Daniel Day-Lewis takes no responsibility for Jeremy Strong

Daniel Day-Lewis Takes No Responsibility for Jeremy Strong

While Daniel Day-Lewis was taking a break from acting, discussions arose about his intensive approach to Method acting. Actor Brian Cox, known for his skepticism toward the Method, suggested that Day-Lewis’s devotion to it might have led to burnout and early retirement. He also lamented that his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong seemed influenced by Day-Lewis’s techniques.

Day-Lewis, however, rejects any connection to this debate or influence on Strong’s methods.

“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,” Day-Lewis told Big Issue magazine.

“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 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.”

Day-Lewis has often clarified that Method acting is not a cult-like practice and that he never encouraged others, including Strong, to adopt it. Strong himself described his craft as a highly solitary process.

Author’s Summary

Day-Lewis firmly distances himself from claims that he inspired Jeremy Strong’s Method acting, emphasizing respect for both actors’ independent approaches.

more

AV Club AV Club — 2025-11-04

More News