Daniel Day-Lewis Refuses Responsibility for Jeremy Strong
During Daniel Day-Lewis's temporary absence from acting, speculation arose about his approach to Method acting. Brian Cox, known for his criticism of Method acting, suggested that Day-Lewis's intense commitment to the technique led to his early retirement. Cox also expressed regret that his Succession co-star, Jeremy Strong, seems to have adopted Day-Lewis’s Method style.
Day-Lewis's Response to the Debate
Day-Lewis distanced himself from the conversation, stating:
“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 firmly,
“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. 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.”
Clarifying Method Acting Influence
Day-Lewis has emphasized previously that Method acting is not a cult and he has not encouraged others, like Strong, to follow it. Strong has echoed this sentiment, describing Method acting as
“a very solitary thing.”
Both actors affirm that the technique is ultimately a personal journey rather than a shared practice.
Author’s Summary
Daniel Day-Lewis firmly denies influence over Jeremy Strong’s Method acting approach and rejects any responsibility for others’ interpretations of the craft.