Daniel Day-Lewis on Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong Method Acting Feud

Daniel Day-Lewis reacted to being dragged into the “handbags-at-dawn conflict” between Succession costars Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong over method acting.

Daniel Day-Lewis isn’t quite following the thread of Brain Cox’s thoughts.

While the There Will Be Blood actor is well known in Hollywood for his method acting techniques—which among other tactics included him remaining in a wheelchair while filming 1989’s My Left Foot—he wasn’t thrilled when his Boxer costar named him as one of the reasons the Succession star had issues with his costar Jeremy Strong’s acting style.

“Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” Day-Lewis told the Big Issue in an interview published Nov. 3. “Brian is a very fine actor who’s done extraordinary work.”

The 68-year-old added that because Cox is such a well-respected actor, “he’s been given a soapbox,” joking that the Deadwood alum, “shows no sign of climbing down from.”

And any time Cox, 79, wants to talk about his issues with method acting, Day-Lewis notes, “I’m easy to find.”

The issues between the pair stemmed from Cox’s time working with Strong on Succession, and a 2023 interview with Variety where he called out his onscreen son for learning too much from Day-Lewis’ technique when he served as his assistant during 2005's The Ballad of Jack and Rose, and later starred alongside him in 2012’s Lincoln. 

But Day-Lewis takes issue with the idea that he was the reason for Strong’s acting style.

“If I thought during our work together I’d interfered with his working process, I’d be appalled,” the Oscar winner shared. “But I don’t think it was like that. So I don’t know where the f--k that came from.”

Day-Lewis added, “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.”