Daniel Day-Lewis Accuses Brian Cox of Stirring Method Acting Debate
Daniel Day-Lewis has responded to Brian Cox’s comments about Method acting, suggesting that Cox has turned their past collaboration into a public debate he never intended to join.
Background of the Dispute
In an interview with the U.K. magazine Big Issue, the 68-year-old actor said he was “inadvertently” drawn into discussions about the acting approach after Cox’s public remarks.
“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.
He continued, recognizing Cox’s talent but expressed frustration at the ongoing debate.
“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.”
Origins of the Method Acting Connection
The exchange traces back to a 2023 Variety interview where Cox, 79, mentioned that his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong began exploring Method acting after spending time with Day-Lewis, who is known for his deeply immersive performance style.
“Of course, Jeremy was Dan Day-Lewis’ assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan,” Cox said at the time.
Day-Lewis and Cox previously worked together on the 1997 film The Boxer. Cox has also implied that Day-Lewis’s intense acting method contributed to his extended absences from film work.
Author’s Summary
Day-Lewis disputed Cox’s ongoing remarks about Method acting, calling them unnecessary and saying he’d rather focus on his new work than continue a debate he never sought to start.