Daniel Day-Lewis calls out Brian Cox for dragging him into method acting debate

Los Angeles, Nov 4 (PTI) Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis is not happy about his name being dragged into a debate over the merits of method acting by "Succession" star Brian Cox.

Cox has often criticised his "Succession" co-star Jeremy Strong for going to extreme length to portray Kendall Roy in the series. He even suggested that Strong would burn himself out the way Day-Lewis did and had to retire early.

Day-Lewis, who is known for his deep dive into roles and staying "in character" during the entirety of the shoots, shared his views on the whole debate in a recent interview.

"Listen, I worked with Brian Cox once and got somehow drawn into this handbags-at-dawn conflict inadvertently,” Day-Lewis told the UK's Big Issue, referring to their 1997 film "The Boxer".

"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," he added, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. "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 the f*** that came from," Day-Lewis said as he praised Strong as “a very fine actor".

Over the span of his career, the actor has defended his process, saying it works for him.

Earlier this month at the 69th edition of the BFI London Film Festival, Day-Lewis described method acting as “a way of freeing yourself for the spontaneity when you are working with your colleagues in front of the camera, so that you are free to respond in any way that you’re moved to in that moment.” PTI SMR BK RB