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

Daniel Day-Lewis Accuses Brian Cox of Creating a 'Conflict' About Method Acting

Daniel Day-Lewis shared that he feels Brian Cox involved him in an unnecessary debate over Method acting. Speaking to the U.K.'s Big Issue, the 68-year-old actor said he was drawn into the discussion "inadvertently" after comments Cox made in a previous interview.

The Origins of the Disagreement

The discussion began when Brian Cox, 79, suggested in a 2023 Variety interview that his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong became interested in Method acting after spending time with Day-Lewis. The pair had previously worked together on the 1997 film The Boxer.

“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.”

Cox’s Perspective on Method Acting

In his earlier remarks, Cox implied that Day-Lewis’ immersive approach had influenced both his own perspective and that of Jeremy Strong.

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

Day-Lewis did not appear eager to continue the public back-and-forth but acknowledged Cox’s right to express his opinion.

Author’s Summary

Daniel Day-Lewis downplayed a public dispute with Brian Cox, noting respect for Cox's work while rejecting the idea of Method acting as a personal battleground.

People.com — 2025-11-04