Daniel Day-Lewis pushes back on Cox over Strong and Method acting

Daniel Day‑Lewis pushed back this week against comments by actor Brian Cox that tied Day‑Lewis and the acting technique he is known for to criticisms of fellow actor Jeremy Strong. Speaking to the U.K. magazine The Big Issue during a press tour for his new film Anemone, Day‑Lewis said he was surprised to be drawn into a public debate over Method acting that has centered on Strong’s immersive approach on the television series Succession.

"Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbagsatdawn conflict inadvertently," Day‑Lewis told The Big Issue, referring to his work with Cox on the 1997 film The Boxer. He described Cox as "a very fine actor" and said Cox has "been given a soapbox which he shows no sign of climbing down from," inviting Cox to speak with him directly if he wished. Day‑Lewis added that he would be "appalled" if he had interfered with Cox’s working process and said he does not feel responsible for how other actors choose to work.

Cox has publicly criticized Strong’s immersive techniques, saying in interviews that he finds that approach disruptive to an ensemble and at times "annoying." Cox has also suggested that Strong learned aspects...