lewis-brian-cox-method-acting-criticisms-1236568355/

22 comments

  1. I don’t even get why this is a conversation. Cox is not method and Strong is. Both were brilliant in Succession and both acted their socks off however they did it. Whatever the process, the outcome was superb.

  2. Strong was Day Lewis’ assistant on one film in 2003 and then got to star with Day Lewis in Lincoln in 2011.

    That’s a great story and must have felt gratifying as fuck 

  3. Such a tired topic. My opinion of Cox has dropped and I still love Strong.

  4. It’s funny that after Succession ended Jeremy Strong has been in several projects and everyone working with him has had nothing but kind things to say, meanwhile Brian Cox was in a play and was [reported to an actors union for bullying behavior on stage.](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/brian-cox-reflects-incident-outburst-rehearsal-reported-actors-union-woke-nonsense_uk_686ce8c0e4b0dd2148c6acc7/). I think DDL is right, Cox is an entitled man who shows no sign of climbing down from his soap box, but he isn’t more morally superior than method actors.

  5. This was a fairly random set of three different names to read in a headline.

  6. Does anyone else get the sense that “Method” is just a euphemism for “I like to be an asshole, so I will say I’m ‘in character’ and you have to accept anything I do?”. It’s the ultimate Narcissistic move.

    Maybe it’s just the way the news portrays “Method” actors, but you never hear about them being “Method” and having positive experiences.

    Instead, you hear stories like how Jared Leto sending dead pigs to his cast-mates as “The Joker”.

    I’m sorry, but your need to be “Method” ends when it disrupts your co-workers’ needs to not be harassed or worse.

  7. Didnt really work anyways, the acting in Succession was so stiff

  9. Is it sad that it feels like a win for DDL to call Jeremy Strong a “very fine actor” lol. Jeremy Strong I got ur back don’t worry!!

  10. DDL’s explanations of method acting always sounds interesting and logical, and not at all like whatever the fuck Jared Leto is doing over there

  11. Reminds me of Olivier and Hoffman on the set of Marathon Man. Olivier got upset because Hoffman was staying up all night to get into his role and couldn’t do the scenes because he was so strung out. Olivier being a stage actor hated redoing scenes and told Hoffman to get some sleep.

  12. Method acting is fine, if it helps you get into character then great.  But if your movie character is a raging asshole then go lock yourself in a room when you’re not on set, and when you are on set, tell your character that these are all protected people that can’t be harassed because of Thanos or whatever.

  13. I’ll believe that when me shit turns purple and tastes like rainbow sherbet!

  15. Cox is increasingly a gobshite. Good for Day-Lewis having none of it.

  16. Brian cox loves Kevin Spacey and loves saying how unfair it is that he got cancelled. That’s enough for me to be sure that he’s a twat

  17. I’m on both sides of the fence here. While I agree that method acting seem vastly overrated and can be used by some actors to justify shitty behaviour, Brian cox comes across as a massive curmudgeon.
    He’s got to that stage some older people get to where they have to have something to be bitter and angry about. Strong and his acting style seem to be that for Cox.

  18. If I ever meet Brian Cox, the only role I will acknowledge and recognize him for will be Captain John O’Hagen from Super Troopers. Meow.

  19. >“Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” Day-Lewis now told Big Issue. “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.”

    “Handbags-at-dawn.” First time I’ve heard this expression. What a great way to describe a petty conflict.

  20. method acting makes no sense.

    If you are playing a murderer in a film, YOU WON”T MURDER PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE TO SEE HOW A MURDERER FEELS.

  21. My takeaway is that all three of these guys are great actors but also dicks.

  22. Perhaps Brian didn’t have to go too “Method” to play Logan Roy.

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