Daniel Day-Lewis Accuses Brian Cox of Creating a 'Conflict' About Method Acting: 'He's Been Given a Soapbox'

Daniel Day-Lewis Responds to Brian Cox's Comments on Method Acting

Daniel Day-Lewis addressed a debate about Method acting that he feels Brian Cox has dragged him into unwillingly. In a recent interview with the U.K.'s Big Issue, the 68-year-old actor said he has been "inadvertently" involved in discussions about the acting style.

Origin of the Debate

The situation began when Brian Cox, 79, mentioned in a 2023 Variety interview that his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong started exploring Method acting after spending time with Day-Lewis.

“Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” Day-Lewis told Big Issue while promoting his new movie Anemone. “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."

Working Together and Influence on Jeremy Strong

Day-Lewis and Cox appeared together in the 1997 movie The Boxer. Cox previously claimed that Day-Lewis' immersive Method acting partly explained the actor's lengthy break from the screen. Cox also suggested that this approach influenced Jeremy Strong, aged 46.

“Of course, Jeremy was Dan Day-Lewis’ assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan," Cox said in 2023.

Summary

Daniel Day-Lewis clarifies that he did not seek this public conflict but is open to discussion, emphasizing respect for Brian Cox despite the debate over Method acting.

Author’s summary: Daniel Day-Lewis resists being pulled into a Method acting dispute initiated by Brian Cox while acknowledging Cox’s accomplishments and offering openness to dialogue.

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People.com People.com — 2025-11-04

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