By Zoe Papadakis | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 12:44 PM EST
Daniel Day-Lewis has addressed his involvement in a debate over method acting after fellow actor Brian Cox criticized “Succession” star Jeremy Strong’s approach to the craft. The three-time Oscar winner expressed surprise at being drawn into the discussion, dismissing claims that he influenced Strong’s techniques.
In an interview with the Big Issue published this week, Day-Lewis stated his name was mentioned without his participation. “Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” he said, referencing their 1997 collaboration on The Boxer. He praised Cox as a “very fine actor” but noted the latter’s continued focus on the dispute.
Cox had previously criticized Strong’s intense preparation for his role in Succession, calling the method acting approach “not good for the ensemble” and accusing it of creating tension on set. He also suggested Strong’s methods were shaped by his work with Day-Lewis on The Ballad of Jack and Rose and Lincoln.
Day-Lewis rejected these claims, stating he would be “appalled” if he had influenced Cox or Strong. “I don’t think it was like that,” he said. “So I don’t know where the [expletive] that came from.” He defended Strong as a “very fine actor” and denied any responsibility for his methods.
The retired actor also emphasized his support for method acting, describing it as a way to achieve authenticity in performances. At the 69th BFI London Film Festival earlier this month, he argued that the technique allows actors to respond spontaneously on set, creating “a living, breathing human being” for collaboration.
Day-Lewis criticized popular misconceptions about method acting, dismissing exaggerated examples like “living in a jail cell for six months” as irrelevant. He stressed that the practice aims to free performers rather than impose unnecessary hardships.
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer, and editor for newspapers, magazines, and websites.
