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 Method Acting Comments

Daniel Day-Lewis has denied Brian Cox’s claim that Jeremy Strong's "annoying" Method acting stems from Day-Lewis himself. Speaking to the U.K.’s Big Issue, Day-Lewis said he was drawn unintentionally into the Method acting debate because of Cox’s remarks.

Brian Cox's Criticism of Method Acting

Brian Cox, known for his role in Succession, has openly criticized Method acting in interviews. He frequently used his co-star Jeremy Strong as an example, calling the acting style “fucking annoying.” Cox also speculated that Day-Lewis had to step away from acting at 55 because of burnout linked to Method acting, saying the actor “couldn’t go on doing that every day.”

“Jeremy was Day-Lewis’ assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan.” — Brian Cox, on the connection between Strong and Day-Lewis

Day-Lewis’s Rebuttal

Day-Lewis described Cox as “a very fine actor” who has been given a platform he seems unwilling to leave. He added that if he felt he had interfered with Strong’s way of working during their collaboration, he would be “appalled.” He expressed confusion over Cox’s suggestion, stating:

“I don’t know where the fuck that came from.”
### Author's Summary Daniel Day-Lewis refutes Brian Cox's claims, clarifying he has no influence over Jeremy Strong’s acting style and distancing himself from the Method acting debate sparked by Cox.

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Variety Variety — 2025-11-04

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