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

Daniel Day-Lewis Responds to Brian Cox's Criticism of Method Acting

Daniel Day-Lewis has rejected Brian Cox's assertion that Jeremy Strong is an "annoying" Method actor influenced by Day-Lewis himself. Speaking to the U.K.’s Big Issue, Day-Lewis said Cox drew him into an unwanted debate on Method acting.

Brian Cox's Comments on Method Acting

In various interviews, Brian Cox has criticized Method acting, often pointing to his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong as a prime example. Cox called Method acting “fucking annoying” and suggested that Day-Lewis quit acting at age 55 because of burnout caused by the intense demands of the technique.

Cox said Day-Lewis “couldn’t go on doing that every day.”

Day-Lewis's Reaction to Cox's Remarks

Day-Lewis told Big Issue (via The Telegraph):

“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.”

Disputing the Connection to Jeremy Strong

In a Variety interview, Cox suggested that Strong’s Method acting style was learned from Day-Lewis, since Jeremy was once Day-Lewis’s assistant. However, Day-Lewis strongly denied this link:

“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 fuck that came from.”

Summary

Daniel Day-Lewis distances himself from Brian Cox’s criticisms of Method acting and refutes responsibility for Jeremy Strong’s approach.

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Variety Variety — 2025-11-04

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